tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87009880562990749442024-02-19T09:44:12.090-05:00Ann Arnold - Author, Businesswoman, and MomFrom sound practical advice, to the things I have learned along my journey of writing publishing my family's legacy - I welcome you to join me on my journey.Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-74580879684504016862021-03-30T11:35:00.007-04:002021-03-30T11:39:43.718-04:00<p> This is a blog I had written that was published by a client of mine, but I feel the message is worth repeating here. </p><p class="paragraph-spacing-none" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Raleway; font-size: large;"><b><u>Step Out of Your Lane</u></b></span></p><p class="paragraph-spacing-none" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="paragraph-spacing-none" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 11.5pt;">What a year it has
been. We have all dealt with the reality of COVID-19 and the ensuing
disruption because of the pandemic. The need to reinvent ourselves, to
look outside ourselves and think differently is a necessity. Let me
share a personal journey of how the concept of “stepping outside your lane to
see how you fit in the world around you” has affected my family. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="paragraph-spacing-none" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span></p><p class="paragraph-spacing-none" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 11.5pt;">In May 2020 my younger
daughter was diagnosed with EDS (Ehers Danlos Syndrome), a connective tissue
disorder. Since she was very young, she was plagued with many different
medical issues. From major sinus problems and multiple yearly sinus
infections (two sinus surgeries by the time she was 12), to back issues
(diagnosed with Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis and just had a spinal
fusion in June) to Jaw issues (surgery when she was 16). This does not take
into account the depression and anxiety that accompanied this, or the constant
fatigue she suffered, or the numerous trips to the orthopedic with sprains and
injuries (I actually had forgotten all about those since they seemed so minor
in comparison!). I kept pushing doctors about all these seemingly
unrelated issues, I kept asking and pressing, that there MUST BE a connection,
a reason, not that she is “just unlucky” or “clumsy” or “just has a ton of
allergies” (which we now found out she didn’t!). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="paragraph-spacing-none" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span></p><p class="paragraph-spacing-none" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 11.5pt;">Time and time again
each doctor stayed in their own lane. They only concentrated on the issue
they were specializing in. They did not see the need, or even think to look at
her holistically, even with me constantly asking them to. Many were very
experienced doctors, experts in some cases. But to go outside their lane, their
specialty, is just not the way medicine works. We see a neurologist for
the tingling in our feet, we see an ENT for our sinus, we see an orthopedic for
our back, and each are great at what they do. But then what? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="paragraph-spacing-none" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span></p><p class="paragraph-spacing-none" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 11.5pt;">Well we kept
pushing, and we finally found an allergist/immunologist that thankfully does
not stay in her lane. She was able to diagnose my daughter in less than 5
minutes on a Telemed call! Why? Because she made it a practice to look
beyond her lane. Prior to the appointment, she had us submit ALL my
daughter’s medical records, even those that had nothing to do with her
sinus/allergy issues. I can’t begin to tell you how overwhelming it is to
finally have someone tell us “you are not crazy”. She looked at all the DATA
and was able to see the picture much clearer, and now she is helping us develop
a team of doctors and experts to help my daughter move forward. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="paragraph-spacing-none" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span></p><p class="paragraph-spacing-none" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 11.5pt;">This experience
really got me thinking. I have been in the jewelry business pretty much my
whole life. I thought I knew a lot about it until I sold my company almost
10 years ago and realized I knew a lot about the bridal manufacturing business,
but the jewelry industry as a whole is something I keep learning about. I
found that once I got out of my lane of what I knew, I realized there was so
much more to learn. What about you? Do you ever find yourself saying
“I know my business, I have been doing this for years!” What would happen
if you stepped out of your lane and looked at your business, or better yet, the
jewelry industry as a whole? You may go beyond questions like, “How does aged inventory
affect my cash flow?” or “What do my numbers mean?” To asking bigger industry
questions like, “How will the supply chain disruption happening right now
affect my business going forward? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="paragraph-spacing-none" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span></p><p class="paragraph-spacing-none" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 11.5pt;">So where does that
leave us now? Let me bring this back to data. Data is a powerful
tool. It tells a story, just like my daughter’s data did, we just needed to
find someone that was able to interpret it correctly. Have you assembled a
team around you to help you interpret your data? Do you have capable people in
your organization that know not only how to read the data, but how to act on
it? Do you have outside supporters that can help you see how your own
story fits into the bigger picture? Whether it is your Balance to Buy
consultant, your accountant or even your financial advisor, they can help you
interpret data to help you make better decisions for tomorrow. The real
question is, “Are you collaborating with suppliers that are willing to use the
data you have to strengthen your partnership?” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="paragraph-spacing-none" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span></p><p class="paragraph-spacing-none" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 11.5pt;">Don’t be afraid to step out of your lane, embrace the knowledge you can
gain and the benefits that will come from taking action on that
knowledge! </span></p>Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-40419586254259119772019-05-09T17:36:00.002-04:002019-05-09T17:36:21.991-04:00Mom's and what they teach us...This past week I had the unbelievable pleasure of spending two days with my dad at the Teen Symposium on Holocaust Education in Scranton. Over 1500 students attended the event. They heard from both liberators and survivors and learned about this horrific time.<br />
<br />
The first morning we were eating breakfast and my dad got his favorite - sunny side up eggs. He always eats them the same, he eats all the egg white first, leaving a perfect circle of the yolk, and then eats the yolk all at once. It is so cute watching him eat his eggs! <br />
<br />
So there we are, sitting in the booth at 6:30am eating breakfast, and he giggles at me as he eats his eggs, saying "This totally reminds me of the time I stole that egg." So I give him puzzled look and say, "You mean when you got the boiled egg on the side of the street, right?' (for those that have read the book you may remember this scene). He looks at me and immediately corrects me "No! When I stole the egg?" So now I am completely confused. I thought I knew all the stories there are to know, but clearly my dad has just had a recollection of something that he has never shared. I insist that I have never heard this story and implore him to expand and share more. <br />
