As a Holocaust survivor, I've followed Whoopi Goldberg's Holocaust remarks with a heavy heart. I'm saddened by her careless comments on such a painful topic for Jews like me. It's disheartening to see a lack of understanding for the greatest atrocity of the century. It's disquieting to see even renowned figures fall prey to poorly informed Holocaust remarks.
I do not believe Goldberg intentionally distorted the Holocaust, but I find it regrettable that her comments attempt to oversimplify an extremely complex situation – the systematic elimination of an entire people, the Jews.
In reality, the Nazis propagated the belief that Jews, Roma, and Sinti were inferior to their supposedly superior "Aryan race." Jews were labeled as "rats" before being systematically targeted. Over six million of my people met a brutal end simply due to their identity.
The Nazis were dedicated to their destruction, not based on anything the individual Jews had done, regardless of age, character or actions. There are numerous indications that identity-based hatred persists in our contemporary world. In this era, where the world is increasingly vulnerable to division and bigotry, Goldberg's comments serve as a clear warning of the fragility of civilization. The annual Holocaust commemoration is essential for us all. Goldberg's words reaffirmed my determination as a Holocaust survivor to support organizations like the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust in their continuing work.
Born in Brussels as a child to Polish-Jewish parents, I lost my mother's family in the Treblinka extermination camp and my father's family in Belzec. Thanks to a police tip that the deportation of women and children would soon begin, my mother smuggled us out at night in a laundry van from Paris.
As an unaccompanied child survivor sent to the United States in 1943, I've learned that it's crucial for us survivors of unaccompanied children to share our experiences. We work tirelessly to discover the truth about the Holocaust and combat the racism and prejudice that fueled the Nazis' genocide. We strive to ensure that future generations don't experience the horrors of genocide.
Today, the importance of unveiling the truth about the Holocaust cannot be overstated. As we remember the worst atrocities humanity has committed, we endeavor to prevent future atrocities. Although I believe Goldberg's comments were careless, I hope they aren't interpreted in a way that compares the experiences of Jewish Holocaust victims to the suffering of Black communities and their history of slavery.
Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Elie Wiesel once said, "He who listens to a witness becomes a witness himself."
Given the gravity and complexity of the Holocaust, it's vital to approach discussions about it with sensitivity and comprehensiveness. Careless comments can diminish the experiences of Holocaust survivors and belittle the devastating impact of genocide.
