The name Nathan beats the wall with his fists,
the name Issac sings a mad hymn,
the name Aaron is dying of thirst,
the name Sarah begs water for him.
by Wislawa Szymborka
-Excerpt from a poem studied in Holocaust class
As part of a Holocaust curriculum, students of Bais Chana Academy in Orange, Connecticut, plan to travel to Poland and Prague this upcoming May to visit the sites of concentration camps and ghettos.
In class, they are analyzing literature, watching numerous videos, and reading personal accounts from Jewish survivors in the Second World War.
“Walking the paved streets of Poland as proud religious Jews, on the very same soil which our ancestors like Nathan, Issac, Aaron, and Sarah were piled as animals in cattle cars years prior, will make our history book become alive,” they said.
Students noted how, “We are the last generation who can listen to and speak with Holocaust survivors. We must ensure that the laudable legacy of these brave Holocaust Survivors lives on.”
The students launched an online fundraiser to help make the trip a reality at gofundme.com/beth-chana-2019-poland-trip.
As part of their studies, the graduating class of 2019 wrote a letter to Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com, in an appeal to remove anti-Semitic literature from the website of the online shopping giant.
Here is their letter:
Dear Mr. Jeffrey Bezos,
In light of the recent tragedy that occurred this past Saturday in Pittsburgh, PA, we feel compelled to write this letter. Our brethren are being murdered in cold blood, simply because of their faith. As Jewish students of Beth Chana Academy High School, we feel it is necessary to take action. No longer can we stand by idly as antisemitism and hatred continue to spread.
Robert Bowers, the gunman responsible for the eleven deaths and six injuries in the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre, shouted that he wanted “all Jews to die” when he finally surrendered. He continues this antisemitic rant from his hospital bed.
This vengeful act is not the only one of its kind, even in recent years. The Anti-Defamation League logged a 57% increase in antisemitic incidents in the United States in 2017, compared to the previous year. These incidents include bomb threats, assaults, vandalism, and antisemitic posters and literature.
Works of literature like “Mein Kampf” facilitate the diffusion of antisemitic mindset and hate speech. These books of hatred are not hard to come by. “Mein Kampf” can be found on Amazon.com, along with many other antisemitic and white supremacist products. Removal of these slanderous products can hopefully debilitate the spread of Hitler’s ideology.
We are asking you, Mr. Jeffrey Bezos, to remove these hateful products from your website, specifically Hitler’s “Mein Kampf”. This is not an invasion of the right to freedom of speech, because these slanderous texts are not just opinions-it is hate speech. “Mein Kampf” and other antisemitic Nazi propaganda items must not be able to be purchased.
My family and friends are all loyal Amazon.com customers and the hateful items available for purchase on your website deeply disturb us. We hope you understand the reason for our grief and we hope to have your full support and cooperation in stopping this hate speech from spreading any further.
With sincere hopes for a positive outcome,
Adina Katz and schoolmates of Beth Chana Academy
Orange, CT, 06477
is so people won;t think the arguments in there make sense. It is a collection of incoherent ramblings and the only way for goyim to see how stupid it is is to have access to it.
Speech is speech, and in the USA it must be absolutely free. People who wish to read it have the right to do so, and a bookstore should not be engaging in censorship. #39, there are NOT “numerous pieces of hateful literature that are restricted cause of the content and location that the content is learned in”. Not numerous, and not even one. There is no such thing in the USA as a banned book. #43, Yes, Amazon should be selling whichever books publishers make available. It doesn’t promote this book, it simply sells it if the customer looks for… Read more »
Selling Mein Kempf is just like hiring Louis Farrakhan to be the next Schools Chancellor in NYC. No one is asking for a book to be criminalized, but it is Amazon’s choice to sell it. For instance, Amazon is relocating to Long Island city. Should Amazon be selling books on how to make bombs to use on airplanes and subways ? Not such a good idea. All private companies have community standards and terms and conditions. A lie repeated enough becomes a truth to some. There is a reason the Nazi party is banned in Germany. There is a reason… Read more »
Impressive that you girls wrote the letter and stood up for what is right. What an interesting idea to go on a Graduation trip to Poland and Prague, how educational. I understand that Bais Chana devotes time in 12th grade to learning about Jewish history the Holocaust and Chabad history as a prelude to this trip.
