Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. 
   Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
   to the voice of my supplications! 

Psalm 130:1-2 (NRSV)

Photo by Sonia Dauer on Unsplash

Join Reverend Charley Eastman and your fellow Pilgrims for a special Field Trip to Boston on June 23rd at 1pm

The subtitle for this exhibit is: “not long ago, not far away.” With anti-semitism on the rise, it’s easy to see why connecting with the suffering at Auschwitz could be a worthwhile exercise. There are protests across the United States right now over what’s happening in Gaza. There is a climate of fear and rising racism and xenophobia. It’s easy to just say, “it will blow over when the conflict recedes.”

We can’t wait for that. We need to find more points of connection with our Jewish brethren, especially at times when they’re being vilified. I’m not asking you to sign on with everything that the state of Israel does. I’m simply asking, as a Christian minister, for your compassion for a people who weathered a terrible storm and came through deeply diminished, but with a will to go on.

When folks are being targeted for their faith, Christians have an important role to play in solidarity

This could not be more true than with the Jewish people, including those who suffered through the Holocaust. The branches of Christianity are grafted on to the tree of Judaism. We do not exist without them. We should treasure them and their faith.

One way to do this is to honor the experiences of those who experienced Auschwitz. This is not easy material. But if we fail to make connections like this, we are failing in our support of our Jewish sisters and brothers as they seek their place in our modern world. I wish we were beyond all conflict like this. I also wish all the hostages were home and Israel would pull out of Gaza. But while I cannot control that, I can stand witness through this exhibition, and I believe it’s important for us to do so.

Important Information for Families

Let’s be clear: this is an exhibit about a concentration camp. While I’m certain there is value for young people to know about all this, the exhibit is recommended for ages 12 and up. Even adults need to decide if this is an exhibit they can attend.

Please review this statement that appears on the exhibit website and make the right choice for your and your family about attending:

Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. is recommended for ages 12+. Although the history of the Auschwitz concentration camp is challenging, we have developed this exhibition not only with profound respect for the victims but also for our visitors.

Care has been taken to ensure there are no gratuitous depictions of violence. Every effort has been made to consider this story’s emotional impact on our visitors so that they can safely explore this history, seek to understand it better, and make meaning for themselves.

https://theauschwitzexhibition.com/#info

Here is the Link to Purchase tickets. After you’ve done so, let Pastor Charley know you’re coming:

You can buy tickets for the 1pm slot on June 23rd here, but don’t wait, or you may miss out.