St. Francis Middle School Students Thank the Jewish Community

The Jewish community regularly promotes Holocaust education for the entire community. Each year, the Jewish Community Relations Council presents a community-wide Yom HaShoah Commemoration Program and regularly takes teachers to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, providing them pre- and post-trip educational sessions that enable them to develop curricula that they can use in their classrooms.

The Jewish Foundation of Louisville also helps provide scholarships that make it possible for teachers and students to make the trip to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. This year, the Foundation’s Father Schmidt Fund, a restricted fund that is designated for Holocaust education, provided a grant of $1800 – $75 per student – that enabled Fred Whittaker, a middle school science and social studies teacher at St. Francis of Assisi, who is also a Holocaust educator, to take 24 students to the museum.

Cantor David Lipp and Holocaust survivor Fred Gross traveled with the students. Cantor Lipp worked with the students ahead of time, taught them the Kaddish and helped them recite the prayer in the Hall of Remembrance. Gross shared his personal story.

In appreciation for the support they received from the Jewish Community of Louisville and the Jewish Foundation, Whittaker brought three of his eighth grade students, Rose Chancy, Cassie Drury and Holly Zoeller, to the JCL Board meeting on January 29, where they conveyed their gratitude in person. All three girls acknowledged the men’s contributions to their experience and thanked them for making a difference.

The three young people were eloquent as they read from their prepared letters. Each expressed her gratitude for the support that enabled her to make this trip and shared how the emotions of the experience impacted her life.

Chancy recounted the power the architecture of the building added to the experience, moving from dark to light, “until you were thrust into the Hall of Remembrance, where you are forced to feel emotion.”

After her “emotionally draining day,” she wrote, “I felt a weight, not a burden, placed upon my shoulders. In this day I had gone through the entire Holocaust, learned life stories of the victims, rescuers, even persecutors, but in this hall, I learned only one thing, I can never forget. If you look at it, the Holocaust can teach you everything about living your life. It shows how the simplest insults or rude comments can be taken to drastic measures. It teaches you hope and perseverance, it teaches you bravery, and so much more. These things help me lead a better life.”

“After my class’s experiences this year, we feel that we are part of the Jewish Community of Louisville,” she concluded. “We are a part of your faith, and we also feel like our knowledge of your faith helps us in ours. Holocaust education is infinitely important to me, and I cannot begin to express my gratitude for it.”

Zoeller described herself as a sensitive person who, when she began studying the Holocaust, was unsure that she would be able to handle it. Among the many things that moved her, she spoke about the “wall of faces and the walls of names” that “stained my heart greatly. I found myself looking for names of friends and family, and when finding one, my heart always fell slightly, even though they hadn’t been through the tragedy. Suddenly, the horrible thought occurred to me; every single person on those walls had family and friends, whom they loved, and whom they were torn away from. The faces on the wall made things real and it helped put into perspective that the people were human beings with lives involving problems, joys and average days.

“The hardest to swallow,” she continued, “is the fact that those persecuted were people just like me, not a vague person I could never connect to. They got anxious at times, they had fallen in love, they got frustrated and they worked diligently at school.”

“I will never be the same after I stepped through the doors of that museum,” Zoeller said, “and that is something I am very proud to say. A personal success was that when this all was over, I found that my anxiety did not hold me back in the least. Coming out of the journey, I saw myself grow as I haven’t before. I’ve become more aware that what I do has an impact and I must be braced for the impact with everything I do. I found a side of myself stronger than I ever believed possible.”

She said that the gift the Jewish community gave her class shaped thir future. “My class will never be able to explain to people why we are different, why we notice hurt, care more and are more understanding of those different from us. We sincerely owe this all to you.”

For Drury, the lessons of the Holocaust were about “love, hate, family and humanity,” and one of “most amazing and memorable experiences for me was praying the Kaddish in the Hall of Remembrance. … It was a remarkable experience and like nothing I had ever experienced before. I have never felt such love for everyone around me than I did in that room.

“Even in pledging to never forget one of the darkest times in human history,” she continued, “the only thing I was feeling was love. That moment changed me in an inexplicable way. I carry the memories of those that came before me each and every day and because of that, I am more conscious of my actions. I do my best to weave the message that the Holocaust taught me into my everyday life.”

Drury summed up her experience, “I know that there is a lot that makes people different from each other, but from my personal experiences I know that there is even more that makes people similar.

“Differences should unite us as people,” she said, “but if people persecute others for the sake of their differences then we are not united. I know that there are many differences between religions, but those differences DO NOT carry into the people that practice them.

“My studies in the Holocaust have taught me to stand up for this and speak out.” She added. “We are just one school and one community, but there is a starting place for everything. I know that because of the lessons I have learned I will stand up, I will try and write the wrongs, and I will love.”

Full Letter: Cassie Drury

Hello everyone my name is Cassie Drury and I am in 8th grade at St. Francis of Assisi.  I want to thank you so much for this opportunity to reflect on my amazing experiences of learning about the Holocaust, and visiting the museum. I am truly honored to be here and excited to talk to you.

