Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor, activist and noble novelist, once said, "for us forgetting was never an option. Remembering is a noble and necessary act."

There is no doubt that the students in Goucher College's "Oral History of Holocaust Survivors" course will always remember and never forget. On December 1, these students, at a Hillel dinner co-sponsored by other Goucher constituencies, presented stories inspired by interviews with Holocaust survivors in the Baltimore area.

A Little History

This class, Oral Histories of Holocaust Survivors, is a truly unique treasure at Goucher College and is spearheaded and taught by a dynamic and creative trio: German and History professor Uta Larkey (Goucher German and History professor), Steven Salzberg (psychiatrist and professional interviewer) and Jennifer Rudick Zunikoff (professional storyteller). The course gained momentum here at Goucher when the three came together and modeled the course after a similar state-funded program created by Holocaust survivor Irving Roth in upstate New York. This is now the third year the course is being offered at Goucher and is supported by the Service-Learning Program, and German, History and Judaic Studies Departments.

"This is not simply a class," explained Zunikoff, "It's an experience. It is the student's responsibility, privilege and obligation to pass on these stories."

The course involves three components. The first and main component of the course is interviewing survivors. Students are divided into groups of three or four and conduct a series of interviews with volunteer Holocaust survivors now living the Baltimore area. The interviews are conducted in three, two-hour sessions - the first covering the life of the survivor before the Holocaust, the second part covering their experiences as a victim, and the third about their life post-World War II.

The second element of the course is academic, where the students explore the Holocaust in depth, through multiple first-person, psychological and intellectual lenses. The third, and most outstanding part of the class is an individual cumulative presentation of students' retelling of the stories inspired from their interviews with the survivors. These performances are a work in progress that stem from a series of professional storytelling workshops and professional interviewing instruction throughout the semester. "This class is just great," Larkey said with an enthusiastic smile. "It was great to begin with and it's getting better. We're progressing." The course is offered every fall semester listed under the German, History or the Judaic Studies Department sections and attracts both non-Jewish and Jewish students.

Larkey continued to explain that what makes this class so unique is that "miracles" happen. The course involves intellectual, creative and emotional growth by the students. As the students work on their stories throughout the semester, it requires deep self-reflection and collaborative peer support. In addition, students establish cordial relationships with their survivors throughout the semester and beyond. "Every year it's amazing to watch the students and survivors connect and become part of the story. More amazing is that this class grows to be a family," said Salzberg, "it doesn't end, we expect it to continue."

"The support of the instructors, survivors and students, makes this class accessible to anyone who cares enough to take," added Zunikoff.

"A Slice of Life" Stories

The performances that took place on Friday, December 1, were "slice of life stories," explained Zunikoff, "These performances are just a few pieces from the survivor stories that touched the students." The stories were performed by six out of the eight students in class: Leah Cohen, Abby Bergman, Becca Gil, Jordan Weinberg, Sarah Mills and Laura Mabry. Each performance breathed life into the survivor stories they had heard and made the characters of their survivors come through to the audience. The performances are so well-done and outstanding because students are given complete creative freedom to how they choose to perform their stories. The stories were a mixture of theatrics, first and third person perspectives, personal reflection, and a combination of past and present elements of the survivor stories.

"This year the stories were really creative, it was phenomenal," said Rachel Grayson, who took the course last year. "Each and every one of [the performers] was an inspiration to me. I now realize I have to take my responsibility seriously."

"I don't want the message to fade," said Becca Gil when asked about why she decided to take the course. "The Holocaust is real, it happened, you can't forget."

"The Holocaust is something I can't understand, it's insatiable," said performer Sarah Mills, who is a history major with a concentration in Holocaust studies. "I don't want it to ever be forgotten, I refuse myself to do so."

The performances accentuated the beauty of telling stories, and the significance of storytelling. "Storytelling is like throwing a seed," said Zunikoff. "Whether it lands on rocky soil, [or] fertile soil, it's up to the listener. As many seeds as you can throw, and as many people you can reach out to, that's what makes it truly special…it's exponential because you're reaching out to so many people - the storyteller, the listener and more."

Beyond the Classroom

Even after the end of the semester and after the students receive their final grades, the students continue to perform their stories - in Baltimore and beyond. Students from last year's course performed at several high schools, including Ruxton County and Perry Hall High School and performed at various synagogues on Holocaust Remembrance Day.

As the class progresses and becomes more remarkable and valuable every year, the trio of Larkey, Salzberg and Zunikoff hope to see this program grow through steady increased enrollment, and move towards interviewing people with all kinds of world stories.