<br />
"One day we were hiding in the attic of a barn" he begins. I lean in, so excited to be hearing something new. "I was just SO hungry. It was nighttime, Zosia and Baba (that is Mamusia to those that read the book - my grandma) were sleeping. I quietly crept down the ladder to the barn and started to look around for something to eat. I quickly noticed an egg on the ground near the chickens. I didn't think, I didn't hesitate, my hunger was guiding me to that egg. I quickly picked it up, made a hole in one end and drank the delicious liquid inside. After indulging, I ground up the shell and hid it in the dirt. I then quietly snuck back up the ladder and went to sleep. The next morning, the owner of the farm came into the barn. We heard him walking below us and getting very frustrated. He started to curse and get angrier and angrier each minute. Finally, we heard him coming up the ladder. He looked at my Mamusia and said ' You stole the egg!' Of course she had no idea what he was talking about. ' What egg?' she replied. 'I would never steal from you! I would ask you before taking anything. I swear I did not take anything!'"<br />
<br />
At this point I interrupt my dad and ask "Oh my G-D! Were you scared they would figure it out? What did you do?"<br />
<br />
A sneaky smile forms on his face as he recalls what happened next. <br />
<br />
He continued, "Well, my mom looked at me from the corner of her eye. I was sitting VERY quietly in the corner, and with one look she knew. Once the owner left, she immediately turned to me and said 'Manek- did you take the egg?' . 'No!' I replied, 'She continued to look at me and very sternly once again said ' Manek! did you take the egg, tell me the truth' I caved. 'Mamusia, I was so very hungry, I am so sorry!' She started to yell at me! 'Manek - do you know what you have done? We could get kicked out of here! They are helping us and you steal from them?' I just started to cry and apologize. <br />
<br />
Soon after the owner returned, and my mother went down the ladder and asked to speak to him. She confessed my sins, told the owner that she figured out it was her son that took the egg. 'I am so, so very sorry. I understand if you would like us to leave. He was just a hungry child. I have no way of repaying you. We are so very sorry.'' Well that owner was kind. He understood and forgave my father.<br />
<br />
What amazes me the most of this story is the character of my grandmother. Even in this horrible situation, she kept her integrity. She didn't have to tell the owner the truth. He would never have figured it out. But even when all humanity was being stripped from them, she held onto who she was. She taught my father to be honest, to own up to your mistakes. <br />
<br />
To all the mom's out there - the way your children perceive you and your action shape the type of people they become. I have always known what a good man my father is, he taught my sister and I the importance of family, the importance of truth and the fact that all we have is our word and reputation. I now know he learned this lesson at a very young age.Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-21431943058174105542018-10-29T10:32:00.000-04:002018-10-29T10:32:07.903-04:00Now What?How to start? I just broke down. I was overcome with this overwhelming feeling of helplessness and despair. What can I do? I am just one person and the world feels as if it is crumbling around me. How did they survive? This was just one incident, 11 beautiful souls were lost to us. How did they cope with hundreds of their neighbors being lost?<br />
<br />
The actions this past weekend in Pittsburgh were horrific, that goes without saying. But Now What? This news cycle will pass, people will go back to their lives, every so often someone will bring up the topic, but in general - Now What? What can we do differently? How do we affect change?<br />
<br />
Anti-Semitism exists, it always has, just look at history. Hatred exists. Look at the world today. This weekend this hatred manifested in anti-Semitism. Next week it may be against black people, or gay people, or Muslims. How do we combat hate? I live in a nice area, well educated people surround me, and yet my own children have faced this discrimination. My daughter had pennies thrown at her, and most recently a young man told her "if Hitler was still around we would live in a Utopia". Yep - that happened here. Now what? She wants to do something, make a change, educate her peers. I give her a lot of credit. She recognized that it most likely was not a statement coming from a place of knowledge, but rather a statement coming from a place of ignorance. Children hearing things, whether at home, or from their peers, and not truly understanding the meaning behind those words.<br />
<br />
So Now What you say? You have heard this before - we must start with our children. Not every home will be loving, not every home will embrace the ideals of love, respect and tolerance, so it is up to our school systems to embrace the change. Teach our children the true meaning of respect and tolerance. Use the lessons of the past to shape the future. Do not just teach history, truly learn from it, apply it to today and create actionable results. Get our youth to understand the differences between us all and appreciate those differences for what they are - the beautiful tapestry that makes this country as great as it is.<br />
<br />
<br />Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-34812896988745037212018-02-08T16:31:00.000-05:002018-02-08T16:31:41.215-05:00Challenge for the Polish Government... Don't rewrite historyThis week Poland passed a controversial Holocaust bill into law. In essence, this new law makes saying some holocaust statements a crime and it makes it illegal to accuse the nation of complicity in crimes committed by Nazi Germany. For instance, you no longer can say "Polish death camps" in relation to Aushwitz and other such camps located in Nazi-occupied Poland.<br />
<br />
It is a true that making the statement "Polish death camps" is misleading. Make no mistake about it, Nazi's are the ones that built those camps. We need to educate people and work towards countering misleading speech. However, it is also a fact that there were certain Polish groups and individuals that collaborated and worked with the Nazi occupiers. To try to rewrite history is very dangerous and destructive.<br />
<br />
As many of you know, my family was saved by good non Jewish Polish families. Many Polish people were murdered, both Jewish and Non Jewish. However, it is also true that there were many that worked closely with the Germans and collaborated, whatever their reasons. Some would say they were just trying to survive - to protect their families. And although, that may be true to an extent, the reality is that this period of history allowed many anti-Semitic personal beliefs rise to the surface and gave them a mechanism to act on them. <br />
<br />
Many times, when my dad and I speak, there are many people that can not believe that the area he was from was so accepting of Jews. There really was not much, if any, anti-Semitism. But this was not true throughout the country. My mother, who lived in Poland for 5 years as a teenager after the war, remembers the derogatory comments her classmates made to her and how she was bullied for being Jewish. <br />
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The definition of the term "history" is "the study of past events, particularly in human affairs". By Poland making it illegal to discuss events as they occurred, they are in essence trying to change history and rewrite it in a way that makes them feel good and comfortable.<br />
