SelenaStewart

UWRT1102

ProfessorWertzOrbaugh
22January2015
ResearchResponse
ThetestimonyofaJewishsurvivorsandtheirexperiencewillallbedifferent.Yettheyall
haveafewthingsincommon.Lost,horror,grief.Theywillalwaysrememberwhathappened
nomatterhowmuchtheywishtoforget,andthatistrulysaddening.Butthroughthetragedy
theylived.Theyaresurvivors.Thewordsurvivoralonehassomuchpowerandstrengthwhen
read,andevenmorespokenaloud.
ThereismorethanadmirationthatIhaveforthepeoplethatareabletosharetheirstory
onhowtheysurvived.Noonecanimaginewhattheywentthrough.TheJewishsurvivorReva
Kibortsstorytrulypainedme,butinspiredmeatthesametime.Eventhoughthevideowaslong
Ionlytookonebreakthroughoutthewholeinterview.Asshespoketotheinterviewerabouther
childhoodandearlyadultyearsthatweretakenawayfromherIdidntwanttostoplisteningto
herstory.
Therearetwothingsthatstuckouttomeandwerethemostmemorabletomewhile
viewingthevideo.First,thetwosongsthatRevaKibortsanginthevideo.Thefirstsongactually
mademecryalittle.ThereasonIcriedwasthefactthateventhoughthesongwasinadifferent
languageitwassobeautifulandsorrowful.Ifeltandheardthepaininherheartasshesangthe
song.RevaKibortdescribedthesongasastoryofalittlegirlthathaslosteverythingandasking
Godabouthersufferingsandwhyshemustgothroughthispain.

Thesecondthingthatstuckouttomewerethephotographsoffamilymembersinthe
finalpartofthevideo.Thevideoshowsthreephotographs:oneofRevaKibortsfamilyin
America,twowomenthatwillalwaysbeveryimportanttoKibort,andapictureofherlate
father.Thephotographofherfamilyisapicturethathasherhusband,herchildrenand
grandchildren,andotherrelatives.Thismeansthateventhroughallthatheartacheshewasstill
abletofindhappiness.Theothertwophotographsofherfatherandthetwowomenalsoshow
unfortunatelythepainthatwillalwayslinger.
IwasverysurprisedatKibortsstorybecauseofwhatshewentthroughatsuchayoung
ageandhowshestillkeptherfaith.RevaKirbortlostmostofherfamilyrightinfrontofher
eyesandwasunabletodoanything.Thefactthatshelivedundersuchharshconditions,makes
meadmirehersomuch.WhenfinallyescapingtheconcentrationcampwithhersisterKibort
facedmoreandmoredanger.Throughoutallthechaosshewasabletomakeittoherdestination
withhersister.
TobehonestIneverreallylikedhistorybecauseofallthefactsanddatesthatwehadto
learn.ButbyjusthearingherstoryItrulywanttolearnasmuchasIcanofwhathappened
before,duringtheHolocaustandevenafterit.Iwasunawareofmanyeventsthattookplacein
theHolocaust.IthoughtthatalltheJewswerecapturedandsoonallweresenttoconcentration
campswhereinhumaneeventtakeplace.ButbylisteningtoKirbortsstoryIseenowthatmy
thinkingoftheHolocaustisnotthatcorrect,andmyknowledgetobeverylittleofthesubject.
InconclusionIbelievethatRevaKirbortsstoryhasintriguedmeinmorewaysthanone
togainmoreknowledgeabouttheHolocaust.Herstorytookusonajourneythatyouwouldnot
wanttobelievewastrue.Yetthestoryistrue.Kirbortisnottheonlyonewithasurvivor

testimony.Therearethousandsofstoriesthatwillbetoldofthehorrideventsthatthey
experienced,andtheworldmustknow.