You girls are very brave for doing this! Kol Hakavod!!
mein kauf gives no statement or inkling that this what hitler did was wrong. If in a classroom and an excert or even the entirre mein kauf is taught that is fine because its being taught in contex by a teacher who is hopefully explaining the significant history. How many teachers do you know of that are ordering their books off amazon. This easy accessibly gives ANYONE access to the book and the choice to interpret it as they’d like.This book is sacred because it actually spells out hitlers anti Semitic rhetoric and plan for the jews. It should not… Read more »
There are also numerous pieces of hateful literature that are restricted cause of the content and location that the content is learned in. Classrooms are the places that this type of literature SHOULD be learned in, and its obvious that these girls did learn mein kauf before forming this letter. That is not what they are arguing for, its the LACK of sensitivity or pre-requisite in the book that warns about the antisemitic content inside, that makes this easy accessibility an issue. Congratulations girls for speaking out and not letting these issues be looked past.
Kol Hakavod
Young Jewish leaders
There are many examples of hateful literature, art and Gil’s about several minority’s. They are studied today not because we agree with them but they are used as a guide to contrast civilization me growth, it’s imperative as a society to never forget any atrocity wether it’s Hitler’s writings or literature about African Americans. To the commentators saying it should not be accessible easily- knowledge is free to all, it cannot be restricted that is what makes America great. Studying a history of hate helps us better understand the present. Yes I’m sure people who are anti Semitic will purchase… Read more »
I went to a frum day school and Mein Kampf was required reading in my Holocaust history class.
I wrote a book report on it.
It’s history and its important to learn from it. It shows how easily one mans views can galvanize an entire society, those who don’t learn their history are doomed to see it being repeated until it’s too late.
I really dont understand why everyone is making a big deal with what these girls did. The well writtin letter was asking kindly the CEO about taking down the Mein Kampf. Yes we all have opinions however, these girls have a strong feeling to their yiddishkeit and they dont want this book to be out there to the public portraying that badness of our nation.
Kol Hakavod girls!
So proud!
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!
Enjoy Poland! have us in mind!
So impressed with you guys!!! Thank you for your efforts in preventing the perpetuation of anti semitism!!! Especially coming from the recent shooting in Pittsburgh these efforts are all the more necessary!
So beautiful to see Jewish girls standing up proudly for what they believe in!!!
There’s a difference between allowing a single person free speech and allowing a KNOWN mass murdeeer writings to be so accessible to to many people.
To me it seems like these girls would agree with your statement. They do feel like the book should be accessible in museums and other public institutions where the people with the right intentions will view them, it should not however be accessible for just any white supremesest to buy from the comfort of his own home and to hang up and worship. Mein kauf contains harmful statements about Jews and although it should be historically rememebered, it is surely NOT appropriate to be sold on such a casual website such as amazon.
You might be looking at this in a negative way. These wonderful girls are going back to poland to show that the Jewish nation didn’t die out however, we have flourished! THEY ARE GOING BACK TO POLAND O PROVE TO EVERYONE THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO LET HATE NOT LET US EXPLORE WHERE ARE ANCESTORS WENT!
Amazing work, Harzlacho!
That’s part of free speech. If someone wants to buy it they probably already have their opinions about us beforehand. They should not remove it, and I’m certain they won’t.
Of course it is important to know what happened during the Holocaust, and to understand and see the historical evidence of it. I think it can achieve the same thing if it was put into a museum, where it is contained and many people can see it for themselves. However, it is not OK that anyone can just go onto Amazon and purchase Mein Kampf! Know I hope you understand the goal for our letter.
