interreligious Archives - Page 2 of 3

Catholic-Jewish gathering remembers start of Holocaust

Posted on November 11, 2022 by Bob Reddy

It was on the night of Nov. 9-10, 1938, when members of the Nazi party sponsored anti-Jewish riots (pogroms) which attacked Jewish persons and destroyed Jewish owned property in Germany and Austria. “Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass” is regarded by historians as “the Night the Holocaust began” in Europe, which ultimately led to the murder of more than six million Jews.

To remember those events, the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County hosted its annual “Kristallnacht: The Night of Broken Glass” Nov. 5, 2022, at Temple Shalom in Naples. The event was co-sponsored by the Diocese of Venice and Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, GenShoah of SWFL, and the Holocaust Museum and Janet G. and Harvey D. Cohen Education Center.

On behalf of the Diocese, Bishop Frank J. Dewane said it is necessary to come together to remember Kristallnacht and the Holocaust which followed. But this year’s gathering was held in the context of a recent spate of anti-Semitic incidents including the placing of lawn signs in communities throughout Naples, Collier County and the entire Diocese of Venice.

“Unfortunately, we need to acknowledge this inhumane unchristian rebirth that we have evidenced in Southwest Florida – of anti-Semitism,” Bishop Dewane said.

The Bishop said Catholic and Jewish peoples have a common parentage which bond the two together. The coming together through the Dialogue allows for open discussion which ultimately prevents misunderstandings and mistrust, fostering a way for the two faiths to see each other with a deep amount of respect.

“Each one of us has a responsibility to take action when we see anti-Semitism,” Bishop Dewane continued. “It isn’t just for the Dialogue group to resolve. It isn’t just for a Parish or synagogue. It’s for all of us to come together when we see the negativity that can rears its head, just as it did so many years ago when Kristallnacht foreshadowed what the world never thought could happen (the Holocaust) – and it did happen. You and I have responsibilities to speak out and to speak up.”

The guest speaker was Dr. Suzanne Brown-Fleming, Director of the International Academics Programs Mandel Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and her topic was “November 1938: Perspective from the Vatican Archives.”

In her talk, focused on the month following Kristallnacht, Brown-Fleming said a certain context was needed, reminding the audience that the groundbreaking 1965 Vatican II document Nostra Aetate (In Our Time), which redefined the relationship between the Church and other non-Christian faiths, was years away. Nostra Aetate importantly states that what happened in the Passion of Christ “cannot be charged against the Jews then alive, nor against the Jews today.”

Brown-Fleming cited several diplomatic and personal reports sent to and from the Vatican regarding Kristallnacht as well as correspondence from the faithful, who were almost all blatantly anti-Semitic, blaming the Jewish people for the death of Christ, and because of this, saw little reason to help the Jews in Germany or elsewhere.

In the end, Brown-Fleming said the Vatican was “not willing to aggressively condemn the Nazi action against the Jews, but only to authorize on behalf of the Pope a reminder of the Church of the mission to aid the suffering and the persecuted. It is quite an understatement to say this response in these troubling times was not enough.” She noted much has changed since Nostra Aetate.

A poignant moment during the annual commemoration was a candle lighting ceremony. Six candles were lit by Gen Shoah (second generation Holocaust survivors). Each lit their candle for the victims of the Holocaust and for a brighter future.

Among the dignitaries present for the commemoration were, Michael A. Feldman, co-founder of the Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida; Rabbi Adam Miller, Temple Shalom; Jane Schiff, Board Chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples; Marty Gauthier, Dialogue Catholic co-chair; Luba Rotsztain, Dialogue Jewish co-chair; Rabbi Mark Gross, Jewish Congregation of Marco Island; Rabbi Ammos Chorny, Beth Tikvah; Father Robert Kantor, Pastor of St. Agnes Parish in Naples; and Yvonne Holtzman, Candle Lighting Chair, Dialogue member and Gen Shoah. Also present were more than two dozen youth who are in the Confirmation program at St. Agnes Parish.

The Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County has been working together for 21 years with the purpose of engaging Catholics and Jews in understanding our past history and advancing the cause of mutual understanding and appreciation of our differences, as well as our commonalities.

Bishop speaks out against hate

Posted on September 1, 2022 by Bob Reddy

Bishop Frank J. Dewane was among a group of religious leaders who spoke out against hate during an Aug. 23, 2022, Venice City Council meeting.

The City Council approved a proposed proclamation condemning a June 25 incident during which anti-Semitic flyers were distributed to lawns and driveways of residential homes in the City of Venice. Shortly after the that disturbing event, Venice Mayor Ron Feinsod received an e-mail in the form of anti-Semitism hate mail.

Bishop Dewane supported the City Council proclamation, expressing the need to both condemn and prevent all acts of hate, saying “anti-Semitism is simply unacceptable. It must not be tolerated. Let us work together to prevent hate in all its forms, in our words, in our deeds, and in our prayers.”

In response to the June incident, Bishop Dewane drafted a letter to the editor, which was subsequently published in local newspapers and appeared in the July 15 e-edition of the Florida Catholic (https://dioceseofvenice.org/bishop-condemns-hateful-acts-of-anti-semitism/.) In that letter, the Bishop called such incidents of anti-Semitism disheartening and disturbing.

Since the start of 2022, similar anti-Semitic incidents have taken place not only in Venice, but Punta Gorda, Naples, Fort Myers and Sarasota. The Bishop has been vocal in his outrage against such incidents and is a staunch supporter of the Jewish people.

“The Diocese of Venice has tremendous compassion and empathy for what has occurred in the history of the Jewish people and has always valued and indeed cherished its longstanding relationship with the Jewish Community,” Bishop Dewane said. “An emphasis has been placed on deepening our shared roots, the teaching of tolerance in our schools and Parishes, and fostering interreligious friendships.”

Among those speaking out at the Venice City Council meeting was Pieter Kohnstam of Venice, a Holocaust survivor who knew Anne Frank, her having been his babysitter while they lived in the same building as children in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The proclamation, which was proposed during the first City Council meeting since June, stated that the rise in anti-Semitism throughout Venice, the county, the state and the country is both offensive and deplorable. “The contents of the flyers and the e-mail violate our sense of common decency and moral behavior. These incidents have created concern and outrage in our community, which is founded on our nation’s principals of protecting individual rights, including freedom of religion.”

The Proclamation concluded with the statement, “We, the people of the City of Venice do hereby declare that all forms of hate, racism and anti-Semitism are considered an attack on every citizen and visitor to our great city.”

Other religious leaders were also present to speak out against hatred. Once passed, a copy of the Proclamation was presented to Kohnstam.

Bishop condemns hateful acts of anti-Semitism

Posted on July 15, 2022July 15, 2022 by Bob Reddy

Bishop Frank J. Dewane calls on Catholics to condemn and work to prevent hateful anti-Semitic acts in the wake of a recent spate of hateful flyers showing up at homes across the Diocese of Venice.

Incidents taking place throughout June 2022 in Venice, Punta Gorda, Naples and Fort Myers, where flyers were placed on the doors of homes containing anti-Semitic vitriol, come on the heels of similar incidents in Sarasota in early 2022.

As in the case of the Sarasota incident, and in all cases of public anti-Semitism, Bishop Dewane has been quick to condemn these acts, calling them disheartening and disturbing.

In a show of support with the Jewish people and in response to these latest incidents, letters to the editor from the Bishop have appeared in several local newspapers in the region calling on all to join him in condemning these hateful acts.

Bishop Dewane noted that Pope Francis spoke recently about “this ‘escalation of evil’ in the world and identified an antidote. ‘The antidote to this escalation of evil is remembrance of the past… of its wars … of countless other atrocities.’” In the words of Bishop Dewane, “Let us remember!”

