BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Chabad of Bakersfield and the Central Valley Holocaust Memorial hosted a Holocaust survivor at Stockdale High School on Sun, April 23.
The Central Valley Holocaust Memorial is located at the Chabad of Bakersfield on display. The memorial features six million buttons from around the world, counted by the community. Each one of those buttons represents a life taken by the Nazi regime.
The Chabad and the memorial are dedicated to educating the community about the Holocaust. That is why they invited 94-year-old Esther Basch, a Holocaust survivor.
"You know, I am getting less and less nightmares," said Basch. "Whenever I speak and I see how people care, it warms my heart."
Basch spent time at Auschwitz and survived a death march during the Holocaust. She didn’t speak often about her experience until a family friend invited her to speak at their son's school.
"It's gotten to the point where it brings us joy to share this, especially when we see reactions [and] especially when we get letters from kids," said Rachel Turet, Basch's daughter. "It's beautiful. It really is beautiful."
Tuert often joins her mother to speak about her incredible life, while Basch's talk focuses on the power of forgiveness. They have both seen the impact they can make on people when they share their stories.
"A gentleman got up and said 'I’m going to call my brother who I haven't spoken to in twenty years because we had a fight and I don't even remember what it's about, but if you can forgive the Germans, I can go home and call my brother,'" said Turet.
While Basch used to be hesitant to speak about her experiences because of the pain they brought her, she has learned there are important lessons she has to share.
"It was very emotional but then I got used to it," explained Basch. "Now I speak freely and it comes out beautifully."
"When you hear about it firsthand, you can see emotion and it puts you in a pace of understanding," said Cada Nahama, an attendee of Basch's speech. "You can never understand, no one can ever understand what they have gone through but it puts you in a place of a tiny bit more understanding. It's really powerful."
The talk was very candid about the horrors Basch faced, but on several occasions she had the crowd laughing from the humor she was able to inject.
"They should not be sad," said Basch. "I’d rather see them laughing than crying, you see? I’ve cried enough in my life. Now I just want to laugh."
Esther Schalnger, director of the Chabad of Bakersfield, says that Basch's inspiring story and the lessons that can be learned from it align with the Central Valley Holocaust Memorial’s mission.
"The things you say to your friends, think before you speak [and] speak before you type," said Schlanger. "There are consequences to these thoughts and these words. On the flip side, when you are good and kind and tolerant, that also has a ripple effect and hopefully, the goal is to create a kinder compassionate safe world for everybody."
Turet and Basch highlight the importance of being a positive force in this world rather than a hateful one.
"Forgiveness is most important," said Turet. "Usually when we talk to a young audience, we talk about bullying [or] about standing around while racial slurs are made. It really impacts them, because a lot of kids do experience that."
"Think positive," said Basch. "To love all people regardless of religion or race. That will make them feel better, if they put it in their heads to love."
The Central Valley Holocaust Memorial is open to the public on Sundays and Mondays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Southwest Bakersfield.
