Page 10 - Jewish News_December 2021

10A December 2021 FEDERATION NEWS

International Holocaust Remembrance Day International Holocaust Remembrance Day...continued from previous page

commemoration to feature Susan Eisenhower

By Gayle Guynup
“For the dead and the living, we must these events.” He also gave troops who had four children and we spent consid- my latest book by sharing a story about
bear witness.” – Elie Wiesel were anywhere near the camps leaves, erable time with our grandparents at driving by the farm and remembering
he Jewish Federation of Sara- so that they, too, could be observers. the White House, but also when they that he used to say to me, ‘Now, you
sota-Manatee will honor In- Susan’s father John had just gradu- retired to Gettysburg (Pennsylvania). know, you’ve got to leave the place
Tternational Holocaust Remem- ated from West Point in We lived on an adjacent better than you found it.’” Susan be-
brance Day with a Zoom event on 1944 and was stationed property, and I proba- lieves her grandfather did just that, on
Thursday, January 27 at 7:00 p.m. fea- near Buchenwald. He bly saw my grandpar- his farm in Gettysburg, in our country
turing keynote speaker Susan Eisen- was under orders that ents several times a and the world.
hower. came from his father week. Susan’s remarks will be but one
Eisenhower is a consultant, author to visit the camp. “My “It was really good highlight of the event, which, according
and policy analyst focused largely on father went to Buch- to know them. As a to Bette Zaret, head of the Federation’s
national security and related strate- enwald and took some grandfather, he and I Holocaust Education and Program-
gic issues. She is also the daughter of profoundly disturbing shared a common bond ming, annually commemorates the six
John Eisenhower, and granddaughter pictures of what he saw around animals. We million victims of the Holocaust, and
of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. there. I was raised on were very involved encourages all people around the world
Her new book, How Ike Led, ex- those photos, my chil- with the horses and to bear witness and to be an upstander.
amines the principles behind some of dren were raised on Susan Eisenhower dogs and other animals The Founding Chair for the event
Eisenhower’s biggest decisions from those photos, and my (photo credit: Miranda Harple) on the farm, where I is Dr. Anna Kohen who was instrumen-
World War II to the early years of the grandchildren were raised on those would ride his five horses as often as tal in starting the event in 2017 and has
Cold War. How Ike Led teaches us photos,” Susan said. possible. As a general and president, I chaired it every year since. “My par-
about the man, and what lessons we “My grandfather also made the admired him because he led with his ents, Greek Jews, were saved in Alba-
can still learn from him today. German communities surrounding head and his heart. He had to make nia during the Holocaust and I married
“With regard to my book, I cer- these camps walk through them and some of the most horrific decisions any a Holocaust survivor, so this event is
tainly will talk about my grandfather’s bear witness to what had happened. general or president has had to make. very dear to me. This will be our fifth
own reaction on the day he visited the He took a very, very tough line on this, In addition to being the Supreme Al- year, and every year it grows stronger
concentration camp at Ohrdruf,” Ei- which came from being in a state of lied Commander during World War II, and stronger,” she said.
senhower said. “His reaction was so profound shock,” she said, adding that he was also the first president in the Anna notes that Susan Eisenhow-
pronounced and so deeply felt. He be- he never got over it. “He once said that hydrogen-bomb era,” Susan said. er will highlight the importance of
lieved it was so horrendous that in 50 the English language does not have a “He would always say to me, ‘You what her grandfather did in the days
years there would be many people who word to describe how deeply he was know, you have to be for something.’” following the end of the war, bearing
would try to say it never happened,” affected by it.” Susan adds that he didn’t like negativity witness and sharing what he saw with
she said. “That same evening, he sent Susan’s relationship with her and understood the power of optimism, the world. “We will also pay homage
a cable to General George Marshall, grandfather ran very deep. Her father and how optimism can change things. to our local survivors, to those who
U.S. Army Chief of Staff during World was Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower’s “He held onto that optimism even in bore witness to the darkest days of our
War II, and said he wanted him to send only surviving child. (There was an his later years and was always looking history. And we will also celebrate the
as many congressmen and members of older son who died at the age of three for a constructive way forward. righteous among us, the Jews and non-
the news media as possible to chronicle from scarlet fever.) “My mom and dad “He still has a lot to say to us. I end continued on next page