In the letter, the Bishop Dewane wrote: “The Diocese of Venice has tremendous compassion and empathy for what has occurred in the history of the Jewish people and has always valued and indeed cherished its longstanding relationship with the Jewish Community. An emphasis has been placed on deepening our shared roots, the teaching of tolerance in our schools and Parishes, and fostering interreligious friendships.”

As the letter to the editor states: “Anti-Semitism is simply unacceptable. It must not be tolerated. Let us work together to prevent hate in all its forms, in our words, in our deeds, and in our prayers.”

“Pope’s Rabbi” shares stories of friendship, interreligious dialogue

Posted on April 7, 2022April 7, 2022 by Bob Reddy

A friendship lasting a quarter-century finds its roots in the Second Vatican Council Declaration Nostrae Aetate (On the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions), the important document that called for a fresh and positive relationship between the Catholic and Jewish Faiths.

Rabbi Abraham Skorka and Pope Francis have served as examples of friendship and interreligious dialogue because they have lived out the call of Nostrae Aetate which acknowledges the Church’s bond with the Jewish people.

Rabbi Skorka was the keynote speaker at the April 3, 2022, gathering of the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Naples. The presentation was co-sponsored by the Diocese of Venice and Jewish Federation of Greater Naples.

“One of the values I learned from my parents and grandparents was that speech between peoples should reflect the way that people ought to relate to each other with moderation, sincerity and honesty,” Rabbi Skorka explained, noting that the friendship with Pope Francis began as an open exchange of ideas with then Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires. Rabbi Skorka was the leading Rabbi in Argentina as Rector of the Seminario Rabínico Latinoamericano (Latin American Rabbinical Seminary), in Buenos Aires.

The Rabbi explained that the Holocaust, and its lasting impacts, was a reality that marked his being since childhood.

“The travails of the Jewish people took palpable form in my family which was decimated by the massacre (of the Holocaust). It was not merely historical fact as a Jew I should remember; what stays with me was the sadness which overwhelmed the members of my family and the many members of the community in which I was a part. The Shoah and anti-Semitism were not simply recounted to me; it was an experience that also shaped me by being imparted by many who suffered in their native Europe.”

When he began his rabbinical studies, Rabbi Skorka learned a great deal about Nostrae Aetate, which was released in 1965 by St. John XIII. While the document was short, it served as a profound and absolute apology for years of divisiveness between the Catholic and Jewish faiths.

Inspired by the knowledge and understanding that no religion is an island, Rabbi Skorka openly wrote about the need for interfaith dialogue. One such article brought the Rabbi and Archbishop into contact, forming a lasting bond centered on the belief that the only way to overcome hatred was through the encounter of the members of different religions and cultures.

The Rabbi went on to say that Pope Francis has a profound ability to identify with the Jewish experience. This was evident in his instinctive understanding from the very beginning that dialogue between Catholics and Jews would become untenable if Catholics harbored any thought of “converting” Jews to Jesus Christ.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane also addressed the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue gathering, talking about the noble mission of the group.

Bishop Dewane said that the advancement of Catholic-Jewish relations comes directly from Nostrae Aetate, which should be celebrated. The document changed the landscape of the Church and was done with prudence and love, started a completely new conversation within the Catholic Church.

This new moment in the Church’s history had its roots in a renewed study of Hebrew and Christian Scripture and other theological developments that had occurred at the Second Vatican Council.

Bishop Dewane explained how Pope John Paul II led a revolution that transformed relations between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people. Pope John Paul II was the first Pope to visit a Jewish synagogue and the Western Wall. He then established diplomatic relations with Israel, applying the term “beloved elder brothers” when referring to the Jews.”

The Bishop explained that the development of Nostrae Aetate’s principle themes reshaped specific expression of Catholic Teaching, which had posed obstacles to Jewish-Catholic relations.

