Spending almost 20 years committed to the success of a single project demonstrates dedication and determination beyond any committee norm. The Halina Wind Preston Holocaust Education Committee, an interfaith and intergenerational volunteer group, chaired by Regina Kerr Alonzo, culminates their efforts with the presentation of a DVD project. its world premiere, on May 4, 2008 at 4:30 p.m. at The Tatnall School, Laird Performing Arts Center in Greenville, Delaware.
Steve Gonzer, 56, the creator and producer of “No Denying: Delawareans Bear Witness to the Holocaust,” is the driving force behind the soon-to-be released DVD set, one of many projects developed by the Halina Wind Preston Holocaust Education Committee (HEC), a subcommittee of the Jewish Federation of Delaware.
Gonzer, a Middletown resident and Director of Downstate Services with the Delaware Council on Gambling Problems, has filled countless hours over the past 20 years poring over testimonies of Delaware survivors and other eyewitnesses, of the Holocaust.
The Jewish Voice documented his thoughts about this extremely worthy project.
Q:The documentary; “No Denying: Delawareans Bear Witness to the Holocaust” soon premieres. How many years has it has taken to get to this point?
A: I have been working on the “No Denying” documentary for about three years. However, videotaping of Delaware eyewitnesses to the events of the Holocaust officially commenced in 1989 as one of several HEC projects. I have been · a volunteer member of the HEC for over 20 years and one of the coordinators for the original Videotaping Project, which was implemented with the assistance of the Fortunoff Video Archives of Yale University.
Steve Gonzer; the creator and producer of “No Denying: Delawareans Bear Witness to the Holocaust,” with Holocaust survivor, Dorothy Krause Finger.
Q: This project must have been very intense, emotionally. Was there a point where you felt like giving up? Conversely; can you tell us about a time where you felt particularly inspired?
A: My passion for this project emerges from the wellsprings of my heart and there was never a time when I felt like giving up. But there were many times when I felt emotionally and physically drained and frustrated. I can’t think of any particular period of time when I did not feel motivated by the poignant testimonies. When my inspiration waned, all I needed to do was reflect upon the courage displayed by all of the people that we interviewed over the years. This instantly redirected my attention; every account was rousing and powerful. Many of the people we interviewed shared their recollections for the first time, not even their families knew what they had experienced and endured. Each new interview served as catalyst for me to carry on.
Q: Can you tell our readers about your commitment to this project? What is your family history and what does this mean to you personally?
A: I felt a powerful sense of dutifulness to my family and all victims of the Holocaust. My maternal grandmother was born in a small village, Felsö Veretski, in the Sub Carpathian region of what is now the Ukraine. At around the age of 17, she and one of her sisters sailed from Hamburg, Germany to New York Harbor, in 1905. My grandmother was one of twelve children. During the Holocaust, nearly her entire family was wiped off the face of the earth: my aunts, uncles and cousins- all gone- simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and members of a group targeted for genocide. Most of my grandmother’s siblings had seven or eight children. They were Chassidic Jews, extremely religious. This is only one branch of my family; the Steinbergs. Then there is the Gottesman side. I do not know if any of them survived. I was told some did, and in my heart, I know that is true, but I will never know who or where they are. Mere words would be almost meaningless, to convey my feelings about what this project means to me personally. I do know that I live with an endless sense of loss and wonder. I have approximately seven cousins who survived the Holocaust and have met four. Not one of my grandmother’s siblings survived. What is illuminating, compelling, courageous and faithful to me is how any human being could muster the strength to survive horrid acts of genocide, gather what is left of their lives and begin all over again; a rebirth, so to speak, not from the tranquility of a mother’s womb, but scathed by the anarchy of unspeakable terror, cruelty and indifference.
Q: All of the witness accounts are unique but were there any that seemed similar to what you know about your own relatives’ experiences?