<br />
I have a question and challenge for the Polish government.<br />
<br />
Instead of running from the past and trying to rewrite it, how about trying to learn from it and figure out how to teach the new generation the lessons that can be learned. Embracing and accepting the past can be liberating. Saying - "Yes there were those that collaborated, but yet at the same time, we must remember that many Polish people perished, many were good and tried to do the right thing. Let's remember those people and celebrate their lives and the lives lost."<br />
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And for those that turned down the dark path - let's remember that there is always darkness in war, there are always those that will use any excuse to allow their hatred, bigotry and intolerance to come to the surface and prevail - but look at how the world came together to fight against that. Poland is a beautiful country, with strong wonderful and kind people. Please don't continue going down a path that will lead the world to only remember Poland and it's people as an intolerant and anti-Semitic country that is not willing to accept and remember history as it occurred!<br />
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<br />Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-81739288016925756212018-01-24T08:52:00.000-05:002018-01-25T07:20:09.501-05:00It's OK to have Dust in the Corner: A tribute to my Grandma Vera<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQCLW0yNiQY2iYpH5uxYjFLwf5CjSEcSvKiduLdtIDs2vhqZHDFLf1_ZOZLAH8ZO0JLcWxQwI49bWwxQyOnFIcTwhIKckY035Z9H1Zgj_hZaoSeSsSbMQXxJa0-hP7V_zXi_do2qGikJV/s1600/baba+vera.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="746" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQCLW0yNiQY2iYpH5uxYjFLwf5CjSEcSvKiduLdtIDs2vhqZHDFLf1_ZOZLAH8ZO0JLcWxQwI49bWwxQyOnFIcTwhIKckY035Z9H1Zgj_hZaoSeSsSbMQXxJa0-hP7V_zXi_do2qGikJV/s320/baba+vera.JPG" width="291" /></a></div>
For those that know me well, this quote is one that I have lived by for almost two decades.<br />
<br />
Let me explain. Many years ago I attended a Women's Jewelry Association Conference called Women in The Know. I was a young working mom with a small toddler at home. There was a panel of speakers talking about all sorts of topics. One topic was how to handle a busy work schedule and still be a mom. One woman, Randi Shinske, made the comment, "It's Ok to have dust in the corner". When I heard this it was as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I had such an AHA moment. You mean other women struggled to do it all? You mean other women sometimes felt inadequate? It was the most unbelievable feeling, to know that I was not alone, and there were other women who just couldn't make the bed everyday and live up to that perfect image of what I thought it meant to be a mom. <br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Yesterday, I left to go on a business trip to California. When I landed I found out my Grandma Vera had passed away. I hopped right back on the plane and came home. Thinking about all the great memories I have of her, and all the wonderful times we had, the one thing that sticks out is that throughout it all, she always worked. She was the one who saved every penny and invested it, allowing her and my grandfather to have a little kitty when they retired and enjoy life. This was back in a time when most women did not work. There wasn't the support structure and acceptance of it back then as there is now. I wish I talked to her more about it, how it made her feel and how she managed it all. I can only look to her actions and use them as my examples. Ironically, I never saw dust in her corners. She seemed to do it all. But now I wonder, how did she make it appear so easy? Who was her support structure? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
I realize being a mom is not about brining cupcakes to the class, or making sure the house is perfect. It is about so much more. It is about being there for your children. It is about being a role model for your sons and daughters. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">My grandmother was always there for us. She made it seem so easy. She was such an inspiration. She always made me feel special and important. She encouraged me to follow my dreams, and always told me that she knew I could do it.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span>As for being a working mom - sometimes it is just so hard to be present and in the moment, but that is what counts. We always made it a point to have family dinners. No - I did not cook everyday, I tried to some days, but the reality is that it did not matter who made the food, just that we ate together. No TV on in the house during dinner. Phones were put away. We talked. That was our time. Yes, it get's harder the older they get, the more activities they have, but that just meant that some nights we ate later. Did we eat together every single night? No. Between their schedules, and my busy travel schedule, that would have been impossible. But we really tried to as much and as often as we could.<br />
<br />
I was listening to the news today, and heard a segment about Senator Tammy Duckworth. She is the first sitting Senator that will be giving birth while in office. And New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern who is also pregnant. She made a comment "I am not the first woman to multitask". Women have been working and having families for many, many years. <br />
<br />
Today I think we have come a long way. Women supporting women is such a strong system, and allows us to thrive. I remember feeling guilty about missing things when the kids were young, and feeling inadequate sometimes, and a friend told me "Guilt is a useless emotion. A happy mommy makes happy kids, and if working makes you happy - go for it!" <br />
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So to all you working moms out there - know you are not alone - you are perfect in your own way. My grandma always told me how wonderful I was - so I am telling you too - you are amazing! Remember - It's OK to have dust in the corner!<br />
<br />
<br />Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-26354036094412971652018-01-18T14:40:00.000-05:002018-01-18T14:40:24.581-05:002017: The most amazing thing I was reminded of...
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I look back on 2017, reflecting on the year, I am amazed
at the people I have met and am excited to see what 2018 has in store. This
past year, my father and I have had a chance to speak to people of all ages.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the most profound things I learned was the
different perception children have in the world depending on where they are
growing up. I always knew this theoretically of course, but being faced with it
head on was a stark reminder of where we are in the world. This past year my father and I were speaking to 5th and 6th graders in Newark NJ. This was a group of hispanic
and African American children. They had read the book as part of their class
and were all so excited to meet my dad. When they first saw him their reaction
was amazing - it was as if Beyoncé had walked in. The morning was wonderful, with so many great questions coming from the students. However, it was what I found out right before we entered the auditorium that really struck me. We were speaking to the teacher of the class and she told us about reactions the
students had to reading the book. She told us that the <i>biggest takeaway</i> the
students had reading the book was... that they did not realize that there was
white on white violence. They just assumed if you were white you had it made.
