Miami Marks Yom HaShoah With Reading Of Names

By Kexin Yue

Miami University Journalism Student

From 8 am to 5 pm on April 24, a mix of 35 Miami students and professors read the names and ages of 5000 Jewish children who died during the Holocaust.

"These children were real, they had their lives stolen from them," Natalie Roberts says. "My hope is that people will want to start working together to fight evil atrocities in the future."

Roberts helped organized Miami's Reading of the Names ceremony. It's part of the university's Genocide and Holocaust Education (GHE) Program, which Roberts has also been involved with for the last three years.

The month long series of programs features speakers, panel discussions, and film screenings to educate the community about the Holocaust and as well as genocide more broadly.

The Reading of the Names takes place all over the world. This is the third year Miami has participated according to Megan Stahlsmith, the President of the Miami University Students Against Genocide (MUSAG). She sees this as the most powerful event that they have put on.

"We are giving a voice to the victims," Stahlsmith says. "I feel it’s just very important that you pay them the respect and acknowledge them."

A list of the victims’ names and a pronunciation sheet was given to the readers who read the names aloud in 15 minutes’ increments. It concluded with a Social Justice 326 class which came to read at the end of the day.

MUSAG has worked in the past with Associated Student Government to have Miami University recognize April as Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month. MUSAG has also raised money for doctors in Syria and has helped bring a number of experts to campus to speak about the Holocaust and genocide.

"I am pleased to see what we have done and I am confident that these programs will continue long after I am gone," Roberts says.

According to Stahlsmith, MUSAG and the GHE program has trying to touch on as many genocides as possible to make people aware of the issue since it’s not talked about that often. She wishes people could remain passionate about the education and prevention of genocide.

"I think it’s really important to make sure a lot of students and even faculty understand genocide is still a problem," Stahlsmith says. "Miami does a good job, but I am sure there are always chances to do more."

Photo: Michael Curme, Miami University Dean of Students, reads of the names of Jewish Holocaust victims. --Photo by Kexin Yue