A: Several of the eyewitness accounts were not only similar to what some my family members experienced. many of the atrocities, timeframes and geographical locations were identical. I sometimes felt as if the words of the interviewees actually resonated from my own relatives.
Ester and Solomon Kopolovic, cousins. Both survived slave labor camps and several concentration camps. The returned to their hometown after the war ended, in what is now Levice, Czechoslovakia and eventually came to Wilmington in 1969.
Rose and Herman Jacobovic, cousins, shortly before they were taken by the Nazis. Both were murdered.
Grandmother, Anna Miller, who immigrated to the United States from Ukraine with her two sisters in 1905. Nearly her entire family perished in the Holocaust.
Q: How did you work on this project for so many years and not be overcome by grief?
A: Believe me, producing this documentary and participating in a 20-year effort to videotape eyewitnesses to the Holocaust was. and is, very emotionally draining and intense. At times. I did feel overcome by grief, but in no way can my grief ever compare to the grief felt by those-whole lives were totally uprooted and who watched their loved ones saunter Into the gas chambers, shot in the forests or worked to death slave laborers. My grief is simply an echo of what others have endured. I must add that I also feel great joy and sense of honor for having been able to play a very minor role in contributing to the preservation. for the record. undisputed evidence that the Holocaust was real. Perhaps this will help silence the voice of the deniers and historical revisionists, so future generations will not continue to repeat history
Q: Do any of the survivors keep in touch with you on a regular basis? What are your interactions like?
A: Yes, I am in touch with many of the survivors, as well as the liberators and people who were saved by Righteous Gentiles. During the past 20 years, I have also had contact with, and met the children, spouses and siblings of many of the people who have been interviewed. My interactions with them are always heartwarming and heartbreaking. I consider many of them lifelong friends. In some psychological and spiritual sense, they fill an emptiness in my life, compensating for the loss of my family members who perished.
Q: How will the DVD and guild assist teachers in their efforts to educate our young students about the Holocaust?
A: HEC members who are survivors have shared their eyewitness accounts of the Holocaust with thousands of students over the years; the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Ten years from now, there may be no survivors among us to bear witness – “No Denying” will attempt to fill that huge void.
The complete four-disc “No Denying” DVD set and companion/user’s guide will be distributed to public, parochial, and private high schools throughout Delaware this fall. It is designed to be teacher/student friendly. The guide has suggested questions for discussion and a list of additional resources for teachers and students. The set will be a useful tool to teach about genocide, and in particular, the Holocaust.
In my opinion, one can never talk about genocide and not talk about the Holocaust. Fortunatelyu, the Nazis left undisputed evidence and hundreds of thousands of documents that prove the Holocaust did take place. This was not the case with most other genocides in history.
An aunt and her young son. Both perished in the Holocaust along with their entire family: six siblings and their father.
Q: What age is the DVD appropriate for? Is it limited to viewing only in Delaware?
A: The material in the DVD set is appropriate for students over the age of 12. Many of the words and visuals may be disturbing to viewers of all ages. “No Denying” is a documentary, a work of nonfiction. The facts speak for themselves. Though all of the individuals featured in the documentary are Delawareans, screenings and sales of the DVD set are absolutely not limited to Delaware.
Q: Will this DVD be part of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) collection?
A: Yes. The USHMM was extremely cooperative in providing audio/visual materials for the documentary in exchange for providing them with a copy of the complete DVD set.
Q: What, if any, projects are you on to next? Do you see yourself getting involved with anthing related to this experience or will you seek something completely different?
A: Next? I still have lots of work to do on this project. After that, G-d know and time will tell. I do know that I will continue to interview Delawareans who were eyewitnesses to the Holocaust, whenever the opportunity arises. I have many interest, so don’t know what is in store for me next. Most important, I am going to take a long vacation, maybe.
[Part I of the four disc DVD set will be shown in its entirety. The documentary illuminates the compelling recollections of extreme human courage, faith, physical and emotional strength, during times of unspeakable terror, cruelty and indifference.