That hit me hard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The thing is that to most people perception is reality. Having
the opportunity to teach the young that we are all really the same could be
life changing. We may all not be in the same place in our lives. Different
social and economic standings of course influence attitude and opinion. But
showing them that someone that is was once hunted, someone that experienced
discrimination to the worst degree, that experienced a hatred like no other, can actually come though the other side and
not only survive but thrive through hard work and perseverance is a lesson that
needs to be taught. We look forward to the year ahead and hopefully being able to make an impact on even more lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeracEYylgyP15XRe1CVimzy7FOdFP0VJk-US2akyKxKO129Mn4JXmcofsQYFyIHCc2jY4UHLR34-n8wH-aPysn96ssSJU4ZIP4_Wba239QgSvgXdLKa-TOYw54cAH7oJMYN1fsWlT2cKV/s1600/IMG_5904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeracEYylgyP15XRe1CVimzy7FOdFP0VJk-US2akyKxKO129Mn4JXmcofsQYFyIHCc2jY4UHLR34-n8wH-aPysn96ssSJU4ZIP4_Wba239QgSvgXdLKa-TOYw54cAH7oJMYN1fsWlT2cKV/s320/IMG_5904.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span>Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-43552268431269363192017-08-20T06:50:00.000-04:002017-08-20T06:50:23.220-04:00We must be louder!The events over the past week have not only troubled me, but the entire country. I have been wanting to sit down and write this all week, but the words would not come.<br />
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At the end of this past week I was involved in an incident that was quite unique to my life. I saw something wrong happening, and my instinct immediately was to call 911. It was not even registering at the time that I was probably inches away from loosing my own life. I was in the middle of gun fire and all I thought about were the young children I spoke to in Newark, NJ earlier in the year. They had written letters to my father and I about how they were so excited to meet him since he was a "survivor". They felt as if they were surviving each day. They were fearful that if they went to the corner store for milk, they may not come back. "People are getting shot right outside our house" one student wrote to us. OMG- this was 20 minutes away from where I grew up! This could not happen HERE! But there I was on Friday afternoon right in the middle of what these students live with each day, I could not stay silent. And even after the detective called me at 1:45am to question what I saw (apparently they were involved in an active investigation and I could have had some information that they needed) I still knew I would not have changed a thing I did. Not one other person called that day 911, and I was not the only one that witnessed it for sure!<br />
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Some of my friends and family were afraid for me to get too involved. "Stay out of it" "Mind your own business" - I couldn't, I can't. We each need to take stand against violence, against hatred, against bigotry, against racism, against anti-Semitism. For me, I hope to never have to live through something like that again. I pray that the children I have met and those that live with violence each day can somehow find the rainbow of sunshine beyond that and find hope and peace.<br />
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I have watched, I have read, I have listened to so many over the last few days. And amongst all the ugliness and hate what I have seen are people coming together in love and peace, all over. I have never believed that violence is the answer. Whenever I speak to groups of people, whether they are children or adults, I always end my speech with this message:<br />
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"There will always be hate and intolerance. The only thing we can do is to continue to speak up and make sure our voices are louder than theirs." <br />
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BE LOUD.<br />
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<br />Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-650250310716686132017-04-19T18:30:00.000-04:002017-04-19T18:30:25.197-04:00Let's not only remember, let's learn.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Over the last month, and now in the coming week, my dad and I have had the privilege and honor to speak to students from all over, including Newark, NJ; Norwood, NJ; Old Tappan, NJ; and we will be speaking in Harrison, NY tomorrow. In each case the students continue to amaze us. These students range in age from 5th graders all the way up to 11th graders. Each situation is unique. Some students have already read the book and are coming into the assembly with questions formulated and an understanding of what my dad went through. In other schools, these students had no idea what they were about to hear. They knew that they were going to hear about a Holocaust survivor, but the details were never shared. </div>
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It's amazing how different many of the questions are depending on where these kids are being raised. Yet their is a common theme to them all. When we speak to a group of students that have many immigrants in the audience, they are very interested in how my father got here, what were his experiences. If the students are being raised in an atmosphere of violence, their questions tend to turn more inward - How do you live without hate? How do you get over it? But regardless of where theses students reside, their is a common theme to their questioning - What can we do? </div>
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Think about that for a moment. No matter where we go, our youth is yearning to know if they can make a difference. Can their voice be heard? For us to be able to speak to them and explain to them that yes - they are our future. It is about them, about what they take away from this story. The story is not pleasant. It brings up a subject matter that makes many uncomfortable. It is hard to try to imagine that this man standing in front of you today was once a child that suffered so much. And to see that he went on to live a full and complete life, and yes even a happy one, is truly amazing. But it is not about just his story. That would not be enough. It is about teaching the lessons that we can learn. </div>
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I know it may sound corny, but I have to believe that he survived for a reason. Perhaps that reason is exactly what we are doing now. To take these experiences and teach the next generation about tolerance, respect, perseverance and hope. Even if we can reach just a few, it is a few more than we had yesterday. I am hopeful for us as a society. I do truly believe that deep down most people are good. If we can get those voices to rise louder and stronger than the voices of hate we have a chance, and to do this we must start with the youth.</div>
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This weekend starts the week long commemorations for Yom Hashoah -Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this remembrance day let's not only remember, let's learn.</div>
<br />Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-77606623077646498652017-03-11T17:13:00.000-05:002017-03-11T18:23:18.236-05:00Can we fight Anti-Semitism?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxsw8xhQHyMIQnFnkkBkQw8XpAa02zp5POKMLAqO0iXil_A6vFYxgN-Pi1jsbh1tsDoCfJTXj_hLBakEY-1wrxW3uFOpXVbd4TWiP-WxSEAzGe7XQZFpt7O_L7o3BK-ugnNjQKS5IRZEoT/s1600/closter+school.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxsw8xhQHyMIQnFnkkBkQw8XpAa02zp5POKMLAqO0iXil_A6vFYxgN-Pi1jsbh1tsDoCfJTXj_hLBakEY-1wrxW3uFOpXVbd4TWiP-WxSEAzGe7XQZFpt7O_L7o3BK-ugnNjQKS5IRZEoT/s320/closter+school.JPG" width="317" /></a><br />
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Last week my dad and I were having an interesting conversation. Just like many people, especially Jews, we were having a conversation about the recent reporting about the rise in anti-Semitism. My father had an analogy I would like to share:</div>
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"When you go to the doctor because you don't feel well, what do you want him to say to you? You don't want him to just say, 'You are sick, see ya later", you want him to tell you why did this happen and what can I do to fix it so that it won't happen again. Now think of anti-Semitism. If all we do is talk about what is happening today, we are not talking about the right things. We need to talk about WHY this is happening, what is causing it, WHERE DID IT COME FROM? Then we talk about how to stop it."<br />
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There are so many theories about the root of anti-Semitism. Some say it is the Christians that said that the Jews killed Christ, some may say it is because Jews are different, and yet others may say the Quran says so. The reality is that the Roman's killed Jesus, we are all different and the coverage of Jews in the Quran actually insignificant. So what is going on? The harsh reality is that this is something that has been going on for centuries. When hatred and false impressions are passed down from generation to generation, the root of them and the truth behind them are irrelevant. As long as we allow young children to continue to believe blindly what they are being told at home and what they are overhearing, anti-Semitism, and all hatred and intolerance will never go away. We need our Priests, Ministers, Rabbi's, Imam's, and all religious leaders to come together and as one force stand up to call for a stop to the spread of hatred, in a very public way. Will this happen, who knows, I would hope that it will one day.<br />
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In truth, ALL hatred and intolerance will never be 100% eradicated. So what now? Now we have to be diligent about getting to the younger generation. Teaching them in schools about different people, and how no matter how different we all are, at the end of the day we breathe and need the same oxygen to live, we bleed the same color of red, and we ALL ultimately want the same thing - for our families and loved ones to be safe and happy. <br />
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Over the past few weeks my father and I have had the privilege to meet and speak to so many young people. Their thoughtful questions, their willingness to really listen is astounding. The best part of it all is to watch how my father has really affected these students. Here are some of their words:<br />
