What does the Holocaust mean to the average man or woman in our community? With anti-semitism on the rise, Helga Melmed — a survivor of death marches, Bergen-Belsen, and Auschwitz — believes that to be a very important question.
On February 16th, Chabad of Venice brought Helga to speak before a crowd of 700 at the largest hall in our community, the Venice Community Center. Her emotional speech moved many in the audience to tears. She recounted her relatively normal childhood, how her parents attempted to shield her from the hatred. She spoke about the rise of extremism, and the terror that came as a result: the forced hunger, the work camps, the death marches.
Despite the unimaginable hardships she faced, Helga also shared stories of courage and resilience, of how she and her “camp sisters” found solace in one another, providing a candle of love, which brought them through the darkness of Auschwitz. As she spoke, hundreds mirrored her every sentiment, her sighs and her tears.
Adding to the emotion of the event was renowned violinist Vladimir Tsypin, who played pieces from Schindler’s List. His stirring melodies expressed the soul of the event — tragedy and loss, and yearning for a brighter tomorrow.
Venice Mayor Nick Pachota was in attendance, and presented Ms. Melmed with a citizen honor, recognizing her bravery and commitment to educating future generations about the Holocaust. The mayor also proclaimed a week of Holocaust Education, highlighting the city’s commitment to learn from and remember the millions who perished in the Holocaust.
In the days after the event, dozens of letters and emails arrived from attendees. “How can I help more people to hear this?” “Would Helga speak to my high school?”
Many expressed that they had never heard the events of the Holocaust told firsthand before, and that they were deeply impacted by Helga.
As a Chabad, we are proud to have hosted such an impactful event. Together with Helga, and thanks to our volunteers and sponsors — the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation — the powerful lessons of the Holocaust were given the attention they deserve.
Perhaps most importantly of all, Helga’s speech created a wish, which spread throughout the audience. The wish for a more tolerant and inclusive society, and the resolve to stand up against anti-semitism and support Jewish causes with pride.