“The long road ahead is marked by our two communities of faith in a relatively short time since the Second Vatican Council and has yielded immense fruit and I believe there are practical ways in which we can build on these developments,” Bishop Dewane continued. “We need to share our concerns on an increasingly hostile culture and especially a growing antagonism toward people of faith… We can find a common purpose in standing up against these acts as people of faith… Any one act against faith is too much. We all need to speak up, each one within our tradition, within our faith perspective. In this environment we face today we must also see increased positive collaboration to deepen friendships as we moved forward together.”

Michael Feldman, member of the Catholic Jewish-Dialogue served as the program emcee. Other speakers included Rabbi Frank Muller, Father Bob Kantor of St. Agnes Parish, as well as Catholic-Jewish Dialogue Co-Chairs Luba Rotsztain and Martin Gauthier.

“Pope’s Rabbi” coming to Naples April 3

Posted on March 18, 2022 by Bob Reddy

The Catholic Jewish Dialogue of Collier County is honored to present Rabbi Abraham Skorka, the “Pope’s Rabbi,” for a talk about his ongoing 25-year friendship with Pope Francis.

All are invited to attend the program which is co-sponsored by the Diocese of Venice and Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. The presentation will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 3, 2022, in the ballroom of St. John the Evangelist Parish, 625 111th Ave. N., Naples. Doors open at 2:30 p.m.

Rabbi Skorka will describe his 25-year “deep and sincere friendship” with Pope Francis, dating to when then-Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Bergoglio was elevated and appointed as Archbishop of Buenos Aires. At the time of their first meeting, Rabbi Skorka was the leading Rabbi in Argentina as Rector of the Seminario Rabínico Latinoamericano (Latin American Rabbinical Seminary, in Buenos Aires.

The friendship, which continues to this day, began a dialogue that became an important component of both their personal lives and responsibilities as clergy. They collaborated in writing a book and engaged in 31 television discussions.

According to Rabbi Skorka, “Our personal dialogues had taken on the mission of spreading a culture of dialogue throughout society in as many ways as possible.”

In an interview with Richard Price of the Catholic Jewish-Dialogue of Collier County, Rabbi Skorka shared how he and the future Pope began their lasting friendship.

“In the beginning, there were differences between our ages and positions,” the Rabbi said. “My title as Seminary Rector was hardly on a par with the Archbishop of one of the most important Catholic communities in the world. It was he who overcame this disparity by unreservedly opening himself up to me. He paved the way. We not only began to dialogue but, most importantly, we began to work to spread the practice of dialogue in all aspects of our lives and responsibilities.”

A turning point in the friendship and ongoing dialogue occurred in 2004, when Rabbi Skorka invited then-Cardinal Bergoglio to deliver a message to his synagogue community, in anticipation of the day of Rosh Hashanah.

“His message to my synagogue in 2004 went on to develop the idea of the encounter between the individual and God, and of the importance of memory in that relationship. He alluded to the essence of Jewish belief expressed during this most holy season, the Days of Awe: to believe in the Creator who relates to each person and remembers each individual. In fact, I was astonished to hear this sermon. (His) message on this occasion could well have been the reflections of a Rabbi to his community.”

“As he would say years later as Pope Francis, ‘There was a basis of total trust [between us], because we knew in our conversations—and I want to highlight this—neither of us negotiated our own identity. If we had, we would not have been able to talk. It would have been a sham. … Neither of us attempted to convert the other.’ I cannot overstate the importance of this sensitivity, which is a pre-condition for the mutually enriching dialogue that he and I experienced,” Rabbi Skorka concluded.

For those interested in hearing more of this story, please consider attending the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County presentation of Rabbi Skorka on 3 p.m. Sunday, April 3, 2022, in the ballroom of St. John the Evangelist Parish. Tickets are $18 in advance and are available by visiting https://jfgn.regfox.com/rabbi-skorka. Note: if seats are available on the day of the program, tickets will be sold at the door for $25.

Bishop speaks out on anti-Semitism

Posted on February 24, 2022 by Bob Reddy

February 2022

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Over the years the Diocese of Venice has cherished its relationship with the Jewish Community. Thus, recent reports of anti-Semitic incidents within the Diocese of Venice, particularly in Sarasota County, are disturbing. Anti-Semitic flyers were distributed to more than a hundred homes in several Sarasota neighborhoods Feb. 11, 2022. This is on the heels of similar incidents last month.

I ask the Faithful of the Diocese of Venice to join me in condemning these despicable acts. Hate is never to be tolerated. Pope Francis said anti-Semitism is “a fuse that must not be allowed to burn. And the best way to defuse it is to work together, positively, and to promote fraternity.” Let us be united in prayer.

The Diocese of Venice places a priority on strengthening its bond with the Jewish Community. An emphasis has been placed on deepening our shared roots and the teaching of tolerance in our schools and parishes. The Diocese is honored to host two important gatherings: 1) “Yom HaShoah – An Hour of Remembrance,” held in Sarasota County, in which the Catholic and Jewish Communities come together in remembrance of the Holocaust, and 2) “Kristallnacht, The Night of Broken Glass,” which is held in Collier County. Although these events have been interrupted by the Pandemic in recent years, we look forward to their return.

As part of our ongoing relationship, the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue in Collier County will be hosting Rabbi Abraham Skorka for a return visit to the Diocese of Venice. Rabbi Skorka will speak at St. John the Evangelist in Naples on April 3. He has worked together with Pope Francis over the last 25 years to create many initiatives aimed at inspiring human beings to seek interreligious friendship. We strive to do the same in the Diocese of Venice.

Anti-Semitism is neither human nor Christian. It is unacceptable. Let us join together to condemn and work to prevent such acts.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

+Frank J. Dewane

Bishop of the Diocese of Venice in Florida

News Briefs for the Week of Feb. 5, 2022

Posted on February 24, 2022February 24, 2022 by Bob Reddy

Sebring robotics team demonstrate skills

The St. Catherine Catholic School Robotics Team demonstrated their skills on Feb. 15, 2022, in Sebring during a visit from Diocese of Venice Superintendent of Catholic Education Father John Belmonte, SJ, and Jennifer Falestiny, Diocesan Curriculum Specialist. The team has made remarkable progress in their skill level and has participated in a few competitions to hone their skills in preparation for a Diocesan Robotics Competition in May.

40 Days for Life in Sarasota and Fort Myers

Join other Christians during Lent (through April 10), for the Spring 40 Days for Life Campaign in Fort Myers and Sarasota. This year’s Campaign is the biggest Lenten effort yet, with prayer vigils planned in 588 cities. This Campaign encompasses 40 days of prayer and fasting for an end to abortion. Stand and peacefully pray during vigils in the public right-of-way outside Planned Parenthood in Fort Myers or Sarasota. The Fort Myers prayer vigil is 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday to Saturday, at 6418 Commerce Park Drive. The Sarasota prayer vigil is daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 736 Central Ave. Check with your local Parish to learn the days they are committed to standing up for life. Most participants are encouraged to spend at least one hour in silent prayer in front of a local abortion facility seeking an end to legalized abortion in the U.S. With a landmark case before the U.S. Supreme Court now there has never been more reason for hope and prayer. For 40 Days for Life information on the two Diocesan locations, please go to www.40daysforlife.com/sarasota or www.40daysforlife.com/fortmyers.

National Merit Finalists named

Congratulations to the seven Diocese of Venice Catholic high school seniors for advancing as Finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program! The finalists are: Alexis Camina of St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples; Catherine Graham and Winston Fairchild of Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish; Hallie Monserez, Peter Etz and Sofia Cava of Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota; and Sophia Miller of Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers. Finalists have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million. The process to become a Finalist includes submitting a detailed application with information about their academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, as well as honors and awards received.

