As this year is coming to a close, I have learned a few things about myself that I want to share. 

Yesterday was Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. It is the one day a year when we are supposed to stop and think about the atrocities the Nazis did to not only the Jews but to 11 million innocent victims. It is a day to hear the stories and bear witness to the legacies of those lost and those still here today. It is a day to consider all that has occurred since 1945. In Israel, the memorial day is celebrated by literally stopping and standing to honor the memories of the victims and life of the survivors. See this video 

Many Jews also participate in the Walk of the Living, making a physical journey to concentration and death camps and observing the failure of the Nazi regime. Here is the video a friend of a friend wrote, explaining his wish for his future child to deny the Holocaust--not that the Holocaust didn't happen, but that it couldn't have happened in such recent history. 

Last night, I was fortunate to attend the showing of "No. 4 Street of Our Lady" a video that describes a group returning to the house in which they were hidden for two years during WWII. It was quite a powerful movie, yet the will of Mrs. Halamajowa to help these innocent Jews (and even a German soldier) was inspiring. To learn more about this video, please click here. 

We must never forget the Holocaust and we must never let it happen again. 

Last weekend, I was fortunate to have my parents join me for Passover Seder at Penn State Hillel. I have not had a Passover with my family since I came to school because the holiday always fell during a weekday and I could not get home. I would have gone home this year, but I was in charge of Passover for Hillel and was not going to be able to leave. So, my parents came to me. 

Thursday night, I took them to go see Aron Ralston speak. My mom and sister had watched the movie, and when I told them he was coming to Penn State, they were very excited. Aron was a very good speaker, able to combine the tragedy of his rock climbing events with some well placed humor. One of the comments that stood out to me was "you would do it too." We don't know what we're capable of until we're put in that situation. It surprises us, maybe even grosses us out to think about what we would do if we were stuck in a canyon, trapped beneath a 600lbs boulder with nothing to drink but our own urine. He certainly put my bad days in perspective when he commented that there are no bad days when you don't have to drink your own urine. I was also intrigued when he talked about the boulder being a gift. Most would look at this situation and remark about how horrible life is because you got stuck in a canyon for 127 hours. But by the end of the speach, Ralston was thanking the boulder for giving him his life. It was only because he was stuck was he able to realize what was important in life--his family and friends and his future son. After the lecture, my family and I received tickets to the reception with Ralston where my sister and mom were able to meet him, take picture and get autographs--they were very excited. 

Friday, we spent the day preparing for Passover. We had brunch at the Waffle Shop to fill up on leavened carbs before setting off to the Pasq to set up for our 300 person seders. My parents were a huge help, getting the rooms together three hours before Seder started--usually we're working until a half hour before people get there. I enjoyed having them in my Seder. I led a 25 person Women's Seder, using the hagaddah I wrote last year. I really enjoyed Seder this year because the people in my Seder wanted to be there, they wanted to participate rather than just eat the food and drink the wine and be there because their mother sent them. I really enjoy this holiday--it's probably my favorite one because it was always a family day. I'm especially glad I was able to celebrate it with my family this year. 

This past week Anthony commented on his debut performance with No Strings Attached and Duly Noted, an a cappella group and male ensemble that sang in Simmons Lounge last week. He described the challenge of finding the right note without hearing an instrument like a piano, but says his musical background of piano and violin have given him some of the skills needed. More interestingly, he commented on how this was something new, something outside of his comfort zone. By trying a new hobby he was able to not only learn a new skill, but to learn something about himself. New experiences are the way we learn. I would argue that failing at a new experience would be much more valuable than succeeded, showing you the work it takes to become proficient at a new task as well as the determination one has to accomplish a goal. It sounds like a wonderful group. Good job, Anthony!

Courtney this week commented on the use of technology in our lives especially from an educational standpoint. I'm not quite sure where I stand on the use of e-readers and whether they help or hinder the current generation. I grew up reading physical books and tend to enjoy the tactile nature of reading a book and turning the pages--it engages me with the reading. My sister on the other hand has a Kindle and loves it. She is able to look up words in the dictionary as she is reading, a feature she misses when reading a paperback. I haven't seen my sister this excited about reading before she had her Kindle and am inclined to attribute the change to the technology. I think that as long as students are reading and learning that skill the device on which they do it doesn't really matter. It becomes an issue I think when reading disappears.