THE VIDEO (Eyes From the Ashes)Order directly from:
Ann Weiss
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Featuring treasured personal photos brought to Auschwitz-Birkenau by Jews deported there, this video focuses on pre-war images of Jewish life and culture. A single violin strain of music contemporaneous with the photographs, is performed by Arkady Starikovsky, newly arrived from Kiev’s Symphony Orchestra, accompanies the simple text. The photos in this video montage show, compellingly and simply, who and what was lost.
Widely acclaimed, Eyes from the Ashes video has been screened to diverse audiences worldwide, including civic and religious groups, academic conferences, city-wide commemorations and students of all ages, including university, high school, junior high and even upper elementary school. It has been screened in Great Britain, France, former Yugoslavia, former Soviet Union, Israel, Canada and many cities in the United States. Excerpts of the film have appeared on television stations in the US and Israel.
Educators have been using the video, since the first version was appeared in 1989. Because of persistent requests, a children’s versions of the book, and related material are now in development.
Selected comments from those who have used the video:
Eyes from the Ashes is part of every Summer Institute taught to teachers at Yad Vashem.
Karen Shawn, Director, Yad Vashem Summer Institute, Jerusalem
I use the photos in the film to motivate students to write. I have gotten the most extraordinary poems and other writing from my students reacting to Eyes from the Ashes.
Lowell Hamilton, Junior High School Teacher, New Jersey
I always use Weiss’ film, whenever I teach about the Holocaust. It enables my students to understand the essential core of the tragedy–that it happened to people like all of us.
Cary Evans, High School Teacher, Illinois
I’ve never seen anything quite like these pictures. Seeing people alive and happy and living normal lives is quite different than what we usually see. Especially in a place like Mississippi, where kids sometimes learn very troubling attitudes at home, I use your film to personalize the Holocaust, and try to fight the racism I see around me, even a little bit.
Kathy (last name withheld upon request), Teacher, Mississippi