This event marks the kickoff of a campaign to fund the Holocaust Education Endowment Fund, of the Halina Wind Preston Holocaust Education Committee (HEC). The Fund will support Holocaust education activities and projects throughout Delaware. All donations to the endowment fund are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
The DVD set and companion guide will be distributed to all public, parochial and private high schools and public libraries in Delaware in the fall of 2008, at which time the DVD set and guild will also be available for sale.
In addition to the “No Denying” premiere, Diana Wheeler, a teacher at Cape Henlopen High School, will share her feelings about the importance of teaching the lessons of the Holocaust. Diana is one of many Delaware teachers who participated in an educational cluster created and sponsored by HEC in June, 2008.
Admission to the event is $35 and includes a variety of Eastern European light fare and refreshments. Seating is limited and must be reserved no later than April 17, 2008. For reservation, please contact Robin Freshman at rjfresch2@msn.com or register onliPhne at www.shalomedelaware.org
For more information call Regina at 610-388-9230.
“No Denying: Delawareans Bear Witness to the Holocaust,” a documentary featuring the eyewitness testimony of Delawareans who personally experienced the horrors of the Holocaust will have its world premiere on May 4, 2008, 4:30 p.m. at The Tatnall Scool, Laird Performing Arts Center, in Greenville, Delaware.
Cordially invite you to A special preview of It a Mitzvah! Jewish Life in the Delaware Valley See preview excerpts from WHYY’s latest television production Meet the WHYY documentary producers Learn more about Jewish life in Delaware with special remarks by Toni Young, author of Becoming American, Remaining Jewish: The Story of Wilmington Delaware’s First Jewish Community Tuesday, December 3, 2002 Delaware History Museum 504 Market Street Wilmington, DE Doors open at 6 PM Program starts at 6:15 PM Followed by conversation and a reception RSVP to Lynn Edelman, Jewish Federation of Delaware at 302-427-2100 Ext. 11
It’s a Mitzvah!
On the sixth night of Chanukah, the Jewish Federation of Delaware celebrated a partnership of purpose at the Delaware History Museum. Four organizations-JFD, the Jewish Historical Society of Delaware, the Historical Society of Delaware and WHYY TV, jointly sponsored a preview of an original documentary about 75 years of Jewish immigration to the Delaware Valley. Aptly named, “It’s A Mitzvah”-the film was screened on the night before its formal broadcast on WHYY TV12. Toni Young was interviewed by WHYY’s Ed Cunningham about Jewish life in Delaware in the early 20th century. She joined with Barbara Benson, executive director of the Historical Society of Delaware, to explain interesting artifacts of life during this era. Dicey Sklut, co-president of the Jewish Historical Society of Delaware along with Nancy Sherr, also participated in this successful program.
Toni Young spoke about Jewish life in Delaware in the early 20th century.Donald F. Parsons, co-chair of the 2003 Federation Annual Campaign with Carol Rothschild, addresses guests at the pre-event major gift reception.William H. Marazzo, president of WHYY-TV, extends Chanukah greetings.JFD President Barry S. Kayne welcomes participants to the screening.Dicey Sklut, co-president of the Jewish Historical Society of Delaware with Nancy Sherr, invites the group to share their artifacts.
“When I used to think of Judaism, I thought of studying for my Bar Mitzvah, going to temple on Friday evenings, seeing my family on holidays, and the occasional Jewish Federation events!
“But, my ideas of Judaism have just been expanded beyond belief. Now, when I think of Judaism, I think of the breath-taking beauty we experienced while hiking throughout the Negev. I remember at night, after our hikes, when we camped out under the stars, I had an overwhelming feeling of peace, as I listened to the sound of the open desert. I think of standing in awe at the base of the Western Wall, trying to understand the diversity and the unity of the numerous people who touched this very spot. I think of walking through the Old City, seeing Jews live their lives, in many ways like our ancestors did, many thousands of years ago. I think of the wonder and excitement of Tel Aviv, and I remember realizing that Israel is just as advanced as we are. I remember thinking how cool it was seeing a McDonalds sign written in Hebrew.
