On February 23rd, 2015 the theatre in Colorado State University’s Lory Student Center was filled beyond capacity. Guests filled the seats, stood in the isles, and lined the balconies to listen to Rabbi Mangel tell his story of growing up as a Jewish boy in Auschwitz concentration camp during the 1940’s. On this night, I was the hired photographer for the Chabad Jewish Center of Northern Colorado, and I was supposed to get photos of Rabbi Nissen Mangel as he spoke and interacted with the crowd.
Before Rabbi Mangel spoke to the crowd, Rabbi Yerachmiel Gorelik, of Fort Collins, gave an introduction for Rabbi Mangel, and a brief video played that gave a little background to Auschwitz and The Holocaust. After the video the entire audience stood and welcomed Rabbi Mangel as he walked to the stage to begin speaking.
Rabbi Nissen Mangel, a Holocaust survivor, shows his tattoo
(reading right to left the number sequence b-14316) at
Colorado State University on Feb. 23, 2015.
Shortly after he started speaking, I got into my usual rhythm of taking photos. I was so busy thinking of shots, getting angles, and looking for expressions by the crowd that I could not focus on what he was saying. At a point relatively early in the rabbi’s speech, he rolled up his sleeve and presented a tattoo to the audience, which got my full attention. What was shown was the sequence b-14316 when read right to left. At this point in his life, members of the SS tried to strip him of his humanity and designate him as nothing more than a number. When I took a burst of photos as the Rabbi showed his tattoo, I could hear gasps from nearby audience members. As he turned an presented the tattoos right in front of me, I could feel my skin crawl as I tried to read the numbers through my lens. Rabbi Mangel went on to describe numerous other atrocities he witnessed at the death camp such as the gas chambers, executions, and watching an infant being tied to and dismembered by vehicles. However, it was the moment he revealed his tattoo that left the biggest impression on me.
Rabbi Nissen Mangel, a Holocaust survivor,
receives a standing ovation after he concludes his talk
at Colorado State University on Feb. 23, 2015.
As I edited the photos from the event, I thought about why the tattoo left such an impression on me. For one, I read books and received formal education on topics such as the conquest of Native Americans, torture from the Crusades, the regimes of brutal kings and dictators, and other dark periods of human history, but Rabbi Mange’ls comments seemed to strike a nerve deeper than almost any other lesson I have had previously. I even grew up taking classes, studying, and listening to family and community members about slavery in the United States and the civil rights movement, which gave me a sense of empathy for the hardships and struggles faced by some of my ancestors. However, Rabbi’s Mangel’s talk seemed to make just as much of an impact on me. What I guess was so gripping about his talk was not just the extent of the atrocities, but listening to the first-hand account and and seeing the physical evidence is what really sunk in on me. Perhaps, it could be a sense of shock which made his speech so captivating. Or, it could of been the combination of seeing and hearing Rabbi Mangel, instead of reading a book or watching a documentary. Regardless, I won’t necessarily forget it anytime soon.
In addition to the bone-chilling stories, Rabbi Mangel mentioned how he has managed to keep his faith and why he wears the tattoo as a “badge of honor”. I for one am pretty sure that I would not manage to keep my faith after viewing mass murder and literally having my life be subjected to the whim of Dr. Josef Mengele, also know as The Angel of Death. I believe I would find myself asking the question “Where was God in the midst of all of this?”. Yet, Rabbi Mangel stated ” I never gave up hope and trusted God” and he eventually developed into a leader within the Jewish community. I was left feeling impressed by his story, and inspired by his resilience and faith.
[metaslider id=100067]
You might also like