“Pope’s Rabbi” speaking in Naples

The Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County presents Rabbi Abraham Skorka, a longtime friend of Pope Francis, for a presentation at 3 p.m., Sunday, April 3, at St. John the Evangelist Parish, 625 111^th Ave. N., Naples. With his return visit to the Diocese of Venice, Rabbi Skorka will describe his ongoing Catholic-Jewish dialogue with Pope Francis beginning while the Pontiff was Archbishop of Buenos Aires and which continues to this day. The program is presented by the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County, the Diocese of Venice and the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. Tickets are $18 per person in advance ($25 at the door if space is available). To purchase tickets, please visit www.jewishnaples.org.

Bishop participates in September 11 Commemoration

Posted on September 17, 2021 by Bob Reddy

With overhead storm clouds matching heavy hearts on the evening of September 11, 2021, Most Rev. Frank J. Dewane, Bishop of the Diocese of Venice, joined more than a thousand for the 20^th Commemoration Ceremony of the 9/11 attacks, held at the Sarasota National Cemetery. The event was organized by the Sarasota Ministerial Association.

Bishop Dewane, joined by several Diocesan priests and deacons at the ceremony, offered the Invocation, asking Our Lord God of Peace to bring that same peace to a world that is often violent.

“We pray for your peace as we remember the terrorist attacks of 9/11,” said Bishop Dewane. “May our suffering awaken in us the awareness, pain and fear that so many live with each day.”

The Bishop also asked Our Lord to show us how to pray for those who struggle against oppression and injustice, and he asked for God to give world leaders wisdom and discernment.

Dozens of community leaders from a wide variety of police and fire departments also addressed the crowd with words of inspiration and hope, as they encouraged all to never forget the nearly 3000 lives lost on that tragic day, including 343 FDNY firefighters who fought valiantly to reach those trapped in the twin towers.

Attendees were given a carnation to place on a canvas, which when filled produced the American Flag. Commemorative coins were given to survivors of the attacks and to those who served our Country in the military.

One former U.S. Marine, who also received a commemorative coin for his military service, said the 9/11 gathering was the right thing for all to attend as to never forget the pain of that day.

Bishop to deliver invocation at Sarasota 9/11 commemoration

Posted on September 1, 2021 by Bob Reddy

Bishop Frank J. Dewane will deliver the invocation for the 20-Year Commemoration of 9/11 being held in Patriot Plaza at Sarasota National Cemetery.

The Commemoration, organized by the Sarasota Ministerial Association, will begin at 6 p.m., Sept. 11, 2021, the anniversary of the 2001 terror attacks on the United States. The memory of those who died will be honored. All first responders, active military, POW/MIA and veterans will also be recognized. There will be a call for all Americans to the “Unity of One Nation Under God.”

In the days leading up to the Commemoration, those interested can choose to represent a person who was killed on September 11 by standing at the appropriate time during the ceremony. Names of the deceased can be selected at https://bit.ly/911FREETickets. During the Commemoration all will be invited to stand and state the name of the Fallen during the Sarasota Fire Department’s “Tolling of the Bell.” Later in the service, participants will again be invited to stand for their Fallen while the bagpipers play Amazing Grace.

For the first 500 attendees arriving to the Commemoration, flowers will be presented and placed in a mesh that will eventually become Old Glory, the American flag, located in front of the stage. Those arriving before 5:55 p.m., may place memorabilia of their chosen Fallen on the Gallery surrounding the American” flag of flowers.”

Several priests from across the Diocese will also be present for the Commemoration and process in with other clergy and distinguished presenters during the opening. In addition to guest speakers, a 70-member community chorus will perform. Special commemorative coins have been minted to mark the occasion and will be presented to 9 /11 Survivors, First Responders, military veterans, active-duty military, and Sarasota Elk Lodge member in attendance.

