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Alan Goldberg
There are times when I look at the nightly news and wonder whether our efforts at "never again" will succeed. When that happens I remind myself of Rabbi Tarfon's teaching, "It is not your responsibility to finish the work [of perfecting the world], but you are not free to desist from it either." Our students draw their inspiration from those survivors who have transformed their lives and impacted their communities by speaking out against hatred. We never know the future impact of our actions but we know that by doing nothing we will never make a difference.
Alan Goldberg is Professor Emeritus in Syracuse University's School of Education. The former chair of Counseling and Human Services, he now directs programs in Holocaust and genocide education and the Spector/Warren Fellowship for Future Educators.