Thank you notes from students; examples of student essays following power-point classes.
Examples of student essays & thank you notes after Segan guest presented slide classes at schools (public-state, & Sunday/Hebrew schools)
Student essay by Laura J.
April 17, 1998, eighth grade English class of Mr. Doug Kelly, Teacher at Sheldon Swope and Winston Churchill High Schools, Eugene, Oregon
Laura’s class saw a slide class on Bernbaum & Segan’s art.
“I can’t say that I enjoyed watching the slides that Mr. Segan showed in class on Friday. But, I think that it was a good learning experience (at least for me) about things that went on, other than the concentration camps, in WWII. For instance, I didn’t even know about the ghetto’s, much less about the Uprising that Israel Bernbaum depicted in the artwork shown to us.
His painting memorializing the destruction of the Warsaw Ghetto, a tiny place where thousands of Jews tried to lives despite the war, was really mesmerizing. Although I thought that the style was a little messy, all the symbolism made up for it. I liked how he showed that inside the ghetto there were major destruction, while outside life went on as normal.
I especially liked the symbolism in though the temple was destroyed, the 2 giant menorahs – a symbol of hope and light – stayed intact (referring to Bernbaum’s painting THE WARSAW GHETTO STREETS).
In another of his ghetto Uprising paintings, the depiction of the faces of the Nazi’s, the 3 leaders of the free world hovering over and doing nothing, and the people in the burning building, calling out to God, really got to me (Bernbaum’s ON BOTH SIDES OF THE GHETTO WALL). Also, the carnival in the background showed just how ignorant and uncaring the rest of the world was to a people who were only being treated so horribly because the rest of the world wants a scapegoat and believed propaganda.
Student essay by Yoonie P.
April 17, 1998, eighth grade English class of Mr. Doug Kelly, Teacher at Sheldon Swope and Winston Churchill High Schools, Eugene, Oregon
Yoonie’s class saw a slide class on Bernbaum & Segan’s art.
“The emotion the painter felt while painting the Holocaust paintings was clearly felt. Tha anger surged forth through the painting to me, the pain, the hate. For me, the paintings were really hard to understand. It seemed like so many things were running in his mind and he put all of them on one sheet of paper. This is unbelievable! These paintings at first seemed little kid-like. To me, they seemed simple. I think I was just used to the western-realistic art point of view. As I focused in, I noticed the immense detail!! (*Bernbaum’s paintings).
Your eye can’t focus on one thing because so much is happening. Israel’s paintings definitely would be paintings that you would look at for hours, yet still notice NEW things. I think this is what he intentioned for. He wanted us to sit and realize the horrors. He wanted us to remember, to remember it all.
I think the 3 pairs of hands with “Remember” on the wall, left me stunned the most. It was a simple picture, but it spoke volumes. He wants us to remember the tragedy. To not forget the millions.
The hands that he painted seemed to reflect the pain. They were weak and withering away. The blood stains. Was he trying to stain the image into our minds? The Holocaust was awful. No human being should have faced the torture that the Jews had. Their being shot was just one example of the inhuman treatment that the Germans bestowed upon them. His other paintings the “Ghettos of Warsaw” were almost too much. It was hard to look at. I didn’t know what I was trying to focus on. He liked to show the 2 sides – the Jews and the Germans – a lot (referring to Bernbaum’s painting ON BOTH SIDES OF THE GHETTO WALL)
Yet, he never left at the wall, the wall that separated the 2 races. Everywhere were sad and solemn looking Jews. Their empty eyes really bore into mine. In little areas of the paintings, there were scenes of the Jews that were basically slaves and the horrendous treatment the Germans did. The saddest part were the little kids. It was like their bodies were kids, but their faces (the expression) seemed to be much more mature. Overall, the Jews did not look happy.
I don’t understand why the Germans (more of the soldiers) tried to kill the Jews. We are all of flesh and blood. No reason was there to systematically kill them. Just the thought of the German’s sick, cruel behavior angers me as it did to Israel. Not only does it anger me, but also saddens me to realize all the Jews went through. The paintings brought all these emotions as the painter intended. And yes, we will always remember, never will we forget the horrors that took place. With painters such as Israel, the memories will live on.
Student essay by Caitlin C.
April 17, 1998, eighth grade English class of Mr. Doug Kelly, Teacher at Sheldon Swope and Winston Churchill High Schools, Eugene, Oregon.
Caitlin’s class saw a slide class on Bernbaum & Segan’s art.
“I liked both of the artists that were introduced to us on Friday. They were both unique and pretty in their own ways.
I think I liked the artist that he showed us first the best (Bernbaum). I liked how the drawing were so colorful and vibrant. They weren’t just pictures. All the drawing meant something. His picture were also from eyewitness accounts. They were more shaking and bright. The brightness almost made it creepy, because everything looked so happy and colorful , then you saw the pictures and you realized what it actually was.
The artist who was speaking also did very nice art work. I liked how he added wings to everyone. In one way it is sort of a trademark, and in another it makes the horrible thing that happened seem a little better. It doesn’t make it better but it takes your mind off the bad parts. I sort of didn’t like how there was no color in it, but I shouldn’t complain, because I could never draw anything like or even close to that.
