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themiddle

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  • I saw this video on Yuriy’s FB page the other day, and it gave me a strange feeling, so I was hesitant to post it. I can’t really pinpoint what it is, maybe it’s because this is a coping mechanism that doesn’t sit well with all victims.

  • As the child of a Survivor, or simply as a human, I find the posting of this video to be digusting. It is not a matter of coping. It is a matter of respect and honour. Funny is one thing. Bad taste is another. Shame on you.

  • Agreed. As a culture, we’ve spent many years now trying to put Donna Summer behind us.

  • Um, Bonnie, shame on me for what? I didn’t make this video. A woman who is a daughter of survivors did. And she took her survivor father along to make the point (see the yellow star). Who the hell are you to tell him how to behave at places that represent what he went through.

    I found the video strange, but I understand what she’s trying to say. Obviously, some people are going to find it offensive and some are going to understand it. In the Ha’aretz article, they point out that neo-Nazis and white supremacists online identify it as a challenge. That alone makes this worthwhile.

    Tom, thanks for the deep belly laugh.

  • I found it very strange as well. I probably wouldn’t have posted it without some more commentary to add context (anyone who clicked through to Haaretz got it), but as a discussion piece, I think posting it is very appropriate.

    It clearly represents a healthy response to a tragic experience. Whatever facially offensive content might be here, the context involving an actual survivor and his daughter and their family offers real substance that should pierce through the offensive surface.

  • Is this supposed to be an example of just how damaged the Jewish psyche remains as a result of the Holocaust?

    We may have survived but now we can’t create art with a clear, concise, biting statement.
    Or keep a beat.

  • This video makes me sad, but it also makes me think, so I guess its mission is complete. I can never go to the camps. Never. I also don’t want to go to Germany where the chances of my seeing an elderly German who stood by and did nothing are far greater than anywhere else on earth. Yeah, this video makes me sad.

  • I couldn’t wait to post this on Twitter! This video made me cry and smile at almost the same time! It made me sad and utterly over-joyed! How many videos can you say made you feel this way? This is a rare footage on so many levels. Who’s idea was this? It was a risk, sure, but it was also courageous and a little cocky! How else to turn the tragedy of the century into triumph? I especially loved the older survivor guy. He danced with such spirit. More of these videos, please!

  • I like the video. He SURVIVED and has every right to dance. People need to remember the sacrifices during that war. We need to remember things like this so they NEVER happen again. It had to take alot of courage to return to a place of so much evil and dance on the ground that he probably never thought he would leave.
    Two thumbs up!

    And the video did stir up emotion. I found myself about to cry at the end. I would think that anyone that went through that experience would rejoice in the fact that this man survived, faced his fears and returned to make a statement.

    Never forget the past or it will become our future!

  • Ok, I have to respond because I saw this blog’s comment in a national news story …

    YOU are offended over this video and your blog/Website is called “JEWLICIOUS”. Give me a freaking break.

    Pot. Kettle. Both black.

    You should be more offended by your Website and blog name than this video.

    Cracks me up when people call “foul” and then call “their own people” by an absurd name. Awe you trying to be Fergalicious or something “kewl”?

    Rolling my eyes ….

    http://www.aolnews.com/world/article/dancing-at-auschwitz-video-sparks-debate-about-holocaust-mourning/19558297?icid=main|aim|dl1|link1|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fworld%2Farticle%2Fdancing-at-auschwitz-video-sparks-debate-about-holocaust-mourning%2F19558297

  • Linda, if you rolled your eyes into the direction of the comments and the history of Jewlicious, you’d see that Middle, who posted the video, said that [o]bviously, some people are going to find it offensive and some are going to understand it, that means that Middle thinks that it could be expected that some people, who don’t get the video, would be offended. I wouldn’t have been as harsh as I understand it’s tricky to impose coping mechanisms onto other people who are grieving, and the next-to-anonymous video and the viral properties of online clips, which can be an in-your-face-way of putting others’ coping mechanisms up for comparison unintendedly, can have such effects.

    As far as “Jewlicious” is concerned, the term and blog predate “Fergalicious” by a couple of years, but generous as we are, Jewlicious’ lawyer founder didn’t press any plagiarism charges as it appears that the word “delicious” is a legitimate word in the English language.

    That said, I found the video strange as in giving me a strange feeling, but I find your comment to be offensive.

  • Linda, your reading comprehension is as lousy as your writing ability and both of those shine in comparison to your sense of humor. But, nice to have you here. Visit often.

