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The Holocaust as a Symbol of Resistance, Unity and Good

By Jillian Gaier
AUSTIN, TexasWhen it comes to defining the legacy of the Holocaust, the final entry in Anne
Franks diary gives a rare perspective: "I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly
good at heart.
2015 marks 70 years since the liberation of the concentration camps. In commemoration, The
University of Texas at Austin is staging a production of The Diary of Anne Frank, in
conjunction with a two-day Holocaust symposium.
As Jews, we have to get past persecution. We have to know our history. We have to know never
again, said Rabbi Zev Johnson, executive director of UTs Chabad Jewish Center. But I think
we really have to focus on all the miracles and positive things that happened in the Holocaust. A
little bit of light dispels a lot of darkness.
And as dark as it was, there were beams of light. Whether it was the heroism of a Jewish partisan
group or the comfort provided by a loved one, Johnson emphasized the power of meaningful,
uplifting moments that often go unnoticed.
For many, Anne Franks legacy is about resistance and inspiration as much as affliction and
tragedy. Brant Pope, director of the UT production, said the play portrays both the unfathomable
evil and magnificent goodness that exists in the human condition.
This diary is just a wonderful literary piece. She was quite the writer, Pope said. So youve
got a remarkable young woman, remarkable timesand theater allows people to experience her
world directly. Rather than intellectualize it, [the audience] can experience it. Both the good and
the bad.
Although the Jewish community at UT is growing, it still comprises less than 1 percent of the
student body, according to Johnson. Regardless, Pope said that Annes story resonates with just
about anyone.
Why would we relate to an Italian story if were not Italian? Why would we relate to an
African-American story if were not African-American? he said. Because theres something
larger than the ethnicity that calls to us as human beings.
Galit Pedahzur, program coordinator at the Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies, agreed,
stating that while Jews may feel a more personal connection to the play, the universality of
persecution transcends the Holocausts direct correlation to Judaism.
Its a human story before anything else, so you connect to it on the human level, Pedahzur said.
Hopefully, a lot of people will come and listen and just learn. Its a lesson that should never be
forgotten and I think the implications are still here today.

Pudahzur expressed her belief that Germanys current situationopening its borders to Syrian
refugeesis a result of lessons learned from the Holocaust about the importance of saving lives.
But there are still lessons to learn and challenges to overcome.
Judaism is not as vibrant as its been throughout the past couple thousands of years, Johnson
said. We have to be very proud of who we are as Jews. Anne Frank realized that. She was
forced to [be proud] by the threat of death and I think our challenge now is to understand that,
with the threat of life, so to say, sometimes living as a Jew might be harder than dying as a Jew.
Pope said he hopes that this exact messageenduring hard times and adversitywill come
through in his production.
People have an incredible capacity to survive, to love each other, to strive for something more,
to make sense of things, he said. Yes, Anne Frank is uniquely Jewish because of the
circumstances, because of [the victims] religious and cultural background. But everyone has
suffered at some point.
The Diary of Anne Frank, presented by Texas Theatre and Dance in partnership with the
Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies, is playing at the Oscar G. Brockett Theatre from Oct. 8
to Oct. 18. The symposium, which includes panels, roundtables, workshops and a keynote
presentation, will take place on Oct. 8 and 9.

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