Regardless of how a survivor processes their trauma, simply speaking the truth is what’s most important
During the 2015 trial of former SS guard Oskar Groning, as presented in the documentary The Accountant of Auschwitz, Holocaust survivor Eva Kor forgave the man she was testifying against. The response to Kor’s statement was extremely varied. Some praised her, others were shocked and some even reacted with scorn. Forgiveness is one of the…
Was Adolf Eichmann a monster or just a loyal officer in a role that largely revolved around establishing train schedules?
On May 23, 1960, Israel announced the capture of Adolf Eichmann. An undercover Israeli security services team had snatched him 12 days earlier in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and smuggled him out of the country by air. The story was an immediate international sensation. If you were only moderately conversant with the Holocaust, you might never…
Trudeau insinuated that if you support the rights of Palestinians, you must be anti-Semitic
I like to think I’m not easily offended, but a recent speech by Justin Trudeau at the Yom Hashoah Virtual Holocaust Remembrance Day Commemoration pierced my spirit. In this ceremony, Holocaust survivors and their descendants not only remembered the crimes committed against the Jewish people, they celebrated who they are and the beautiful traditions that…
Very few people have ever had the freedoms Canadians enjoy today. May we always be mindful of this
Like many of my generation of German descent, I’ve had to grapple with an uncomfortable family history. Though I know he came to regret his decision, my grandfather was a member of the Nazi Party and was part of the populist movement that brought them to power. I could make excuses for his decision and…
Telling our Indigenous people to ‘get over it’ comes dangerously close to outright genocide denial
As tensions have mounted in Canada in recent months over land claims and Indigenous rights, I’ve heard and read many variations of the phrase, “The Indigenous just need to get over it.” I wonder if the people who embrace this view really know what they’re saying. It reflects complete ignorance of the history of Canada…
But to successfully face those challenges, you need to know yourself and the opposition you face, and be prepared to grow and adapt
In the classic book The Art of War, Sun Tzu teaches about far more than war. He also teaches some of the key elements of a joyful and meaningful life. “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the…
You must first learn to respond positively to negative situations – embrace your willpower
It’s said that successful people aren’t those without problems, they’re simply those who deal effectively with their problems. This is an easy claim to make but what does it really mean? Stephen Covey, the author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, tells us that between stimulus and response there’s a gap and it’s…
The key is not to run away from life but to embrace every challenge, to find its meaning and the lesson it offers
There’s a medieval legend about an alchemist who discovers how to turn common materials into gold. Of course, we know that adding a piece of the philosopher’s stone to molten lead will not turn it into gold, yet the story provides a beautiful metaphor for life. If we look at the life of any great…
Author James Allen tells us to embrace purity, patience, humility, self-sacrifice, self-reliance, fearlessness, knowledge, wisdom, compassion and love
We all face challenges, times when we feel like the bottom has fallen out and nothing makes sense. While it may be tempting to give in to vengeful thoughts and actions, teachings developed in every culture point to the same principles. As we live by these ideals, life finds a way of sorting itself out.…
Canadians need to be reminded that conflicts and human tragedies sometimes come perilously close to home
Wise politicians realize that the people, also known as taxpayers, are always concerned about how their money is spent by government. The cost of a policy, program or item can be large or small, but every penny – or nickel, in this era – must be used responsibly and prudently. This brings us to the…