“But, most importantly, when I think of Israel, I think of how much fun I had and the wonderful friendships that will last a lifetime; friendships, just like my new connection to Judaism, that will never end.”
The above words were part of a speech Dan Medwin delivered at the JFD Annual Meeting in May. The speech left people at the meeting with a sense of pride for the next generation of leaders. The speech was about his trip to Israel during the summer of ’95. The trip has given Dan a renewed sense of commitment and dedication to Judaism and the State of Israel.
Dan Medwin joined 600 other Jews from across North America on the NFTY tour “Exodus to Israel.” The five and a half week tour started with a flight to Greece where the group spent two days before sailing on a boat to Haifa. The boat trip from Greece to Israel was to simulate the Jews trip to Palestine after WWII. For the next month in Israel, Dan was to meet new and exciting people, see interesting and historical places, and learn the history of his Jewish ancestors.
It was important for Dan to keep a journal of what he was doing, seeing, and learning in Israel. Upon his arrival to Israel from Greece, Dan wrote in his journal:
“As I looked out a window of the boat, and saw the magnificent shores of Eretz Yisrael, I only had one though… The idea was so simple and yet so strong, it blocked out all other thoughts. It blocked out the noise behind me of 600 screaming teenagers looking forward to the best summer of their lives, jumping into a new adventure with wide eyes and open minds… as the thought bounced around it grew strength; growing louder and louder in my subconscious until it was too loud to contain. It burst out of my lips. Only the Israelis around me understood how I was feeling, or even what I had said. The thought was simple, it was pure, but it was overwhelmingly powerful: I had returned home…”
While in Israel Dan explored the North of Israel including the Golan Heights, the Sea of Galilee, and Haifa. Dan traveled throughout Jerusalem which included an experience at the Western Wall, exploring the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, shopping on Ben Yehuda Street, planting a tree, and visiting the Knesset building. Dan also traveled to Tel Aviv, “the New York City of Israel,” where he shopped in Dizengoff Center, and walked the beach of the Mediterranean Sea. He hiked and crawled through caves in the Negev Desert and visited the Mitzpeh Ramon Crater. He had the opportunity to float in the Dead Sea and climb Massada early in morning Dan, left, and a friend on the boat to Israel. to experience sunrise from a mountaintop.
Dan can now reflect on the way his trip to Israel has affected this past year. He has gotten more involved in his NFTY Region and holds the position of Religious and Cultural Vice President of the NFTY Mid-Atlantic Region. As the RCVP, Dan writes programs and services focusing on Israel and other Jewish aspects. His future plans include attending Brandeis University as a Judaic Studies and/or Computer Science major. Dan often reflects back on his trip and recalls what he learned about the State of Israel and the lasting friendships he made while there.
Originally published in The Jewish Voice, July 19, 1996.
In 1654, a group of twenty-three Jewish refugees fled Recite, Brazil, for New Amsterdam (New York) when the Dutch were defeated by the Portuguese. Peter Stuyvesant, the governor of New Amsterdam, tried to make them leave, but the Dutch West Indies Company overrode his decision. These men and women became the first permanent Jewish settlers in North America.
Within a year of their arrival, Jews were trading in the territory that became Delaware. Less than twenty years later the first Jew settled near the Appoquinimink Creek. However, it would be more than 200 years before there were enough Jews in Delaware to establish the first Jewish communal organization.
During the eighteenth century, the colonies developed and became a country. Although Jews, like other ethnic groups, faced discrimination, they were treated as equal citizens with rights and responsibilities guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The United States became the first country to give Jews equal rights under law. Given the chance to participate fully in society, Jews flourished. Today there are some 5.5 million Jewish people in the United States.
