A Better Future for All of Us

Like many of us, I am concerned about the future of our world. Will the wars currently being fought ever come to a peaceful end? Is it possible to put an end to hatred? What about climate change? Will we ever be able to stop it? When we ask ourselves these questions, it's easy to feel discouraged and overwhelmed.

So -- I have an antidote for you. Look -- really look -- at the faces in today's photo. On the left you'll see a row of teenagers. Look also at their body language, the way they are leaning in to listen and learn. These are just some of Ms. Brown's Grade Ten students from Herzliah High School and they're at the Cummings Centre, where they've been interviewing Holocaust survivors in order to learn their stories -- and to learn how these remarkable people managed to carry on in the face of terrible, agonizing losses.

Here's something else that may help you feel less discouraged: The students and the survivors met through a Blue Metropolis Literary Foundation project called Looking Back for a Better Future. The program, which brings teens and seniors together, is taking place in several communities across the province and will be the subject of an upcoming documentary film. The program, which is funded by Canadian Heritage, made possible two visits to the Cummings Centre, but guess what? Ms. Brown's students wanted more. As she told me today, "They kept asking, 'When are we going back?'"

During their initial visits, the students -- with Ms. Brown's guidance -- prepared questions. But today, they just came into the room and got to work. Only I can't really call it work. And you kind of had to be there to see what happened. The kids just sat down with "their" seniors and started talking. And even if they were sometimes discussing difficult things, the atmosphere was HAPPY and HOPEFUL!

My plan was to move around the room and take notes. But I got so involved in listening I could hardly move. I heard Ted Bolgar (he's extending his hand in today's pic, who's 99, speaking with Elie, Eli and Jeremy. They were fascinated to learn that when Bolgar came to Montreal in 1948, he earned 49 cents an hour working as an electrician. I teased the boys about whether they listen so attentively in English class. They said they do! But then Elie looked over at Ted and told me, "We're like the last generation that's going to hear these stories." That's exactly right, Elie, and it will be your responsibility to pass them on.

I asked Ted whether he had any advice for the students as they grow older and encounter difficulties of their own. And I loved his answer: "There is no such thing as 'something is impossible.' Just try your best." Ted told us that before the Holocaust, his dream was to become a teacher -- but that as a Jew living in Hungary in the late 1930's, he was not allowed to attend university. We pointed out to Ted that in many ways he has become a teacher. He told us he'd never thought of that before.

Gundie Robertson, who volunteers at the Cummings Centre, was also sitting with us. I'll finish today's blog entry with what Gundrie had to say: "The way these students are listening, taking in the information, it gives me hope during all these challenging times in our world."

So I hope I have passed on some of that hope we found today. Wherever we are, let's take the time to really listen to others -- in the beautiful openhearted way these students were doing today. To their parents and teachers, thank you for raising such good people. To the Holocaust survivors, thanks for your courage and your commitment to telling your stories so that we can all learn from the past to create a better future.