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<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I have to treasure my family and spend quality of time with them”
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<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I have to live life to the fullest now that I have the
chance.” </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How special it is to know that my father has made this impact on these children. If we can touch and affect even just one child, I can only hope we have made a difference. We are continuing to reach out to schools, to try to get our book, Together: A Journey for Survival, into their curriculum. We are hoping that through this story we can teach the younger generation about tolerance and about the consequences of hate. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;">My hope for you all is to continue to teach the children around you the same lessons. Let's try to make this world just a little better, Together.</span></div>
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Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-89084090693713655672017-02-15T11:30:00.000-05:002017-02-15T11:30:29.918-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week we had the honor of speaking at Weequahic High School in Newark NJ. This school is special to me personally. You see my mom graduated from there. The day started off so cool. I have never seen a high school that had such an active alumni association, and an office right on premise! They actually had old high school year books and we were able to find my mom's year and pictures of her! It was so crazy!<br />
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But then I have to say, the day just got better. About 50 students attended our talk. They were respectful, engaged and really asked some great questions. They asked if my dad still harbored feelings of hate. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgoDNJfGKvM" target="_blank">(his response is here in this video)</a>. They asked him if he suffered from PTSD, what would he do if the bad guys were standing right in front of him right now, and did he loose hope. He answered all the questions as honestly as he could. He does not think hate is productive, kindness is better. He is lucky, he never had PTSD, and he never lost hope - he credited his mom for that. And if the person was right in front of him today, he would just talk to him, in a calm fashion, because anything else is just not worth it.<br />
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I spoke to their teacher after our talk. Many of these students lives are difficult. She was so happy that they had the opportunity to witness, first hand, a person that had been persecuted, discriminated against and who lived through the Holocaust and who had survived. And to see that person go on to live a full and happy life gives them hope. <br />
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The video above is some words of wisdom my dad told these kids at the end of our time together. It always amazes me how much he enjoys life and how he always has a smile on his face. I think we can all learn a little something from him.Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-11816837308867181412016-12-23T09:46:00.002-05:002016-12-23T09:46:12.790-05:00Inspiration from the most unexpected sourceWhat a year it has been! I never imagined when I embarked on this journey that it would take me down the path I have started to journey on. Writing a book has always been a dream of mine, and to say I have finally realized that dream is a little unbelievable. I have to admit. I have been hard on myself. I know that I have reached so many people, but I feel like I should have reached more by now. Silly, I know. And yes, I have been told that by many. But, like I said, I am hard on myself.<br />
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My sister told me the a few days ago that even if I just touch one person, that is a life I have affected. It really hit home the other day when I received a package in the mail of some letters. Let me back up for a moment. A couple of weeks ago, my dad and I presented at a teacher's workshop in Newark NJ. I had worked with a wonderful woman that helped write curriculum content and a lesson plan to accompany the book. We were so excited and grateful when two schools in Newark requested the book and will be using it in the New Year as part of their lesson plan!<br />
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At one of the schools, the teacher had come back to her class and told her 6th grade students about meeting my dad and I. She then read them the introduction to the book, and gave them an assignment: Write a letter explaining why you want to read the book and why it is important to you. Wow, is all I can say. These students are remarkable. My dad and I were sent copies of these letters, some of them broke our heart! These children spoke about wanting to meet my father so that they could perhaps learn some survival skills of their own. You see, they explained, they live in neighborhoods where people just shoot people, and they are always in fear for their lives. This is when you get your reality check, big time.<br />
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I really have no words for how this has made me feel. These children have inspired me. I am one of the lucky ones. I have heard horrible stories my whole life. I have learned about fear, and have heard about anti-Semitism. But the reality is that I have never really experienced true fear myself. Yes, when I was younger, I had experienced a little anti-Semitism, but nothing like what I am learning more and more about through my work with the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the anti-BDS resolutions we are trying to pass in local municipalities. Fear - of course we have all experienced fear in our lives. Fear of failure, fear of new situations, fear of roller coasters, and fear in strange places. But this fear is nothing compared to the fear day in and day out of death. I hope and pray that I, my family and you never truly experience this type of fear and emotion. I can only hope that through my book, through my talks and through my efforts, we can try to make the world a better place, a safer place, and a more tolerant place.<br />
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My wish for all of you is for happiness in the New Year. My father and grandmother have taught me to never look back, only look forward. So I choose to look forward with hope. <br />
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From my family to yours - <br />
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A happy and healthy New Year to you all!<br />
<br />Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-37343317887483624592016-11-15T06:17:00.000-05:002016-11-15T06:17:17.303-05:00It is about YOU!I just returned from London a couple of days ago. Many of my friends told us we were the smartest ones in America - leaving the night of the election and getting out of here! I did not plan it that way intentionally, it happened that my daughter had a few days off from school so we booked the trip. London was amazing, we loved everything about it and I am so happy we went. But there was a little part of me that did wish I was back home with everything going on. <br />
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Our flight overseas did not have Wi-Fi, so my husband and I took turns waking up and refreshing the news feed that the plane did provide. We were just as shocked as so many people in the nation as the night unfolded. Now for full disclosure, I am a registered Republican, however I never vote strictly by party line. In this case, I did agree with much of what President Elect Trump said, however not all of it. And the things I did not agree with led me to personally not be able to vote for him. With all that said, however, he is going to be my President now, and I hope and pray that he will be one of the best we ever had. <br />
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I remember my father used to tell us how great this country was. He used to tell my sister and I that we had no idea how lucky we were. We lived in a country where freedom was sometimes taken for granted. Everyone had a right to vote and have their voices heard. Some chose not to exercise that right and many others made their feelings heard. Things will not change overnight, and I can only hope that everyone recognizes this fact and gives President Elect Trump a chance. I know so many people that are so upset and have gone into a depression over this past week. To them I would say, you are entitled to your feelings just as others are entitled to theirs, however, do not loose sight of the bigger picture. You have the distinct honor of living in a country where anything is possible. It gave my father the ability to come here as a young man, with $5 in his pocket and not knowing a word of English, and through hard work and determination he made it and provided a better life for his children.<br />
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This is a country that has good people in it, don't for get that! Since the election, two towns in NJ have already passed anti-BDS resolutions. They join Englewood, NJ and New York City which each passed their own anti-BDS resolutions a couple of months ago. Last week, my town of Norwood passed the resolution unanimously, and then just last night, my hometown of Livingston did the same. In each town many people attended the meeting to show their town council their support, and many gave passionate speeches thanking the members for what they were doing. These brave people are standing up and saying we will not tolerate intolerance! We will not tolerate hate! We will not tolerate bigotry and anti-Semitism! At the end of the day, it is about what <u><i>you</i></u> do as a person, what <u><i>you </i></u>teach your children and how <u><i>you</i></u> live that matters. <br />
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<br />Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-25725189626819907552016-10-29T15:23:00.000-04:002016-10-29T15:23:02.452-04:00Anti-Semitism exists but does not have to winI had the pleasure this morning to speak at Temple Emanu-El in Closter NJ. What a wonderful and welcoming community! After services, a smaller group of congregants met and had a question and answer session with my dad and I. I find that so many times, the conversation invariably turns to anti-Semitism. <br />