Our exhibit celebrates the freedom, opportunity, and idealism of America
By Lynn Edelman, Editor
Last Sunday, the Delaware Jewish community lost two extraordinary individuals. Eugene Ellick, a generous supporter of the Jewish Federation of Delaware and a long-term, active member of Congregation Beth Emeth, was
memorialized during morning funeral services at his synagogue. Later that afternoon, Isadore Silverman was eulogized as Adas Kodesch Shel Emeth, a synagogue he served with distinction as Gabbai and as a past vice president.
Mr. Ellick died on June 7th at Christiana Hospital at the age of 62 after a long battle with non- Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer. He was the owner, chief executive officer and chief creative director of Reese, Tomases & Ellick, Inc., one of Delaware’s largest marketing communications agencies.
Gina Kozicki, administrative assistant to JFD Endowment Director Rachel A. Gross, was employed by Mr. Ellick and viewed him as a mentor. “He taught me a great deal about the communications, marketing and design industry. He loved to share his knowledge with others,” she recalled.
He taught continuing education courses in marketing and advertising for many years at his alma mater, the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and at the University of Delaware and lectured to professional organizations across the country about his craft.
His interest in art began as a child in Philadelphia. At the age of 13 he had several editorial cartoons published in the Evening Bulletin. Throughout his career he received numerous creative design awards and had his work in the Library of Congress.
He is survived by his wife, Lynn P. Ellick; his daughter, Joy Dara Ellick and his son, Adam B. Ellick. He was the son of Florence Ellick of Wilmington and the late Morris J. Ellick.
The family requests that contributions in his memory be made to the Kutz Home, 704 River Road, Wilmington, DE 19809, Congregation Beth Emeth, 300 West Lea Blvd., Wilmington, DE 19802 or to the Lymphoma Research Foundation of America, 8800 Venice Blvd., Suite 207, Los Angeles, CA 90034.
On May 29, 1999, AKSE hosted a special celebration of Isadore
“Izzy” Silverman’s 90th birthday. Little more than a year later, congregants,
friends and family gathered at the same synagogue to mourn his passing.
Mr. Silverman was a member of Adas Kodesch Shel Emeth for more than 70 years. For 40 of those years, he was a member of the choral group. A life member of the synagogue’s board of directors, he was perhaps most proud
of his role as Gabbai. When I interviewed him last year, he took great pleasure in describing his daily routing of rising at 4:30 a.m., showering, eating a light breakfast then driving himself to the synagogue in time for morning minyan.
His passion for guiding young lives was evidenced by his 18 years of service as scoutmaster. He served as district commissioner and as chairman of the Religious Committee on Scouting for the City of Wilmington. His commitment
was recognized with the Silver Beaver Award – the highest
honor given to a scouting volunteer.
The retired owner of a Wilmington fruit and produce market,
Mr. Silverman enjoyed keeping his mind challenged through
classes at the Institute for Lifelong Learning and his body active through daily walks.
He was a devoted husband to his late wife, Sylvia, who, like him, was a native of Poland. Eldest daughter Barbara Keil recalls the deep love that the couple shared.
“My parents set a marvelous example for my sisters and I,” she said.
In addition to Barbara Keil of Surrey Park, Mr. Silverman is survived by three other daughters, Vivian S. Halberstadt of Green Acres, Sheila Freeman of Miami, FL and E.S. Jaffee of
Bloomington, IN; seven grandchildren; seven great grandchildren and a sister, Helen Schneider of W. Sayville, N.Y.
The family requests that contributions in his memory be made to either AKSE, Washington Blvd. and Torah Way, Wilmington, Boy Scouts of America, Delmarva
Council or to a charity of the donor’s choice.
May their memory be a blessing and an inspiration to us all.
Originally published in The Jewish Voice, June 16, 2000, p. 7.
