The Rescuing Hope project, which we recently launched at Temple Beth Elohim, is the outcome of an extraordinary, multi-generational learning initiative led by Debbie Kardon and Rabbi Sherman. The class reviewed multiple aspects of the Shoah, from the personal to the political, with several themes resonating all too well in today’s fractured society. It was an amazing journey for all of us, full of insight and emotion as we learned both about the horrors perpetrated onto our people, and the resilience which pulled too-few of them through the unimaginable.

We ended the course humbled by what we learned, and with a renewed awareness of how fortunate we all are. Striving to build on and create a more personal connection to the Shoah, several of us decided to embark on a project to document the stories of Survivors related to TBE members—or in some cases, actual members themselves.

Over a period of ten months, a team of eight members working in pairs spent countless hours drafting questions, conducting Zoom interviews, and writing up the experiences of these courageous souls. We read published works by the Survivors, watched videos of talks they had given in the past, and identified resources for those interested in learning more. Finally, we aggregated all this material and, with the creative help of Elise Lublin and Laura Rosenthal, launched the Rescuing Hope page on the TBE web site. I’m extraordinarily grateful for the efforts of the Rescuing Hope team, and humbled by their dedication to this important project.

I hope you have a chance to visit, learn, and marvel—as we all have—at these amazing tales of courage and resilience. Indeed, our TBE family are beneficiaries of this extraordinary legacy, directly or indirectly, and we should all be reminded of the imperative to Never Forget. Visit the Rescuing Hope page at TBEWellesley.org/rescuing-hope