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I was honored to meet other second generation, children of Holocaust survivors as well today. And as we all spoke, I found a common theme. Our parents, the Holocaust survivors themselves, each seem to have emerged from this horrific time in history, and have gone on to lead wonderful lives, and each one of them does not live with hatred. They usually walk around with a smile on their face, they are good to others, and the always look forward. However, it is us, the children, that have a harder time learning this lesson.<br />
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Each one of us shared how we harbor more resentment, perhaps more unspoken "hatred" for what happened to our parents. I know as a parent, when my child skins her knee, I feel the pain, but the truth is that our children feel our pain as well. Yes anti-Semitism exists. It always has, and it probably always will, however, each one of us has to try to learn the lessons of our parents. We must look forward, we must try to leave the world a better place. My dad said today, these people will always hate us, but we must fight back with kindness. We can not become the people the accuse us to be. <br />
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This past week, I witnessed and was part of an amazing evening in my little town of Norwood NJ. A few weeks ago I had coffee with Michael Cohen. Michael is the Eastern Regional Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. He is also a councilman in the city of Englewood, NJ. He was telling me about how NYC and Englewood had passed an anti-BDS resolution, condemning BDS (the anti-Semetic movement called Boycott Disinvestment and Sanctions against Israel). The goal being that if we can get every individual municipality to join their voices and stand up to intolerance and hatred, perhaps we can make a difference. I immediately contacted our town council and the mayor agreed to put the resolution on the agenda for their work session this past Wednesday evening. <br />
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There were a few of us that attended the meeting to show support to the council for their stance and approval of this resolution. What I did not expect were the eloquent and heartfelt comments that each council member said. This is not a very Jewish town I live in, and was hoping at best to just not have any opposition and that everyone would vote yes. I never imagined that I would witness such understanding and acceptance. It made me so proud to be a Norwood resident, and so happy that as a Jew I actually truly understood why I feel so comfortable in my small town. Because I am surrounded by good people, people that understand all of our inalienable rights, including freedom of religion. They spoke about how Israel is a democracy, one of the United States greatest allies, and how they have a right to defend themselves against terrorism. What an evening!<br />
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I will leave you with how I ended my talk today. <span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My
dad put it best – we can not live with hate in our hearts. No, we will probably
never forgive and can not forget, but we have to learn and look forward. Make sure we pass those teaching on. We can
not allow the seed of hatred of any kind grow. There are good people in this
world, there really are. And if we can get those voices to rise louder than the
ones that spread violence and hatred, then we can try to make this world a
better place, one where our children and descendants can hopefully live
peacefully.</span></span><br />
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<br />Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-66368477956494471362016-10-02T11:25:00.000-04:002016-10-02T22:23:13.324-04:00Happy New Year!New Year - what liberating words. Those two little words bring such new hope, a clean slate, a new beginning. For most, January 1st is the clean slate day. At work, we joke about how we have to do it all over again, ugh! I know so many friends that say they will start their "diet" on January 2nd, or they will start going to the gym and getting healthier. But for the Jewish New Year, it's not the same feeling. It is as if New Year holds a different meaning, this one is for the soul.<br />
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We go to synagogue, ask for forgiveness, and hope to be put in the book of life. What does all of that mean? For many, it is a time to reflect inward. I have to be honest, I don't attend synagogue on a regular basis. For me I go at the very least twice a year, during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. In between, if there is a B'Nai Mitzvah to attend, or a special occasion, we will attend services. However, I must say, during this time each fall, the holidays cause me to start reflecting on the year that just passed. <br />
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This year has been a whirlwind and the one thing that sticks out in my mind is my individual awareness and recognition of how far we have come as Jewish people, yet how far we still have to go. I have recently been reading so much and learning so much more about the BDS movement, the anti-Semitism that still rocks our world, and then all the violence that has ripped our country apart in the past year. It saddens me that this is the world we live in, the one I have brought my children up in. However, amongst all this sadness and violence, there are still good stories that emerge. The young black child that went to his local police department last week to give the <a href="http://wreg.com/2016/09/25/charlotte-boy-gives-police-officers-free-hugs-after-violent-protests/" target="_blank">police officers "free hugs",</a> the <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/09/27/ohio-officer-drives-grieving-man-100-miles-to-be-with-family-after-sisters-death.html" target="_blank">Ohio police officer that drove the young man over a hundred miles</a> to his family after his sister was killed in a car accident, the passing of <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.737212" target="_blank">anti-BDS measures across New Jersey</a>, these are the stories that bring me hope.<br />
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I do find it hard sometimes to feel hope, I think we all do when we are faced with tragedy after tragedy. But then we must remind ourselves, and each other about the goodness that exists. People can be good if we just give them a chance. If we don't jump to conclusions, if we treat each other with respect, if we tolerate, and hopefully one day accept each of our differences, we can be the catalyst to making this country and world a wonderful place to bring our children into and raise a family. At the end of the day that is all I really want: I want my children to be happy and feel safe. May this New Year bring you peace, health and happiness. From my family to yours, Shana Tova.<br />
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<br />Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-13851086702623077962016-09-14T16:05:00.001-04:002016-09-14T16:06:18.958-04:00Reflection on 9/11Words can not truly describe the emotions that I experienced this past weekend. September 11th is such a solemn day in history. It is almost impossible, especially if you live in the NYC area, to wake up on September 11th and not immediately be brought back to that day in 2001.<br />
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So many of us were affected that day. Some more than others, but around the NYC area, we were all touched somehow. Knowing that I was being honored at Yankee Stadium made the day exciting, but yet it was clouded by the events that occurred 15 years ago. On top of that, to be presented with the Heroes for Tolerance award made it just that much more emotional. There was almost a guilt that I woke up with for being excited for the day. <br />
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First, in the "private suite" amongst our "closest 80 friends" I was honored to stand next to Ira Goldstein and Lisa Wisotsky and accept our awards. After the ceremony and brief words from dignitaries and leadership from the Simon Wiesenthal Center, we were escorted down to the field to be announced in front of the entire stadium. <br />
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Wow, is all I can say.<br />
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Forget the fact that we were standing on the field at Yankee Stadium, forget about the fact that we were projected on the jumbo screen and forget about the fact that it was televised live on the YES network, the most amazing part of the whole experience was the fact that I was even there. It was beyond humbling to be included amongst the real heroes of 9/11. A group of people in the military were on the field with us. We had the extreme honor of meeting them and even taking some pictures. When they asked us what we were representing, I have to admit I got a little embarrassed. I told them that we had been given the Heroes of Tolerance award from the Simon Wiesenthal Center, but then I quickly added that the true heroes of the day were them. Without them and without their selfless act of serving our country none of us would be able to be here. I then got to see NYC finest walk on the field, police officers that risk their lives everyday to protect each and every one of us. These are my heroes. <br />
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After the day, on my way home, I got a text from one of my closest friends that attended the ceremony. 9/11 has always been a hard day for her to get through. I will share one small part of the text that moved me to tears:<br />
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"I will always remember 9/11 for what happened in 2001, but now it will mark the day that my friend was able to inspire the world."<br />
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People experience tragedy everyday. People experience hatred every day. My only hope out of all of this is that the message of tolerance will slowly begin to heal the wounds that have been cast, and that, hopefully, we can start to affect change, one person at a time.<br />
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#Together we will #NeverForget!!Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-71330961503232785902016-09-03T18:42:00.001-04:002016-09-03T18:42:06.189-04:00Thank you to The Simon Wiesenthal Center!
