This event which focused on the Holocaust survivors was interestingly held in The Basilica of St. Mary’s, a catholic church. The purpose of this venue was to foster a healthy relationship with the Jewish community which have been fractured as a result of the atrocities and antisemitism perpetrated by the church in the past. The catholic spokesperson promoted ecumenism, encouraged by the Pope and opening the church facilities as one way to achieve that. This inclusivism was embraced by the Jewish community and reciprocated with gratitude.
The heart of the exhibit was photos of holocaust victims residing in Minnesota taken in their homes. All the subjects were over 70 years old while a few of them had recently passed away. The story of survival was displayed beside their photo in a brief but comprehensive way, revealing each person’s grit and unique struggle to survive, overcome and deal with their respective past.
One of the things that struck me was that only a few of the survivors referenced their faith while others saw their rescuers as people only. Some did make references to those that helped them during the holocaust as being angels or the hand of God over them. There was a sense of this struggle in being Jewish and trying to make sense of the hatred that targeted them and trying to make sense of a God that was not delivering them from it. One of the things that was revealing, having spoken to a few Jews and listening to the speakers in this event was that more than