Days of Remembrance, Days of Action

Today, Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah) will be observed around the world. The United States Congress established the Days of Remembrance, a week-long observance, as our nation’s annual commemoration of the Holocaust and created the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum as a permanent living memorial to the victims of this world catastrophe.In Ohio this week, at the Governor’s 32nd Annual Holocaust Commemoration in the statehouse rotunda, words of remembrance mingled with words of hope, under the watchful eye of Abraham Lincoln and other artistic representations of our country’s leaders in the fight for freedom from oppression. Among the array of political dignitaries addressing the large gathering with words of compassion and aspirations for righteous people to work for justice and human dignity, an elderly man sat quietly and patiently.When his turn came, Werner Coppel, a Cincinnatian and native of Germany, rose to share the painful personal narrative of his formative years in Germany as a torrent of hate and violence created an inhumane and horrific environment for Jews. His words were clear, echoing in the hushed rotunda, as he described himself as a boy of 10, 13, 16, and beyond - witness and victim, and, eventually, survivor. He lost his entire family and somehow managed to endure inhuman conditions, death camps and death marches, ending up in Cincinnati as a “displaced person” after the war. His compelling speech can be found in the Ohio Channel’s media library (28 minutes into the video of the entire event). Why does this 87-year-old man share his story with over 5,000 school children and others each year? Simple: to bear witness to the tragic results of bigotry and to encourage action on behalf of all victims of hate and prejudice.The atrocities of attempted genocide reside in Werner Coppel’s memory and in the memory of far too many others whose stories  share the commonality of human cruelty, bigotry, and injustice. Our world contains too many examples of the same type of thinking, action and inaction that allowed the Holocaust to occur. Even while internet connectivity permits us to bear witness to events in ways that were unimaginable during Werner Coppel’s childhood, bigotry and injustice result in death and destruction and cause millions to flee their homes in search of safety and security. We have the opportunity to take action to help ensure that many of their stories include the safe and sustainable future that Werner Coppel found in Cincinnati in the late 1940’s.CRIS is working every day to ensure that refugees who are resettled to central Ohio find security and productivity in their new home. Our work is not possible without the support of our volunteers and partners. The warmth of a friendly smile, coupled with shelter, food, material assistance, and opportunities to learn, work, and adapt to a new environment, are the keys to survival for our newest neighbors. This week alone, CRIS staff will go to Port Columbus airport multiple times to greet 31 refugees from Somalia, Bhutan, Eritrea, and Iraq. Each of them has a story to tell of a long and arduous journey. Each of them needs a helping hand, a kind face, and offers of assistance. Here is your opportunity to ACT as well as REMEMBER. Honor the memory of all those we have lost to attempted genocide by joining CRIS as a volunteer or co-sponsoring organization to be a part of the web of support that makes all the difference in creating community. To be a part of our ongoing community of support, please contact Jessica Shimberg, Sponsorship Developer, or Hannah Hartshorn VISTA Resource Developer, by emailing us at volunteer@cris-ohio.com.