On Friday evening of November 19, 2006, the Deaf community and their hearing families, friends and allies were treated to an event they will not soon forget. Dr. Simon Carmel, noted Cultural Anthropologist and Folklore scholar, presented his research of over 30 years on interviews by Deaf Holocaust survivors. The information was full of testimonies from those who got out and photographs of those living inside the forced labor and concentration camps during the period of 1933-1945. Dr. Carmel shared the kinds of treatment they endured in anti-Semitism, segregation and genocide that took place in Nazi Europe. Those in attendance were honored to have relatives of the survivors in the audience. Adult grandchildren and children of those who experienced the atrocities of the concentration camps were recognized and given support by the audience. We must remember the Holocaust was really not that long ago, and we still have people living who were there, as well as the next generation of children after the Holocaust. Dr. Carmel’s presentation was poignant and touching to all who were there. We are so grateful that he was willing to kick off our three-part series on Deaf people and the Holocaust. People afterwards were anxious to know when the next event will be. This is wonderful as a way to get out information about the Deaf population that endured the Nazi Regime. One of my college professors at UC Riverside told me once: “The most oppressed are the most invisible” (Dr. Velez-Ibanez). How many of us ever heard the stories of Deaf people experiencing extermination during World War II? Dr. Carmel is to be commended for bringing this sensitive subject to the forefront. We may never have heard about this otherwise! Overall, there were 248 people in attendance that night. Community Advisory Committee (CAC) raised $1345.00 in ticket sales for the event. The committee that hosted this event including California School for the Deaf of Riverside (CSDR), Center on Deafness Inland Empire (CODIE), and offices of ASL/Interpreter Preparation Program and Disabled Students Program & Services at Riverside Community College (RCC) would like to thank the following: DawnSignPress for offering all of the wonderful Jewish dishes. Sprint for providing flyers. And, all the volunteers who gave of their time to make this happen. We truly are a blessed community to have so many people working together: Deaf, Hard of Hearing, hearing, and people of all faiths and walks of life. In the words of Tina Jo Breindel recently: “L’Chaim, this word is used as a toast from Yiddish lekhaim which means “cheers” or “to life!” That sums up the Holocaust Deaf Survivors’ Testimonies Dr. Carmel made. I could not have said it better! In the last two part series, there will be a trip to the Museum of Tolerance at 9786 W. Pico Blvd of Los Angeles. For more information do look up their website: www.museumoftolerance.com, and last, a panel discussion of Inland Empire Holocaust Deaf Survivors and children of survivors later in 2007. For more information contact Deb Berzins at [email protected].