Show Jewish triumph over Holocaust Stone shares II Kathryn Jones The Globe Some stories should never never be forgotten especially especially espe- espe daily those those stories stories stori s which which show sl show how h hate te can into seeing see ng nothing more in a person than their age religion or the color of their skin When Eileen Hallet Stone was writing Homeland in the West Utah Jews Remember published in 2001 by the University of pf Utah Press a woman came up to her at the Union Station a woman in a wheelchair Stone didn't know the woma womans woman's s name or even her age guessing she must have been about 90 Still the I woman seemed anxious anxious ous to talk with her Why She was a survivor and didn't want anyone to forget I looked at this sweet woman Stone said She told me mc m all of her family had died in the holocaust Stone who recently spoke to a small group of students and who is the Director of Common Ground Communications an organization organization orga orga- tion housed in Salt Sa t Lake City that promotes involvement In n family history said she later met another woman in a store who had an accent and appeared to be in her mid After dis discovering covering Stone was writing a book about holocaust holocaust holocaust holo holo- caust survivors in Utah she asked Are you if I 4 going or ino tr to tell them about how many people died According to and the Jewish Virtual Library almost 6 million mill on Jews Je s were reported as being murdered during uri g the Holocaust including 15 million children th the murders extending to 21 countries countries' including Austria and Yugoslavia The reason for so many losing their lives is simple and yet complex accord according ng to Stone When you hate you have to become ready else to acquiesce someone to abuse to report or in the be a willing player to report You have to hate game Stone said telling the group that it itis itis itis is to learn how to hate As easy as listening listening listening listen listen- easy ing to the wrong voice a a voice that told Germans week after week over the radio that if would be the Jews did not exist Germany stronger would not be failing When Hitler came to power people would listen to to the economic woes They would listen to his rhetoric We have nothing because of the Jews They've taken it all from us And it was not true Stone said As one student suggested in the audience If youre you're influenced by someone you admire Stone Cont on Page 5 5 t V rt c ra Ifft ff v Stone ci J Cont Cant from front someone that has a strong holding in your beliefs to hate something then you just go along long with it Stone is vividly aware it is this Nazi hatred that caused the deaths of oso so many Jews She spoke of the fear that raced through the hearts of the German people and how Hitler played to these fears She spoke of Jews whom shed she'd interviewed interviewed inter inter- interviewed viewed who had survived despite the loss of mothers fathers children their childhood spent in hiding learning as they could despite the lack of books and teaching materials clean water for drinking and bathing food and time to play Stone shared insights from the Night of Broken Glass where in only two days the Nazis Nazi's had set fire to synagogues synagogues synagogues syna syna- and over German Jews were arrested and sent to concentration camps She suggested that we have seen a hint of what people are capable of doing when it comes to looting when we think of the horrors surrounding Hurricane Katrina She also suggested to the students that they study up on Topaz the internment camp located in Utah for Japanese-Americans Japanese World during War II H taking into account the reason for the camps in the first place American fear She spoke of a recent Legislative session in Utah where a grown man told her he was positive that the Jews wore the stars all allover over Europe to protect them from harm A man whom Stone admits might have been thinking of what happened hap hap- happened in Denmark when the underground government produced produced pro pro- replicas of the Jewish star so the Nazis Nazi's would not be able to tell the difference between a Jew and a non And they wore them Stone said But that was Denmark not the rest of the world where that yellow star was pinned to every Jewish man an woman and child A star which set you apart set you up arrested you denigrated you took away your job took away your education took away your livelihood took away your home and sent you to toa toa toa a concentration camp Stone said That yellow star was a cheap and effective way to advertise And what did it advertise advertise advertise adver adver- tise Hatred And it worked But there was one thing Hitler had riot not planned on In 1933 Hitler's plan was to annihilate all Jews Stone said but there remained Jewish survivors a Jewish triumph over the human spirit Though this triumph includes many Jews Stone will never be able to write about Jews she will never have the opportunity opportunity opportunity to interview so that she may share their story she has begun In her book A Homeland in the West Stone shares the stories of more than 50 men and women immigrants and explorers artists and merchants senators and soldiers who have survived and in these stories survivors share their pains and triumphs allowing readers to catch a glimpse of Utah from a rare perspective The book may be read on many levels as a historical overview a social commentary a personal and psychological cal journey a revelation of a past or a look into the future Stone states in the books book's preface Yet until we understand stories of authenticity such as the Jewish story our own Utah story is not complete For those interested in learning more about Jewish culture culture culture cul cul- cul- cul ture a Panel Discussion on Jewish life in Utah will be beheld beheld held Thursday Jan U 12 p pm p.m. m. m at t the Ogden Union Station bb Ogden Event is is free 1 I I I |