March 2001:
Throughout my years of grade school and high school, I have always heard of the Holocaust and I thought that I knew what it was, but I never quite fully understood what really happened, until I recently visited the Holocaust Museum.Before, if someone would ask me what the Holocaust was, I would respond, nonchalantly, "You know, it was when Hitler decided to kill the Jews." Even though there is truth in what I would have said, it does not do justice to what really happened. Hearing about things is very different than actually seeing and viewing what had happened. The reality of the atrocities that the Jewish people had lived through should never have happened. Nobody deserves to be treated like that.
To actually see pictures and video footage of the Holocaust really hit me. Who is Hitler to determine that only one certain type of person is acceptable? Why were the Jewish people so inferior, according to him? I even started to feel guilty, because I am not Jewish and I probably would have survived during the Holocaust - being of German heritage.
Probably the most disturbing parts of the museum were the sections that showed or described their ways of torture. How could anyone be so ruthless or cruel? Walking through the freight car, sent shivers through my body. I could not imagine fitting over a hundred people in there-it was not very big at all. However, seeing the crematories really hit me. Just seeing that made it all very real to me. I realized that prejudicial problems and discrimination can lead to horrible things.
Overall, I am very glad I have visited the Holocaust Museum. It was very informative and educational. I now have a better understanding for what really happened and have great sympathy for the Jewish people. I would just like to thank Beth Israel Synagogue for giving us that opportunity.
M.B.