Student Responses to Mendler's Talk

Holocaust survivor Robert Mendler is a riveting speaker with an important message. Seton Hill University's National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education brings him to campus every semester, and he usually draws a huge crowd.

Several students have blogged about their reactions to Mendler's speech earlier this week.

Chinazom Onubogu observed that even today, Mendler "cannot believe it when he thinks about it and that it was almost impossible for people to survive".

Caroline Jones reports "the one thing that took my breath away was actually seeing the number he had tatooed onto his arm."

Heather Chincotella, who knew the basic facts about the Holocaust before she attended the talk, reflected that "it all became to real when he showed us his number on his arm, B5188."

Jared Grubor noted that the speaker "weighed 75 pounds when he was saved at the age of 18."

Kayla Lucas reacted to Mendler's experience losing members, and admired Mendler's strength.

Jennifer Sherbo had heard Mendler speak when she was in 8th grade, but writes about listening to it again with more mature ears. (I liked that Jennifer made a connection between Mendler's opening statement -- that he is a human being -- and Mommy's joke about "human beans" in The Color of Water.

Last year, Amanda Cochran summed up her own experience attending Mendler's speech: "I don't want to forget; I don't want the children of the future to live with nightmares of gas chambers, mass graves, and lost loved ones killed at the crushing hands of bigotry. It is our responsibility to make sure that doesn't happen. Through education we can prevent it--even through movies. Let us rise to that place. "