I have never been more moved, inspired and touched than when we went to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. It was an unbelievable experience that I will never forget.  My lessons in the Holocaust have gone lengths to teach me about love, hate, family, and humanity its self. One of the most amazing and memorable experiences for me was praying the Kaddish in the Hall of Remembrance. I vividly remember reciting the prayer with Cantor Lipp, survivor, Fred Gross, and my entire class. It was a remarkable experience and like nothing I had ever experienced before. I have never felt such love for everyone around me than I did in that room.

Even in pledging to never forget one of the darkest times in human history, the only thing I was feeling was love. That moment changed me in an inexplicable way. I carry the memories of those that came before me each and every day and because of that, I am more conscious of my actions. I do my best to weave the message that the Holocaust taught me into my everyday life.

I will never forget the Hall of Remembrance and my memories there. I will never forget the Kaddish and I am still able to recite it.

One of the other things that affected me was going through the cattle car. You could sense all the fear and anxiety that the hundreds of people that were transported in them had felt. The smooth walls were worn much like the people that were in them. It made me realize how frightened they must have been. I try to take this humbling feeling with me and to remember that these were people just like me. I have to think about my actions and keep in mind that I am so blessed. This was a very humbling experience for me.

One of the other things that really affected me was the memory of the white room. A thought whispered through out my mind as I looked at the white blank canvases: those were people, people with lives, people that never got to live the rest of their life. This was symbolic that there was supposed to be memories on the blank canvases, memories that will now never be made. This was the symbol of lost lives. This made me grateful for the most basic gift I have: my life. I try to remember everyday that at the very least, I will wake up tomorrow. This changed me to be more grateful and to appreciate all I have.

I am so grateful for the memories and wisdom I have retained from my visit to the memorial. It was one of the most moving and touching things that I have ever experienced and I will never forget it. I would like to pass along my gratitude to you and to the Jewish Community for your amazing contribution to make our trip possible. It was the perfect way to conclude our lessons of the Shoah although these lessons resonate with me everyday and I doubt they will truly ever conclude. I am so grateful for everything you have done.

I recognize how important it is that you fund us for the education of the Holocaust. There are so many lessons to be learned from this and I am so grateful to have been introduced to them. I know that there is a lot that makes people different from each other, but from my personal experiences I know that there is even more that makes people similar. Differences should unite us as people, but if people persecute others for the sake of their differences then we are not united. I know that there are many differences between religions, but those differences DO NOT carry into the people that practice them. My studies in the Holocaust have taught me to stand up for this and speak out.  We are just one school and one community, but there is a starting place for everything. I know that because of the lessons I have learned I will stand up, I will try and write the wrongs, and I will love.

Thank you for everything that you have done for me without even knowing who I am. It means so much to me that you care and are will to be so generous. This has been an amazing experience that I am so grateful for. Thank you for your unbelievable kindness, munificence, and generosity. I will never forget the Holocaust and its lessons. This has meant so much to me and I pledge to stand up, to be an educator, to speak out, and to love in my everyday life. I will carry the experience of learning and hearing of the tragedies that occurred, but also hearing of faith, small acts of kindness, and the power of love with me for the entirety of my life.

Full Letter: Holly Zoeller

Good evening, my name is Holly Zoeller and I’m in 8th grade at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School. Thank you for inviting me here; I am really honored to be here in front of you this evening.

My journey began in September where I was asked to picture this: someone as normal as myself being pulled off the street, leaving everything behind. Your family is in tatters, you’re scared, and you’re being forced into what feels like hell in every sense of the word. Honestly, it is hard to try and put yourself in those shoes. It is one of the biggest challenges I feel I have ever overcome in my life so far. It’s quite easy to ignore things and go back to being happy, but you have to try to understand the Shoah, if not to honor 1 human being’s life, then for nearly 6 million. My class pushed ourselves to connect to this tragedy and feel something really raw in our inner beings, and it was achieved.

I am a very sensitive person, and anxiety is something I’ve struggled with my entire life. In the beginning, I was nearly positive I wouldn’t make it through such a vigorous lesson. When I began at the museum, I was prepared to be crushed under the weight of its immense power. One thing that still touches me with the powerful memory is the room of white. You are pushed into history, dark and lurking, and you become exhausted under your own pain. Then, you step into this room of white and you are refreshed. I heard the story of Fred Gross there, truly one of the best people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, and picked myself up again. Letting the feelings wash over me while I was in a room of white was beautiful.

I will also never forget the wall of faces and the walls of names, as it has stained my heart greatly. I found myself looking for names of friends and family, and when finding one, my heart always fell slightly, even though they hadn’t been through the tragedy. Suddenly, the horrible thought occurred to me; every single person on those walls had family and friends, whom they loved, and whom they were torn away from. The faces on the wall made things real and it helped put into perspective that the people were human beings with lives involving problems, joys, and average days. The hardest to swallow is the fact that those persecuted were people just like me, not a vague person I could never connect to. They got anxious at times, they had fallen in love, they got frustrated, and they worked diligently at school. It’s very difficult to process. I then stepped through the cattle car. Please remember, at that time, I was raw. I had done well at containing the sorrow I felt, but I broke at this point, and walked through with tears streaming down my face for the first time there. You truly feel like you are there with them. It is inexplicably difficult to put into words, but little will ever compare to that moment.

Countless things changed me, but most of all, I will never forget the shoes, no matter how much easier it would be to forget them. The hundreds of shoes you see from the people who died just changed the whole picture. I broke as I focused on a pair of red Mary Jane’s, the buckle fastened, the tips scuffed as were all the other shoes. I have never had something touch me so deeply in my entire life. Maybe it’s silly for a shoe to be something that really changed me, but all the same, it definitely did. I will never be the same after I stepped through the doors of that museum, and that is something I am very proud to say. A personal success was that when this all was over, I found that my anxiety did not hold me back in the least. Coming out of the journey, I saw myself grow as I haven’t before. I’ve become more aware that what I do has an impact and I must be braced for the impact with everything I do.   I found a side of myself stronger than I ever believed possible.

You honestly cannot comprehend the gift you gave to me and my class. I will say the usual thank you, because those are the words that we use to show gratitude, but there is so much more to this than those simple words. Please know that you have shaped the future. My class will never be able to explain to people why we are different, why we notice hurt, care more, and are more understanding of those different from us. We sincerely owe this all to you. So again, I will say thank you because it would have been impossible to achieve such a wonderful experience without your help. You have changed my small school in so many ways. Thanks to you, we are no longer the usual students who put ourselves first. My class will leave for high school with wisdom beyond our years, hearts bigger than the normal, and souls permanently altered from the gifts you have presented us with. Again, it’s so difficult to understand how much you have really done for us, but it’s everlasting and permanent. I thank you on behalf of my class, all the people we will change, and the legacy I am positive we will create.

I never imagined the kind of bond I would form with the Jewish community now. I feel so connected to you as I haven’t felt connected to other groups before. I want to be with you for Yom Hishoa, the Hanukah Party, and many things forward. I respect you so much for the gift you presented us with. I know that you are giving, loving, respectful, and beautiful people.  I envy in the characteristics you put to use in your daily lives and hope to use them in my own life. We will use the gift you gave us to change the future and paint a beautiful picture of life to those whom we meet. I truly hope you know that you are the phenomenal reason that can and will happen.

Never forget. I know some people say never say never, or that never is an impossible word, but I believe that those people are false. I am changed, an altered human with a different personality and a different soul. No matter the mistakes I am bound to make in life, that is always irreversible. There is little that fits that description in this world. I am the kind of person who, quite honestly, forgets what she had for breakfast that morning or the thing someone has just said to them, but this is impossible to forget. I feel so very blessed that I was allowed to go through this, as I have said so many times, and I will continue for the rest of my life to say thank you. I will never forget the powerful, moving experience that forever changed me into a better, bigger, and stronger person nor will I forget the phenomenal people that made it possible. Thank you.

 

Full Letter: Rose Chancy

Hi, my name is Rose Chancy, one of the members of the 8th grade class at St. Francis. As part of our holocaust education, we were blessed with a trip to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. In our studies, we learned so much about the holocaust, not just the history, but we learned the emotions, and when we went to the museum, I, at least, actually felt those emotions. Once we got back, I tried to write about my experience but I soon found out that it was impossible. The things I felt there were impossible to write down, I couldn’t describe them. Over time, I’ve gotten a bit closer but I’m still miles away.

The museum itself holds so much information, that even without the exhibits it would still teach so much about the Shoah. The architecture speaks for itself, before we even entered the monument, the white stone with the red brick fused the modern day memorial with architecture concurrent with the holocaust. But even more intriguing to me, was the lighting, when we got off the elevator, the top floor was very dark, the only lights were ones to illuminate the displays. As you went through the floors, the rooms gradually became lighter, Until you were thrust into the hall of remberance, where you are forced to feel emotion.

Here, is where I struggle at describing my experience. After my emotionally draining day, I admit, I was a bit worn down, but when I entered the hall of rememberance, similar to what I felt in other parts of the museum, I felt a weight, not burden, placed upon my shoulders. In this day I had gone through the entire holocaust, learned life stories of the victims, rescuers, even persecuters, but in this hall, I learned only one thing, I can never forget. If you look at it, the Holocaust can teach you everything about living your life, it shows how the simplest insults or rude comments can be taken to drastic measures, it teaches you hope and perseverance, it teaches you bravery, and so much more.

These things help me lead a better life, I as a person have grown so much since the beginning of the school year, and I owe it mostly to you, Mr. Fred Whittaker, Cantor Lipp, Fred Gross, and anyone else who helped me in my holocaust studies.  So I am here, representing my class, the classes before me, and the classes to come, to thank all of you for such an unimaginable donation. After my class’s experiences this year, we feel that we are part of the Jewish Community of Lousiville, we are a part of your faith, and we also feel like our knowledge of your faith helps us in ours. Holocaust education is infinitely important to me, and I cannot begin to express my gratitude for it.

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