A group gathered at Cranston’s William Hall Library last week in commemoration of the Holocaust, viewing excerpts from Ken Burns’ PBS Special, “The US and the Holocaust.”

While many books and films have been written and produced about the holocaust, few deal with involvement of the United States in the events leading up to the tragic event that resulted in the murder of more than six million Jews.

The PBS series dealt with the involvement or lack of involvement from elected officials and ordinary citizens in providing immigration opportunities for the Jewish citizens to escape the massive destruction of Hitler’s forces.

The evening was presented in cooperation with the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, Bristol Community College, and the Holocaust and Genocide Center at Roger Williams College, with three scholars and educators in the field leading a lively discussion following the film.

Rabbi Sarah Mack of Temple Beth El, Michael Bryant, history professor at Bryant University, and Ron Weisberger, Executive Director of the Holocaust and Genocide Center discussed America’s attitudes and actions related to immigration laws as they relate today with what is happening in our country.

The human struggle for the right to exist and the failure of many politicians to provide a life line for them has many similarities with race issues.

Dr. Weisberger said it is important to see the failures as well as the successes in these efforts.

“We need to educate our young people to become missionaries.”

The commemoration continues with the Baxt Lecture Series presentation of “Never Again? Antisemitism’s Explosive Return and My Parents’ Painful Legacy”, presented by Deborah Gastfreund Schuss, the daughter of Holocaust survivors and an award-winning journalist who has written and lectured extensively on antisemitism.

The lecture will be held on Sunday, March 5 at 10 a.m. at the Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence.