I vaguely remember that one of my college application questions, asked – “If you could meet with anyone that is no longer living and have a conversation with them, who would it be and why?” As a young adult with so little knowledge of what lay ahead, I pondered that question and debated whether the answer should be personal or historical.
Would the person I chose to meet be a famous figure or an abstract that could relate to the world today or to my own future goals?
In all honesty, I do not remember at all how I answered the question. But now, as a historian, I have often returned my thoughts to that very question and wondered what the best answer would be.
Usually, I am struck by having the ability to speak to people that lived through a specific, often trying, experience, and gain their perspective from it. As we have seen over the past several decades, speaking with and learning directly from Holocaust survivors can make our world more tolerant and understanding. After hearing from survivors, many teachers report that their students are more empathetic, get along with one another better, and are more open to hearing other’s thoughts and opinions.
Fortunately, our Greater MetroWest community has been honored by the many Holocaust survivors, who have shared their stories with countless students and adults for decades, reminding us why we must “Never Forget.” But sadly, first-hand Holocaust survivor testimony is going to end, and the next generation will not have the privilege of meeting and interacting with these survivors. Hearing firsthand about the atrocities that took place under the Nazi regime is irreplaceable, and in 10-15 years, it could be the answer to that college application question.
Incredibly, technological advancements have made this possible. The Holocaust Education Department at Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest offers a variety of ways to ensure that students, educators, and the entire community can continue to learn from two remarkable Holocaust survivors – Mark Schonwetter and Hanna Wechsler. Each was interviewed for 80 hours over a period of a week, in which their stories were captured and utilized to create a Storyfile.
Storyfile is a two-way interactive conversation, allowing participants to ask questions and talk through a secure computer link. Not only can you hear both Mark and Hanna’s remarkable stories of survival, but their Storyfiles can speak about their lives before and after the Holocaust. They can also answer questions about how they dealt with their experience and rebuilt their lives in Israel and the United States. Elie Weisel often spoke about the power of hearing from an eyewitness to the Holocaust. “To listen to a witness is to become a witness.” As the years have rushed by (almost 80 since the Holocaust ended, let alone began), one thing has become incredibly apparent. Sometime soon, the life altering experience of hearing firsthand from someone that lived through the Nazi era (as Jew or any other persecuted group) will not be possible anymore. Until now.
New and innovative technology is making the impossible possible. With the Storyfile experience, future generations will be able to ask questions, hear firsthand stories, and have a real conversation with those who are no longer with us. As if they were right there.
Can you even imagine what this means for our students? For young people who know very little about the Holocaust and have never met a survivor?
Storyfile will completely change how we experience and record history.
For more information and the opportunity to bring Storyfiles to your school, organization or business, please reach out to Trish DiPette at [email protected]