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">"An important work. Ann Arnold's effort to both tell
their tale of her family's survival during the Holocaust while being a part of
encouraging the next generation to embrace tolerance is inspiring."</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>-Michael Cohen, Eastern Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center<br />
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Wow, is all I can say. If you follow me on Facebook and have read my previous post, then you know how much I LOVE reading the reviews! It truly warms my heart and encourages me to continue to spread the message of Never Forget. <br />
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At the beginning of the summer, I had the pleasure to meet Michael Cohen, the Eastern Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. For those that do not know who Simon Wiesenthal was, or what the center does, let me recap. Simon Wiesenthal was a survivor of the Nazi death camps who dedicated his life to hunting and bringing Nazi's to justice for their crimes and documenting the crimes of the Holocaust. <span>The Simon Wiesenthal Center was founded in 1977 and is a "global human rights organization
researching the Holocaust and hate in a historic and contemporary
context. The Center confronts anti-Semitism, hate and terrorism,
promotes human rights and dignity, stands with Israel, defends the
safety of Jews worldwide, and teaches the lessons of the Holocaust for
future generations. </span><span>With a constituency of over 400,000 households in the United
States, it is accredited as an NGO at international organizations
including the United Nations, UNESCO, OSCE, Organization of American
States (OAS), the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO) and the Council
of Europe. (http://www.wiesenthal.com)". As you can imagine, this was quite an important meeting for me! </span><br />
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<span>Michael and I met at a Starbucks, and what I thought would be a quick coffee meeting, turned into such a wonderful two hour conversation. I learned so many great things that the Center is doing, was inspired by how it was started by Rabbi Hier and was motivated to keep speaking and spreading the word of Tolerance, Acceptance and Respect. However, I was completely shocked, and never expected what came next. </span></div>
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<span>On September 11th at Yankee Stadium, the Simon Wiesenthal Center is having an event where they are honoring 3 people with the first Annual Heroes of Tolerance Award, and yep - you got it, they asked me to be one of the honorees!! As my kids say - OMG!!! I was floored, shocked, and deeply honored. It was beyond my wildest dreams that an organization like this would actually recognize what I am doing and trying to accomplish. </span></div>
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<span>I have to admit that over the last few weeks I have been reading more and more articles about the anti-Semitism that exist not only in this country, on college campuses and communities nearby, but also all around the world. I saw a video last week about college students in PA that had no idea what the Holocaust was, or even who Hitler was. How could that be?? I was in shock and it really threw me for a loop. The other day I was quite down on everything. What am I doing? Will I actually be able to make a difference? Am I fighting a loosing battle? It was not a very good day. I saw my dad the next day and shared my feeling with him. I asked him how he did it? Did he ever feel and live with the gripping fear that it will never end and that they will get us eventually? How did he go on each day with hope and a smile? His answer was quite simple - he was completely not shocked about the ignorance of these students - he actually said he would have been shocked if they knew anything. He told me how this is life, we will never change everyone nor should we expect to. We just have to keep spreading the message, keep doing what we are doing and keep putting one foot in front of the other and move forward. My husband said it best - he told me to concentrate on affecting one person at a time. </span></div>
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<span>So that is what I am going to do. I worked with a teacher over the summer and we wrote up a lesson plan to accompany the book for grades 8/9. The goal being that we know that the way we can affect change is by starting at the beginning, with our Youth. </span></div>
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<span>I want to thank Michael Cohen, Rabbi Hier and Rabbi May (whom I had the pleasure of meeting a few weeks ago) and the Simon Wiesenthal Center for bestowing this honor on me. I hope I can live up to the award and continue to spread the message of hope and get people to truly understand that by being a good person and by respecting one another we can overcome the hate, bigotry and anti-Semitism that exist.</span></div>
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<span>This sums it up - we will keep doing what we are doing, and I hope he keeps smiling!</span></div>
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<br />Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-23204335795946417852016-07-24T14:40:00.001-04:002016-07-24T14:40:30.623-04:00Who would have thought?When I first embarked on the journey to write the book, I never really thought about not only where it would lead me and how it would affect people, but also about the new people I would meet along the way. One of the most gratifying parts is experiencing and hearing from people how they have been affected by what they have read. I never would have imagined that this book could influence people the way it has. <br />
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OK I have to admit, one of my morning rituals has become going online and checking Amazon to see if anyone wrote any new reviews, then I check goodreads.com for the same reason. Pathetic, I know! But, again I will admit, my day brightens when I see a new review. Usually, the reviews are so kind and heartwarming. I love hearing how people have really connected with the story, and how it has made some really start understanding what perserverance truly is, and what heroism looks like. The other day, however, I read the following review - and I was shocked, I actually teared up:<br />
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<div class="a-row a-spacing-micro">
<span class="a-color-secondary"><span class="a-size-normal"><span class="a-color-secondary"><i>By
</i></span>
<a class="noTextDecoration" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A10G2Q87QGULK0/ref=cm_cr_dp_pdp"><i>Bill</i></a><i>
</i></span>
<span class="a-color-secondary"><i> on July 10, 2016</i></span></span></div>
<div class="a-row a-spacing-small" id="revData-dpReviewsMostHelpfulAUI-R2P9VCSMGEBHKX">
<span class="a-size-mini a-color-secondary"><i>Format: Kindle Edition</i></span><span class="a-size-mini a-color-state a-text-bold"><i>
Verified Purchase
</i></span>
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<i>
After reading over 70 memoirs of holocaust survivors I continue to be
amazed at the cruelty we can bestow on one another. But within this mix
of terrible hatred - every so often miraculous inspiration emerges.<br /><br />This
book makes me want t be a better man - and the unbelievable tenacity of
Sala makes me ashamed of my petty concerns and bickering.<br /><br />Five stars ... You won't want to put it down.<br /><br />God bless the family and the poor grandfather.</i>
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Wow - is all I can say. To know that something you wrote could affect someone that deeply elicited an emotion I can not quite describe. This was the purpose; to make people feel, to make them connect, to make them think. I always knew deep down that the story could accomplish that, but to see it actually happen makes me so grateful. Grateful that so many of you have taken the time to read it, and so grateful that you have taken the time to tell others to do the same.</div>
