I have been heavily studying World War II and the Holocaust for over two years, and in that time, I have always wanted to meet a Holocaust survivor. I had that chance. Yesterday (April 16), I had the privilege of a lifetime meeting Holocaust survivor Ms. Eva Mozes Kor and it was the most amazing time of my life. I was speechless – I could not believe I was meeting a Holocaust survivor!
Eva’s lecture consisted of three parts; her story, her message on forgiveness, and her life lessons. I have seen many videos of Holocaust survivors speaking, but being in the same room with her and hearing her in person was priceless. I have heard many Holocaust stories, but her message on forgiveness and her life lessons were so powerful! A camcorder cannot do justice to the powerful, inspiring testimony of a Holocaust survivor told in person. You hear, live, the emotion. This is a short news video of Eva. (this is the one I attended)
Please see Eva’s full story on her website here. Eva and her twin sister Miriam were only ten years old when they and their family were taken to the infamous death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. Since they were twins, they were subject to inhuman, bizarre Nazi experiments by Josef Mengele. Although she and Miriam survived, the rest of her family were murdered.
Years later, in 1993, she actually forgave the Nazis for everything they did to her and her family and she went back to Auschwitz. Her story is documented in her memoirs Surviving the Angel of Death (for tweens and teens) and Echoes From Auschwitz.
- Never, EVER give up.
- Prevent prejudice by judging people only on their actions and content of their character.
- Forgive your worst enemy – it will heal your soul and set you free.
- Give your parents an extra hug and kiss for us children who had or have no parents.
- Each of us has an important part to play in repairing our world. May tikkun olam (“repairing the world” in Hebrew) begin with me!
Number two was my favorite, and number four had me teary eyed.
In my head, I have always replayed the scene I had imagined of me meeting a Holocaust survivor. But…the reality was quite different. I could barely get my name out, let alone ask any questions. All I said basically was thank-you for coming. I think (know!) I sounded like an idiot.Eva currently lives in Terre Haute, Indiana, and has a museum called CANDLES, Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors, dedicated to the victims of the Auschwitz lab experiments.
If you ever happen to be in southern Indiana, I would strongly encourage you to visit. Here is a 30-minute video of Eva sharing her story. This is VERY powerful and not graphic and I would encourage everyone to watch it.
Hi Samantha,
I am very impressed with what you have written on this page. Your story has touched me, and you show a depth well beyond your years. Thank you for this moving post about Eva and her lessons from a Holocaust survivor.
Thank you so much!
Thank YOU, Samantha. I came to your site while searching on the Holocaust, but coincidentally, I am a homeschooling mom of a 12 year old boy. As soon as time permits, I am going to read every single word on your blog. There is so much here of great value. We’ll be traveling soon, so I may not get to it right away, but I am honored to get to know all that you share of your views, opinions, recommendations, and advice. You really have something special. Thanks again.
Oh wow, thank you so much! That honestly means a lot to me. I hope you enjoy my little space on the web. 🙂 Good luck homeschooling – and thank you so much for reading!
I love #2 also! True words right there! What an amazing experience. Our next homeschool convention has a holocaust survivor speaking, I will have to check it out. I don’t even know who it is. I will also have to check out these books. There is so much to learn from history! I will have to watch the video with my husband tonight. Thank you 🙂
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