Chaplain

Sydney Jewish Museum Field Trip

Yr 9 were fortunate to attend the Sydney Jewish Museum last Thursday. This was a challenging and moving experience as they browsed the museum guided by people who knew Holocaust survivors and the survivors’ families. Their knowledge and passion enriched the displays enormously. The learning curve was steep as students learnt of strange named places from Central Europe, the difference between a ghetto, labour camp or death camp and the unfolding of history leading up to the holocaust. Included below was a photo taken by River Stefanovic which, in his words, “summarises the Jewish children’s lives lost during the Holocaust.” This is taken in the Children’s Memorial with names and photos of children who perished in the camps. Such loss of loved ones, life and potential brings home the reality of the darkness of this time.

Students also listened to a survivor talk about their experience and answer questions. These dedicated people are very old and these are the last years for students to hear such stories and meet people who actually experienced the creeping danger and reality of the hate and genocide.

Finally at the museum, students engaged in a workshop around the causes of the Holocaust.

Over all it was an overwhelming, interesting and valuable day for them all. The workshop sessions in the afternoon enabled our students to process the learning and emotions of the day, as per the photos below. As students reflect on such issues, they also have seen the value of listening to older generations speaking about their experiences, challenges and lessons of life.

What I am encouraged by is the students’ deep questions that they were reflecting upon: Who was to blame? How were people capable of such cruelty? When should we not trust our media and cultural messages? Why is there such evil in human hearts? How did the survivors process their experience? What was God doing? Is forgiveness possible? Why do genocides still happen? Is faith possible or inevitable in the face of such crimes?

Interestingly, survivors have different answers to the final question. Many speak about their faith as sustaining, providing hope and comfort. Others emerge with no faith having turned away from God. This is often the way: similar experiences can result in quite opposite responses. It is often in the valleys of life that we reach out to God and find that the voice of Jesus brings comfort and perspective, helping us to trust him in the hard times. I know in my personal dark times my understanding of God and his perspective on the world has given me the framework to make sense of that darkness. My relationship with Jesus has been the foundation by which I could forgive and move on. It is the hope of eternity that helped me look to a brighter future. It is the biblical framework that enables me to critique past and present culture and guards against arrogance. May I invite you to contact Fiona or me if this is something you would like to explore more.

I strongly recommend that if you have not been to the Sydney Jewish Museum it is well worth a visit. Every year I learn something new and am challenged anew.

God bless

Ms Bronwyn Lihou
Senior Campus Chaplain
blihou@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9909 3133

Ms Fiona McKenzie
Junior Campus Chaplain
fmckenzie@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9953 6022