The Jewish Innovation
Throughout his life, my grandfather, Aron had always told me stories of his experiences during the Holocaust in Odessa, Ukraine of the former Soviet Union. His memory was very vivid, down to the dates and locations. Although these recollections were horrific, he always felt it was important for people to know what he and many others had gone through. Using a visual medium with historical facts and scenery and working with professional artists, I am producing an illustrated graphic novel depicting his life during World War II and the Holocaust. This will be a valuable resource to educate, provide a visualization of life in Odessa in the 30’s and 40’s, and detail the atrocities that very few had survived. This book will have realistic artwork, captivating text, and historical accuracy with the intent to share the stories that should never be forgotten.
This project is part of the COJECO BluePrint Fellowship generously funded by the UJA-Federation of New York and Genesis Philanthropy Group.
The Impact
There is no denial to how cruel humanity can get if they are not educated and taught empathy towards one another. One of the goals of the project is to share Aron’s story with others using a visual medium such as the graphic novel. The book will depict how Russian-Jews lived prior to the Holocaust in Odessa, Ukraine, the tragedies they lived through, and how some had survived. During that time, most Soviet Jews were not observant of religious rituals and did not dress any differently than their non-Jewish peers, yet they were humiliated, killed, and blamed for various world events. We must continue to educate our younger generations about this history to prevent such atrocities from happening again.
What Will You Do with the Money?
The money raised from this campaign will go towards professional artists who will create the depictions of Aron’s memories (based on his interviews and my compiled notes), first run high-quality printing of the illustrated graphic novel, along with printed thank you cards containing sample artwork from the book. At the completion of the project, a multimedia event in NYC will be held to promote the launch of the book with a presentation by the author and producer, Alex Teplish. Any remaining funds will go towards the promotion of the book, including a website and press to help spread Aron’s story, Holocaust awareness, and empathy towards all people.
