The IDC

ISRAEL AT HEART STUDENTS
INTERN AT THE HOLOCAUST MUSEUM IN WASHINGTON DC
The Holocaust is one of the most horrific pieces of history that is connected
to the Jewish people. The loss of six million people is incomprehensible
and the loss of love and potential, unforgiveable.
For Jews the world over, this tragedy hits close to home with so many
families able to quote the name of a lost ancestor or a close friend of the
family; with our grandparents and great-grandparents retelling stories of
terror and grief that we cannot ever wish to, have to, or want to recount as
From left: Mazal Yitzchak; Michel Margosis and Mali
Aklum. Michel is a Holocaust survivor with whom the
students worked very closely during their time at the
Holocaust museum
our own. However, within the well known
instruction to “never forget,” we do forget
that we have those within our own nation
who do not carry that same culture; those
same memories; and that same story.
Mazal Yitzchak is a 24 year old Ethiopian
IDC student who spent her summer on a
two month internship in Washington DC
where she and two of her fellow IDC students, Mali Aklum and Devorah
Desta, volunteered and worked at the city’s Holocaust museum. Despite a
number of meetings with these highly motivated and passionate individuals,
I had never considered the very deep, historical differences that exist
between us. We are all Jewesses and all stem from religious backgrounds. We
are also all students of IDC – striving for an education in order to succeed
in this competitive world. But Mazal, Mali and Devorah do not share my
very personal connection to and grief of the Holocaust. Despite the terrible
historical stories that they and their families hold within the folds of their
memory, they do not share the Holocaust with me because it does not belong
within the pages of their history.
This summer, the three became intimately involved with this Jewish story,
as they took on the task of working for the center. “They did an amazing
job,” said Joey Low, the founder of Israel at Heart, the Ethiopian program
that runs at IDC. Day by day the girls returned to the center where they
worked alongside other young interns; as well as formal staff and Holocaust
survivors. “It was very exciting for us to have the opportunity to not only
work with the survivors but also befriend them,” Devorah enthused. “My
grandparents weren’t in the Holocaust and so us being at the center ensured
that visitors raised a lot of questions and many unusual discussions ensued.”
Mazal quietly added that meeting the survivors had a very powerful impact on
her: “On the one hand to hear their stories is horrifying, terrifying and just so
sad. On the other, they show such energy, passion and positivity to everyone
The internship students with the staff and volunteers
of the Holocaust Center in Washington DC
“MY INTERNSHIP SHOWED ME THE BAD
STEREOTYPES THAT PEOPLE CARRY AGAINST ISRAEL
AND I HAVE COME BACK MUCH MORE MOTIVATED TO
DO SOMETHING TO CHANGE THIS BY SHOWING THAT
WE ARE A PEOPLE OF ALL KINDS – INCLUDING A
COMBINATION OF JEWISH, ETHIOPIAN AND ISRAELI”
- Devorah Desta
else. They were like a charger that got me through the day.” For all, the transition
from being IDC students to Holocaust center workers was smooth.
“From the first day every person we met was smiling and accepting and
this made us comfortable enough to really open up to them,” said Mazal.
Devorah added that they had an initial week of training which prepared
them for what lay ahead and what their duties would be. “Aside from the
work, we were there to present a different face of Israel to all visitors at the
One of the center’s Holocaust survivors with IDC
student, Devorah Desta
center,” said Devorah. Of those who visit
the center, some 80% are not Jewish, and
many were so surprised to discover an
Ethiopian Jewish presence that it opened
up the doors for real conversation.
“It was a win-win situation,” Devorah
said. “They learned about us and took
on a different perspective of what Israel
is and we were able to learn about the Holocaust through the survivors.”
Back in Israel, well into the academic year, Mazal said that she had brought
back a greater confidence in her English speaking abilities and also a real
understanding that one can never take anything for granted: “There is a
wall in our green room with the names of all the survivor volunteers who
have passed away and it is a constant reminder that we do not have much
longer to hear, capture and learn from their stories. All these little stories
are what make up the bigger picture and teach us the lesson of hatred. It’s
very important to visit and to know this history.”
Devorah brought back a lesson to Israel that is steering her to fight even
harder against the stereotypes that exist in our world. She noted that many
people whom she met said that it was the first time that they were meeting
‘a nice Israeli’: “My internship showed me the bad stereotypes that people
carry against Israel and I have come back much more motivated to do
something to change this by showing that we are a people of all kinds –
including a combination of Jewish, Ethiopian and Israeli.”
Devorah smiled while thinking back on the memories of her summer of 2009:
“It was a really amazing, amazing experience and a wonderful opportunity. I
really feel like I made a difference in portraying the face of Israel.”
- Lara Greenberg
IDC Winter 2010 > 19