Teaching History Matters

I’m still processing the horrific attack on Israel, as we all are. Our scriptwriter and webmaster for the film A Train Near Magdeburg wrote a beautiful post that I would like to share below. We, as American Gentiles, stand with Israel, as President Harry Truman did fourteen minutes after the Jewish state was proclaimed in May 1948. Thank you Lee Shackleford.

November 1, 2023

We do have news about the film, but for the moment horror and fear take precedence as terrorists invade, assault, and rain death down on innocents in Israel.

If you’ve read all our other posts here, you know that our team is especially close to some people who make homes in Israel. So you’ll be relieved to hear that at the time I write this, we have heard that Ellen Haber, Naomi Vilko, Galia Hartmann, and Varda Weisskopf are all safe and well. And for this we give thanks. We are eager to hear from more!

Our friend Lynn Perlgut Kra-Oz (who has lived in Israel for 44 years) sent us a passionate and eloquent report of what it has been like to live in this nightmare. And it closed with a poetic suggestion that brought tears to my eyes. Instead of the photo of burning buildings that I’d previously posted here, she offered this:

“Ellen (lifelong friend Ellen Haber) has suggested that I send a photo that you may want to use … it a photo taken in the center of Tel Aviv this past Friday, next to the Tel Aviv Museum. It is a table set up for the Sabbath with an empty seat to honor every hostage still held by the Hamas terrorists. My sister in law (who lives in Tel Aviv) took the photo. She said she would be happy if you used it.”

And here it is.

Our team is made up of American Gentiles. Sometimes when people learn this, they ask, “Why are you so passionate about making this movie? You’re not Jews!”

We’re human beings. We are people of love and compassion who abhor violence and who know, if only through our study of history, that this new war is another chapter in the seemingly-endless story of the persecution of Jews. “How long, oh Lord?” the Psalmist cries, and we echo his plea.

One of our goals for this movie is –and always has been– to demonstrate to the world, to all who see the film, that great and good things come from compassion, from sharing, from putting oneself at risk for the sake of others who cannot care for themselves.

In a way, that’s the whole miracle of what happened in April 1945 just north of Magdeburg: people trained for violence turned their energies to rescue, to healing, to … well, let’s just say the word: love. And the result was the freedom and healing of 2,500 human beings and the opportunity for them to bring into the world children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Our hearts are with all who suffer today. Meanwhile we hold fast to our conviction that the Jews of Israel will survive. 

They are indomitable.