Survivors remember horror of Holocaust

The idea is to keep the memory alive so the mistake is never made again, a rabbi said.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Abraham Honigman's hand trembled only slightly as he raised it to light a candle.
The small flame was a reminder of what he lived through decades before, while millions of other Jews died. He is a Holocaust survivor.
Honigman, 84, of Youngstown, was among four Holocaust survivors who took part in a ceremony Friday at the Mahoning County Courthouse to remember the horrible chapter in Jewish history.
"It's very painful to remember," he said. "I always cry."
But he remembers because he does not want others to forget.
Theme: "Remembering the Past for the Sake of the Future" was the theme of the commemorative event, which included presentations to area pupils for poetry and essays they'd written, and to teachers for excellence in Holocaust education.
J.E. Ballantyne, a local playwright, spoke briefly about "The Secret Annexe," a play he's written about the life of Anne Frank. It will make its premiere May 3 at the Oakland Center for the Arts.
"The idea of this day is a memorial to the survivors and to give their suffering a purpose," said Rabbi Joseph Schonberger. "What we stress are the lessons of humanity and not repeating the inhumanity that took place."
Rabbi Schonberger, a child of Holocaust survivors, is chairman of the Holocaust Commemoration and Education Task Force, which is a committee of the Jewish Community Relations Council.
Ernst Rose, 68, of Liberty, is also a Holocaust survivor. He moved here from Germany in 1940, some 18 months before his parents were able to join him.
Stressed importance: He said ceremonies such as Friday's show that the Holocaust is important to everyone, not just Jews. He was touched that the Rev. Doug Boquist of New Hope Community Church participated in the ceremony.
"That's more important to me than seeing my fellow survivors," said Rose. "It means that we have crossed the boundaries and that this is important to Gentiles as well as Jews."
Having Gentiles take part in Holocaust commemorative services shows that even after the passage of more than a half-century, the Holocaust has not lost its impact, Rose said.