Chanukah, 1943 - poem by Brenda Levy Tate

Hélène Berr lived in Paris and actively resisted the Nazi invasion of her homeland. She attended the Sorbonne, played violin, fell in love and tried to make the best of her family's dire situation. Rather than trying to downplay her Jewish identity, she opted to wear her yellow star as a badge of pride in her heritage. Sadly, she was sent to Auschwitz in 1944 and died in the Bergen-Belsen camp only five days before the liberation. Her diary was retained by her fiance and passed on to her niece, who finally chose to publish it. In 2008, the newly-released journal touched and moved readers, causing Hélène Berr to be called "the French Anne Frank". I hope I have done justice to her memory. While this poem is not specifically about Ms. Berr, it was written in her honour to commemorate the experiences of many families in similar circumstances during that dark time.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Paris
• Jews
• resistance
• Helene Berr
• Judaism
• Chanukah
• Hanukkah
• menorah
• Chanukia
• Holocaust
• poem
• poetry reading

[AsWeGoHomestead]

Thank you for sharing this beautiful poem with a soft yet powerful reading. Your voice is absolutely beautiful. Great video and audio production as well. Definitely a 5*****!!

[silharima]

Thank you most sincerely for such a warm response. This piece means a great deal to me, so it was important that I 'get it right'.

[GroundHogsMovement]

You a breathe flesh and love way you do poems on You Tube! You must done acting in life. You so deep when you with this poems and very raw and very effective!

Just GroundHog

[silharima]

Thank you!! It's such a joy for me to be able to share my work here. I'm very pleased that you like this.

[peoplestandup]

This was very well done you very good at this!

[silharima]

Thanks so much! I try. These stories of courage and injustice under appalling conditions - such as Ms. Berr's own experiences - never cease to move me and I feel humbled by them. I hope my poetry will help people to remember.

[anniedch444]

Extremely moving and beautiful.

[Kazanlives]

@silharima

You’re welcome. I am awfully sorry about the delay but I was not aware of your message. I wished more people responded to your performances. Raoul Shade

[AsWeGoHomestead]

Well I think you can put a check mark by that video as "I Got It Right". You are most welcome. I have been a poet of sorts for quite a while and always one in my heart. It is a great joy to meet another poet.

[silharima]

Thanks so much, Kazanlives, for listening to my poem and also for the CD recommendation. This moving story deserves the widest possible audience. "I read and remember; I hear and understand." Your response to my effort is deeply appreciated.