Well, I would say my biggest feeling that has stuck is respect. Not necessarily for what he went through but more for his ability to overcome challenges and redefine himself as a person. He was an escapee, his family moved from Germany to Palestine to Poland in 1938 (terrible timing) and then Lithuania. From Lithuania they were able to escape to Palestine once again where they resided in Tel Aviv. Each time they moved he had to overcome discrimination against Jews as anti-semitism, despite our attempts to remember history differently, was common across Europe and the US, he learned 5 languages through these travels and moved from living in luxury and wealth to fleeing in abject poverty. Despite this he is Dr. Menn a survivor with a PhD from Berkeley in toxicology who would travel all the way to Knox, Pennsylvania to do nothing more than share his story with children. There are times it is hard to get people from the university to come 20 minutes, he traveled hours and is in his 80's. The man came to the US for school and went back to israel just to fight in the war of independence, how many people, upon escaping troubled times volunteer to go back? The biggest lesson I would hope students pull is that you are never a victim of your circumstances, you are in control of them.
i wish i could have shook his hand
ReplyDeleteWhat went through your mind? What made it memorable for you?
ReplyDeleteWell, I would say my biggest feeling that has stuck is respect. Not necessarily for what he went through but more for his ability to overcome challenges and redefine himself as a person. He was an escapee, his family moved from Germany to Palestine to Poland in 1938 (terrible timing) and then Lithuania. From Lithuania they were able to escape to Palestine once again where they resided in Tel Aviv. Each time they moved he had to overcome discrimination against Jews as anti-semitism, despite our attempts to remember history differently, was common across Europe and the US, he learned 5 languages through these travels and moved from living in luxury and wealth to fleeing in abject poverty. Despite this he is Dr. Menn a survivor with a PhD from Berkeley in toxicology who would travel all the way to Knox, Pennsylvania to do nothing more than share his story with children. There are times it is hard to get people from the university to come 20 minutes, he traveled hours and is in his 80's. The man came to the US for school and went back to israel just to fight in the war of independence, how many people, upon escaping troubled times volunteer to go back? The biggest lesson I would hope students pull is that you are never a victim of your circumstances, you are in control of them.
ReplyDelete