My favorite artist of the two was the guy who used color (Bernbaum). My favorite part was how there was so many things, symbolizing so many different things.
Text of Letter from Sam G.
7th grade, Temple Judea Hebrew School, West Palm Beach, Florida, March 1999:
“I want to thank you for sharing your slides about the Holocaust with my class. I learned many things about the Holocaust from Mr. Bernbaum’s and your paintings. Your slides made quite an impression on me. The Angels, I think, represented that even ordinary people can be righteous, and you expressed that so beautifully. I’m glad you were able to share your talent, as well as Mr. Bernbaum’s talent. Thank you for enriching our lives.”
Text of letter from Julie S.
8th grade student, West Junior High, Columbia, Missouri, May 1997:
“I liked the presentation that you showed us. I believe it brought highly good information from the past and the happy, sad, and all of the feelings one person, too, could experience. I’m glad you showed us the drawings and the photographs from how human error really was, and will remain til the end of time, for ever in our hearts.”
Student essay by Neya R.
April 17, 1998, eighth grade English class of Mr. Doug Kelly, teacher at Sheldon Swope & Winston Churchill High Schools, Eugene, Oregon.
Neya’s class saw a slide class on Bernbaum & Segan art.
Reaction: Speaker Akiva Segan. I had no idea that the Holocaust was so horrible. The pictures showed real children and men and women in their dregs just made me tingle.
The one slide with all the distorted things and street names (Bernbaum’s painting “THE WARSAW GHETTO STREETS) really made me think. Each street name plate was a street that people got evacuated from, that is a lot of people.
The slide that showed each side of the wall (Bernbaum’s ON BOTH SIDES OF THE GHETTO WALL) made me mad! How can people just ignore the fact that their fellow neighbors are being brutally killed and slaughtered like meat just to go to waste. And to have the people outside the wall laughing and going on with daily life, and to have a carnival makes me sick!
But at least some people cared and turned their backs on the fun! I don’t see how the soldiers could even do that, they are human. I think they ware pachines covered with flesh and programmed to kill and to not have feelings or sympathy.
I think that the wings in the pictures (Segan’s UNDER THE WINGS OF G-D) resembled that they were all angels and their going to take off on their flight to a better place. It’s like a ticket to passage and there are going to be freed from hate and pain.
The wings on the trolley (Segan’s MURANOW STREET TROLLEY drawing) was the ride to freedom and escaping ohe terror of the camps and it’s a ride to where they can be who they are and not get punished and slaughtered for their religion.”
A thank you note from Tracy F.
5th grade student at Lee Elementary School, Columbia, Missouri, May 1996.
Tracy’s class attended a class on Bernbaum & Segan art. After the slide class with Q&A, each student drew from an actual duck wing loaned by the Missouri State Dept. of Conservation.
“I think your speech was really good and had a very good purpose which was to make people realize that it doesn’t matter what you like or what you believe. I think you do a good job and I hope it will make people realize so something like this will never happen again.”
Thank you note from 7th grade student Kelly N.
Temple Judea, West Palm Beach, Florida, March 14, 1999. The 7th grade Sunday school class attended a class on Bernbaum’s and Segan’s art.
“Dear Akiva Segan,
Thank you for coming to the Temple and showing us the slides.
Some of the slides showed so much detail. It kind of felt like you were really there. This was very educational even though Art! Thanks again!!”
Sincerely, Kelly N
“Living, Death, Dying” class thank you notes
Transcribed text of the hand-written notes on a thank you card from the students of Sociology Dept. instructor Cynthia Chan Imanaka’s “Living, Death, Dying” class, Seattle Central Community College, spring 1998.
The class visited the SCC Gallery exhibit where they asked questions of the artist; later they saw a slide class presentation of Israel Bernbaum art from “My Brother’s Keeper.”
Thanks for sharing your wonderful artworks of the Holocaust, “Cab”
Akiva, thanks for sharing, “z”
Akiva, thank you for sharing your art with us, and taking time to talk with us. – Bill
Thank you for your time & talent – Heather
Thank you, Akiva, for giving our class such a promising experience. I really benefited from viewing your creations -Shira Z.
Akiva, Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful work, and deepest feelings - Rich
Thanks, for giving me a chance to see something I have never seen before, Sky
Akiva, thank you for sharing your beautiful drawings and slides on the Holocaust…Michelle
Thank you for your thought provoking insights, Kelly
Very moving work. Thank you for sharing. Frank
Akiva, thank you for sharing your haunting, but moving drawings with the class, Cynthia Chan Imanke (instructor)
Thank you for coming and sharing – Sandy
Thanks for your informative talk. Lee
Thank you for your words – Liz S.
Thanks for coming and showing us those wonderful paintings, Ted C.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom with the class, SM V
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your world with us, D -
Thank you Akiva for sharing your insight into art and the Holocaust. Take care of yourself. Leon
Thank you for sharing your powerful artwork with our class. M.
Thank you for showing your artworks. They touched my heart. Shikoko.
Thanks so much for creative sharing – Bli