The Commemoration continues the tradition that began, September 11, 2001 when the Sarasota Ministerial Association held a prayer vigil. During the morning attacks, then-Mayor Carolyn Mason called the Ministerial Association co-founder Chaplain Tom Pfaff to summon a prayer gathering for America. By 4:30 p.m. more than 20 clergy came to the Chaplain J.D. Hamel Park Sarasota War Memorial on the Bayfront to worship God and pray. Every five years since then, the Ministerial Association has become a lead organizer for the Commemoration.

Everyone is welcome to this free 9/11 Commemoration at Sarasota National Cemetery, 9810 State Road 72 (Clark Road), Sarasota. The rain date will be 6 p.m., Sept. 12.

For those unable to attend the Sarasota 9/11 Commemoration, St. Peter the Apostle Parish, 5130 Rattlesnake Hammock Road, Naples, will once again be having its annual 9/11 Memorial Mass at 3:30 p.m., Sept. 11. The Parish is home to a 9/11 Cross made from the steel of the World Trade Center and has hosted a commemorative Mass each year since 2001. For more information, please contact St. Peter the Apostle Parish at 239-774-3337 ext. 201.

Pandemic Cancels Yom HaShoah commemoration – won’t erase memories for two

Posted on April 22, 2020April 22, 2020 by Bob Reddy

Susan Laielli – Florida Catholic

The Diocese of Venice Yom HaShoah – Hour of Remembrance, honoring the victims of the Holocaust, is an annual interreligious gathering which brings together members of the Catholic and Jewish communities to recommit to the promotion of peace and solidarity among all peoples. This gathering commemorates the lives and heroism of the Jewish people who were slaughtered by the Nazis between 1933 and 1945.

This year’s commemoration, scheduled for April 26, 2020, has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. This will not diminish painful memories for two Sarasota residents.

Helga’s Story

Helga Melmed, 93, of Sarasota, says her younger years in Berlin, Germany, were a happy time, until the age of five when her life started to change. She recalls her public-school teacher beating her knuckles until they were bleeding and then encouraging the whole class to call her a “dirty Jew”.

“It was very difficult for my mother to explain to me why I was being treated this way,” says Melmed, from her Sarasota home, surrounded by photos and memories of what might seem to be someone else’s life. “I was clean, I had a bath, and was wearing pretty clothes.”

Laws were being created regulating what Jewish people could and could not do, and her mother tried to protect her from these changes.

“I would come home from school and her wedding silver would be gone, or the radio wouldn’t be there. My mother would just say she didn’t want to polish the silver anymore, or the radio was broken,” Melmed said. The Nazis were ordering Jewish families to return items to certain locations while the children were in school.

In 1938, at the age of 10, her private Jewish school was set on fire as all the children watched their books being thrown into the flames. Melmed says the children stood around holding each other crying, not understanding what was going on.

Life would change very quickly following the school fire. Her father, who worked as a bank executive was put out of work, and the family’s bank account was taken over by the Nazis, forcing the family into poverty.

“In the middle of the night, on Oct. 16, 1938, the Nazis came and said we are resettling you to a better place,” recalls Melmed. “What could be better than your own home where you were born and lived in forever?”

They had 20 minutes to evacuate the house. Many families were taken to an old warehouse, which turned out to be a slaughterhouse.

They stayed at the slaughterhouse for a day or two, before being put in cattle cars with hundreds of families packed in like ‘sardines’ with a waste bucket in the center of the car. Melmed says it wasn’t long before the bucket spilled over suffocating all in the foul smell and sludge. Many became weak and some died on that journey with an unknown destination.

Eventually the train stopped in the Łódź Ghetto in Poland, where thousands of Jews were left with little food, shanty houses and a fend-for-yourself mentality.

“We were not welcome by the other Jews there because the language was different and the people were already starving,” said Melmed, whose family would find a shack to call home with straw mats and two bunk beds nailed together, and a few food ration cards.

