Some OU faculty observed Holocaust Remembrance Day with a panel discussion that analyzed lessons from the Holocaust and their relevance today.
The Schusterman Center for Judaic & Israel Studies hosted “The Holocaust and Our World Today” on May 4, Holocaust Remembrance Day. Lang Eric Sundby, president of The Holocaust Remembrance and Restitution Foundation, Inc., moderated the panel, which included three OU faculty members.
The panel featured Joshua Landis, D. Gershon Lewental and Carsten Schapkow. Landis is the director of the Center of Middle East Studies as well as an associate professor with the College of International Studies. Lewental serves as the Schusterman visiting professor of Israel studies with the Department of History. Schapkow is an associate professor with the Department of History.
The three panelists responded to various questions from Sundby concerning the current Jewish and Syrian refugee crises in Europe and what trends from the Holocaust are resurfacing as a result.
The panel began with a discussion of whether Jews in Europe should be concerned enough about anti-Semitism to leave their European homes. Lewental, speaking from a Jewish perspective, said that while there is no current European threat to Jews, they should remain aware of their situation.
“Lingering anti-Semitic notions never disappeared,” Lewental said. “I’m not trying to imply that I think it’s unsafe. I just don’t think there’s a future for Jews in Europe.”
Lewental also said it is always possible that anti-Semitic notions will be reasserted in the United States. He said World War II cemented the European idea of Jews as outsiders, and this mentality never faded.
The group also examined Europe's and the United States’ reactions to the Syrian refugee crisis, calling for broader international action. Landis said America’s current retreat from interference abroad is commendable due to past experiences.
“America is going to retreat from the world because it has to — it’s too expensive,” Landis said. “The American people are against squandering money abroad.”
“The international community has to step up,” Landis said. “America cannot solve all these problems.”
Lewental said the United States must take a decisive stance in Middle Eastern and European conflict if we want to keep our place in the world.
“Democracies can’t just be hoped to survive and succeed,” Lewental said. “There has to be some element of economic, political and even military engagement to keep the U.S. where it is.”
Lewental noted the anti-Semitism currently present in these situations in Europe and the Middle East is “a nefarious trend,” and these attitudes show some of the legacies and the lessons of the Nazi period are being forgotten.
Schapkow put a more optimistic spin on the refugee and immigrant crisis, saying the issues may actually help break down some forms of prejudice. He said the crisis gives the world a chance to know and understand real Muslims rather than the radical Muslims who represent ISIS.
“Only if people work together, live together, know each other can we really overcome prejudice,” Schapkow said.