Physical bookstores have limited shelf space, so they must choose what appears there, but even they will order anything a customer wants. Virtual bookstores have no such limits, so they have no excuse for not carrying a book just because they don’t like it. It is not for them to decide what a customer should read.
Did ya know that while Amazon might profit off of Mein Kamf in an innocent way, these girls are supporting anti-Semites in Poland and Europe who hate their guts and would do anything to torture these girls solely because they are Jewish. You are supporting them financially by giving them your money.
Germany is not a free country, and we don’t want to emulate it.
Freedom of speech includes ALL opinions, including speech calling for violence. Incitement *is* an exception, but Mein Kampf is definitely not incitement. In its entire history nobody has ever read it and been whipped up into such a frenzy that he *immediately* went out and commited crimes against Jews without first thinking about it and making his own decision. Certainly it is not objectively likely to have that effect on any given reader, nor is it the publisher’s intention that it have such an effect. That is the definition of incitement, and without all of these elements the book is… Read more »
Just donated to their GoFundme page, I advise everyone to do the same!
Great work girls, Hatzlacha!
WE LOVE YOU GUYS!! GOOD LUCKK!!! y love bca alumni
Did you know that such books are illegal to be sold in Germany!
Wow!!!! I am blown away!! You girls give me hope for the next generation!!!
Wow! This is such an amazing thing that you girls are doing keep up the good work
To number 2: there is a difference in having these things available for study, and letting anybody access them. I think the girls point was that this should not be something that just anybody has the ability to access
It is so wonderful to see a generation of future leaders concerned about real issues. I am however of the opinion that Hashem created a world in which good and bad exists and we have the choice which direction to take. It is therefore important for the world to see absolute evil as described in that book for an understanding of what such ideals enabled
Mein Kampf is in fact a call to violence it’s just a little more elaborated. It’s historical value is very questionable at best #1 & # 2. Yasher Choach young ladies for your efforts.
Mein Kampf should not be removed for its historical value.
what an meaningfull idea
Knowing these girls they are amazing students and intellectual thinkers. Reading their opinion is extremely impressive. The fact that they had the courage to speak their opinions is alone a act of bravery. I think they mean well and are solely expressing their feelings. Keep it up girls!! Hope you reach your goal and get to Poland!!
In this case Mein Kampf is certainently considered violent speech.
Its different if its in a museum versus on Amazon where it is highly accessible.
I think what they mean is that Mein Kampf should not be available for any person to purchase via Amazon Prime. The kinds of people reading Mein Kampf are not people who are searching to learn about the Holocaust. Mein Kampf is not a history textbook. Yes, it includes the details of what was happening in the world at the time but from the perspective of Hitler. Additionally, why are Nazi propaganda items available? I agree that they should be viewed in museums or educational settings, but what teacher is hanging up racist antisemitic posters in their classroom of Jews… Read more »
To me it seems like these girls agree with your statement. They feel as if this kind of book SHOULD be accessible in museums and other public institutions where the people with the right intentions are going to view them. It should not however be accessible for just any random thirteen year old pro-nazi to be able to buy from the comfort of his own home, so that he can read about hitlers violent statements against Jews.
Hatzlacha
I think what the girls were saying is that they don’t want a 13 year old to get a hold of it when it’s so cheap and accessible and get hitlers views inside their head. It should be accessible in a museum or some other place where it’s not so accessible.
GO BREINDEL AND MIRIAMMMMM
But in the US there is no legal term “hate speech”. Freedom of speech also applies to hateful speech. The only exception to free speech is speech that calls to violence.
Hatzlacha
I dont clearly understand why it is a problem if mein kamf is sold. I think it is important to see the historical evidence and thoughts of evil.
Look in holocaust museums, they display the most anti semitic posters and statements in order to educate the viewers on the source and thought process of antisemitism – so we can learn and prevent history from happening again.
Can someone please explain this to me. I will look back bl’n at the comments as i am actually interested in hearing the views of others. Thanks
Mein Kampf is an important worth of historical value. People should have access to it and know how it ended for the writer.