  • It is sad to see that this so much deserved shout out of survival is being seen as disrespectful. I say kudo’s to this survivor and his children and grandchildren for making this video. What can possibly be more healing then to face your demons directly and singing praise of your survival. It is a sad state of affairs when those who were not at camps such as Auschwitz believe they have any right to make such a call with this gentleman that he was being disrespectful to the memories of what happened. Even the children of survivors do not have that right. I feel that those who are calling him out for dancing and celebrating his survivial are the ones being disrespectful this gentlemen has the right to do this without question. Let his piers judge him if they wish but none of us as that right. He has earned my respect.

  • Parting comment please don’t pick my writting apart or what my view is like you did with Linda. It is early and after reading some of the postings I had to comment with due respect to the subject. Thank you for having me.

    • Debera, had you come into our site in the way Linda did, you’d have a reason to be concerned that you’ll be attacked right back. However, your comment is reasonable and not hostile at all, so why would you be concerned about a hostile response?

      • Debera, no problem at all, you’re entitled to your opinion as well as the dancer is entitled to his way of coping. However, I know survivors that still are grieving so badly that they couldn’t even cry yet (the third stage in the mourning process); many couldn’t talk about the issue for decades. With a topic like this, there is no way of telling people how it should be dealt with, and I can understand that there are survivors and children of survivors who do not feel comfortable with such an approach.

  • Thank you Middle and Froylein how kind of you and your welcome. Years ago when I was much younger I moved to Los Angeles. I had gone into a store in Venice, CA and there was an older couple who owned the store. Very friendly and warm. I noticed that on their wrist were numbers and I asked them what they were for. I was surprised to find out that they were survivors of the Holocaust. I grew up on a horse farm on the Eastern Shore of MD we read about this in school but this was the first time I had made the acquaintance of two survivors. I had found a new level of respect for those who went through that tragic time in history. I felt very close to them you see my Great Grandmother was an Asher, she was Jewish and I do cherish my heritage. I know there are those who can’t cry and those who can’t get beyond what happened yet. That is their right to feel such emotions. Just as it is this gentlemen’s right to do what he is doing. There isn’t any disrespect to one another. The pain from this is so great that neither you or I could possibly understand. The loss of families, parent’s seeing their children being shipped off to regions unknown, death. I can go on and on but what I was getting at are my feelings of our respect to those who survived, those who died. We do not have the right to past judgement on anyone of the survivors they are making attempts to deal with this life altering event in their own ways. If their piers wish to judge this let them that is also their right. We need to step back and listen and remember their pain even today so that we can continue to tell the story behind it. But we do not have the right to tell not one of them how to deal with it. I thank you for allowing me to post how I view the Holocaust.

  • I arrived too late to see it. I get someone feeling ‘strange’ over it. It’s hard to understand the condemnation of a guy celebrating BEING ALIVE after time in a camp. Thanx for trying to get it out there.

  • i am so happy that the elderly man survived when so many didn’t. he and his family have every right to celebrate life and honor those who did not survive. in my humble opinion they can celebrate anywhere they want to. God bless

  • THIS IS A GREAT IDEA TO CELEBRATE LIFE IN A PLACE WHERE SO MANY HAVE DIED. I HOPE THOSE POOR SOULS ARE NOW IN PEACE.
    A PLACE WHERE SO MANY CRUEL THINGS HAPPENED MUST “BE CLEANED UP” WITH HAPPY EVENTS.
    I DON’T UNDERSTAND PEOPLE KEEPING SADNESS AND MAINTAINING
    THAT PLACE AS A MONUMENT TO DEATH.
    THEY SHOULD FILL THAT PLACE WITH FLOWERS, MUSIC AND DANCE IN MEMORY OF ALL THOSE WHO SUFFERED IN AUSHWITZ SO IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. THE WORLD WILL NEVER FORGET, BUT DON’T STAY WEEPING AND CRYING FOR SO MANY YEARS. HAPPY THINGS CARRY ON HAPPY THINGS. SAD THINGS CARRY ON SAD THINGS.
    THANK YOU JANE AND ADOLEK FOR TEACHING THE WORLD THE GOOD WAY OF REMEMBERING THOSE WHO SUFFERED AND DIED IN AUSHWITZ. I´M SO HAPPY FOR YOU ADOLEK. YOU MADE IT!!!!
    I WILL CHANGE MY WAY OF SEEING LIFE NIW THANKS TO YOU.
    KEEP ON THAT.
    MARIA ELENA

  • We are not supposed to judge. This man was probably so
    weak and overcome with the saddest of emotions when the
    camp was liberated that he could show little or no
    emotion.
    I say let him and his grandchildren dance, dance, dance.

    Good trimpuhs over evil. He did survive and procreated
    so that the jewish life, faith and love could continue on.

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