Our board and team of volunteers are always reading, sharing, and recommending books to each other on the Holocaust, Poland, Jewish history, and more. It's one of the ways we educate ourselves on the Shoah, or Holocaust. There is much to be learned through an autobiography of a survivor or a novel based on real events that happened in towns all over Europe during this horrible time in history. We thought we'd share our reading list with you. Whether you like memoir, biography, historical survey, or powerful fiction, there's something here for you. Most are not easy reads. The stories that are shared will leave you unsettled, and yes, angry. But there's truth and warnings to be gleaned from these words today. Learning about this history is a powerful way to remember those who lived it and did not survive. Join us in remembering these lives through the power of their words. Click on the book image to learn more about it. Check back often as we'll be adding more books to the list. Nonfiction Recommendations Fiction Recommendations
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The Matzevah Foundation is pleased to announce
the graduation of our president, Steven D. Reece, from Andrews University with a doctorate of philosophy in leadership. Have you ever gone somewhere for the first time and felt like you’ve been there before?
That’s how I felt standing under the Arbeit Macht Frei, “Work Makes You Free,” sign in Auschwitz in 2007. Black and white images that I had only seen in textbooks, movies, and documentaries were now in full color all around me. I quickly realized that nothing I had learned in my classes or through films could have prepared me for that visit. As we embark on a new year, we wanted to share with you a review of our work from 2019. The Matzevah Foundation (TMF), in our ninth year of existence, continues to see growth with each passing year. That growth comes in a variety of forms from the number of projects we conduct in Poland to the number of volunteers who give of their time and resources to the growing impact that TMF has not just in Poland but around the world. While our most visible activity occurs during the summer with our cemetery restoration and commemoration projects, our team works each moth to further the scope of our work.
We are excited to share with you a snapshot of our work from this past year! A note from our president November 13 was our big event in Nashville where we had a screening of The Presence of Their Absence. We had 70 people join us on a very cold and traffic-filled night at the Brentwood Library. After watching the film together, Steven, Donna, and Fred took questions from the audience. It was wonderful to hear how different aspects of the film resonated with people.
On November 11, The Matzevah Foundation's president, Steven Reece, was part of a special evening at The Temple in Atlanta. Steven joined filmmaker Donna Kanter and Fred Zaidman for a screening of the film, The Presence of Their Absence.
Around 100 people came out for the film and panel discussion with Fred, Donna, and Steven afterwards. It was a great evening! For a complete review of the film, check out this lovely article from the Atlanta Jewish Times. The Matzevah Foundation, in partnership with the Nashville Jewish Film Festival, is pleased to invite you to the Nashville premiere of the documentary The Presence of Their Absence.
Wednesday, November 13 6:30 p.m. Brentwood Library 8109 Concord Road, Brentwood, TN 37027 This is a free event and we invite you to let us know of your attendance by visiting our Eventbrite link here. |