One day, when Melmed was 12-years old, her father was killed after the Nazi’s used many men for target practice. The men were made to run around the marketplace while being shot at by the Nazi’s. Her father was dragged home and dropped on the doorstep dead.

“Mother was heartbroken, and she started to get very sick and couldn’t work,” recalls Melmed, who cared for her before and after work. “She would often give me her food because she said she couldn’t eat. I still feel guilty about that today.”

“On my 14th Birthday my mom, who was still very sick, told me she had a birthday present for me. She handed me an onion,” smiled Melmed, the memory still bringing tears.

The meals the family had been eating consisted of potato peels and coffee grounds fried in mineral oil. A desperate wish of Melmed was to have an onion to add taste to the meal. Her wish was granted. That night, her mother went to bed, and died.

Alone for months, Melmed was working in the factory sewing buttons on uniforms when a Polish-Jewish man came by and wanted to adopt four boys and four girls, so as to offer them a better life.

“We all became a family – I worked 12 hours a day sewing ladies’ undergarments, which was better than buttons, and we had plenty of food,” Melmed said.

The peaceful time ended in 1942 when the Nazi’s, who were trying to stay ahead of the Russian forces, emptied the ghettos and took all to Auschwitz, the now infamous concentration camp. Melmed, and the other girls, would never see the four boys again.

Towards the end of the war, 17-year old Melmed was only 46 pounds when she was set free.

Art’s Story

In 1942, halfway around the world in Chicago, then 17-year old Arthur Sheridan was realizing that engineering school was not for him, so he decided to join the U.S. Army. Sheridan, who wanted to fly, would go through basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and much to his dismay would score high on an engineering test which led to him attending Indiana University for the U.S. Army Specialized Training Corps.

“When we arrived, the first thing we asked was how much KP (Kitchen Patrol) duty will we have?” said Sheridan, 94, from his home in Sarasota. “We were told none – then we asked how much guard duty do we have? We were told none, you just have to go to school, which is what I was trying to avoid!”

Sheridan trained as a sniper and scout with the 20th Armored Division in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and was eventually shipped to Europe, landing at La Havre, France.

“When our equipment arrived, we went across the Rhine and into Germany, with many skirmishes along the way, which I don’t like to talk about because of the death and dying,” said Sheridan. “Our troops all did what they were supposed to do – I hope you understand what that means.”

The Armored Division was later instructed to support the 45th and 42nd Infantry divisions in taking Munich. On the way, Sheridan and the soldiers came across a railroad track, on the outskirts of Dachau, with 39 boxcars full of dead bodies.

“We would learn later these were concentration camp people who had been moved from Poland eastward so the Russians wouldn’t get them,” Sheridan said.

The troops went through the train to see if anyone was alive. Sheridan says he only learned recently that there may have been one person who survived.

“At the time we knew nothing of concentration camps – this is an important issue,” he said. “We knew about Nazis, atrocities and Hitler, but not these camps.”

The troops arrived at the Dachau Concentration Camp to find thousands of people hanging on a fence, after the Nazi guards had fled, or were captured.

“I am Jewish and speak a little Yiddish, so I understood a bit of what they were saying,” said Sheridan. “We went through the camp to find emaciated people, some so sick they could not get out of the barracks. We saw the gas chambers.”

Before returning to the United States, Sheridan’s Division was sent to Berchtesgaden, in the Bavarian Alps, where he saw the bombed ruins of one of Hitler’s vacation homes.

Sarasota, 2020

As irony would have it, both Art Sheridan and Helga Melmed each live in Sarasota and speak often at Holocaust Museums around the country. They have met a few times and hold an enormous amount of respect for each other.

The Diocese of Venice regrets the Coronavirus Pandemic has forced the cancellation of Yom HaShoah this year and is committed to continuing the effort to keep the memory of the Holocaust and keep to the vow that “We will never forget.”