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Perhaps it is true that we can change the world, one step at a time. Perhaps in my lifetime I will be blessed to see anti-Semitism diminish, racism diminish and tolerance prevail. We have a long way to go, but if we continue to believe in the goodness that exists within us all we can accomplish greatness.</div>
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During this journey, I had the pleasure to get connected with Marcin Zarod, a teacher from Tarnow, Poland. He not only read the book, but was so taken by it, that he suggested his students should all read it as well. He recently took a trip to Israel with his family, and by coincidence my father was there the same time visiting his sister. They all had a chance to meet up and I heard it was a wonderful day. </div>
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Thank you to Bill for letting me know how much the book affected you; Thank you Marcin for recommending the book to others; and thank you all for your tremendous support. Together we will Never Forget.</div>
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<br />Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-22951295684470267042016-07-02T09:22:00.001-04:002016-07-02T09:27:21.142-04:00Let's Be Thankful this 4th!Happy 4th of July weekend! This weekend we are spending time with family and friends. We are going to barbecue some hotdogs and hamburgers, drink some margaritas, and have some fun. How lucky are we??<br />
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Every time there is a national holiday I always end up reflecting. I think about how thankful I am that I have the ability to live in this GREAT country, how thankful I am that there are men and women that truly know the meaning of sacrifice who are willing to die for me to have this freedom, and how thankful I am that my family survived one of the ugliest chapters in history and made it to America.<br />
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So many times we take for granted what we have and what we do. Take a moment this weekend and realize how lucky we are, try to be nice to the person on line at the supermarket, and appreciate your family. Happy 4th everyone!<br />
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<br />Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-79526085439941153502016-06-25T13:00:00.001-04:002016-06-25T13:00:39.296-04:00Reconnecting with family!Family - what a all encompassing word. So many times life just happens and we fall out of touch with our family. The nicest thing though, are those opportunities that allow us to reconnect. You never know when those opportunities may arise, but the key is knowing that you can create them yourself.<br />
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When I published the book, so much of my family emailed and texted me their support. It was so heartwarming to hear from so many relatives, and those that perhaps I had not connected with in a while. It made me remember that we are all part of a bigger whole. <br />
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When I had my book launch in May, I was overwhelmed by the turnout. My father's cousins came from near and far to support the two of us. It was so amazing! But I have to admit, I am one of the lucky ones! I was very lucky to not only have an amazing family on my side, but also to have married into such a wonderful one! My in-laws all treat me as their own, including my husband's sisters. I was fortunate enough to be able to gain more siblings and two more parents. They all came out for the event, but one of the best parts was that my husband's first cousin and his wife came out as well. We realized it had been so long since we all had gone out. You know what happens - kids, work, life! But we decided to do something about it, we put a date down, and last night we all reconnected!<br />
It was so great to get to know them again, catch up, and for all of us to hang out. (yes that's us taking a selfie at dinner last night!)<br />
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Why do I share this with you? Because the truth is opportunities are what we make of them. We must put ourselves out there. If you have not spoke to your relative in a while, stop reading this and go text, email or call them. Trust me they will be so happy to hear from you! These connections we have run deep and many times we just forget. It is so special to have these connections, make sure you keep them alive!<br />
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<br />Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-45832328640248451672016-06-10T13:18:00.001-04:002016-06-10T13:18:35.243-04:00Try not to sweat the small stuff!So I just returned from my annual Las Vegas Trade Shows trip. Each year I leave on Memorial Day and spend about 8 days in Las Vegas attending a multitude of trade shows during "Jewelry Week". Yes it is very tiring and long, but the best part of the week is the fact that I get the chance to see so many people that I have known for so many years, all in one place. Many of them I am fortunate enough to call my friends. <br />
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This year was extra special. So many people came up to me and acknowledged my new book, Together: A Journey for Survival. I am so grateful for all the outpouring of support and accolades. It is actually quite overwhelming. So many of these people have known my dad, some for close to 50 years, and yet so many of them truly had no idea what he had gone through and where he had come from.<br />
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The lesson here is, how well do we really know those around us? Do we judge them or make conclusions about them without knowing all the facts? In my dad's case, he is always so joyful and always has this energetic smile that is so infectious. Everyone has such a great respect for him and admires his positive attitude. Who would have thought that this same man endured a nightmare that most of us could not even dream of?<br />
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How can we learn from him to make ourselves a better person? I think the next time we start sweating the small stuff we should pause and just think about what we are getting so angry or stressed about. Take a breath, walk away for a moment, and just reassess the situation and approach it again with a different attitude. Most things are not life and death, although they may feel like it at the time. All of us have bad days, even my dad, but remember, tomorrow is a new day, with new beginnings and new hope. Embrace the life we have been given and let's all try to be a little nicer to one another and treat each other with just a little more respect. <br />
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<br />Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-44950638303590023232016-05-27T14:41:00.000-04:002016-05-27T14:41:03.573-04:00Take a moment to say "Thank You"Memorial Day weekend is upon us. As families all over start preparing for barbeques, parades and parties, I want to take a moment to say "Thank You". <br />
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Those two little words are so over used and I hope their meaning is not lost on those that receive the accolades. Thank you to the men and women that sacrifice themselves, sacrifice their families and allow us to enjoy all those hamburgers and hotdogs this weekend! Thank you to the countless soldiers that fought wars in the past for our freedom and for the freedom of others. And Thank You to those soldiers that liberated my family and allowed them to survive, and ultimately allowed me to be born.<br />
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If it was not for the unselfishness of these brave souls, people like me, my sister, and my children would not be here today. Who knows how much longer my father would have been able to survive during the Holocaust. How much longer he would have been able to hide from the monsters that wanted to make sure his existence was wiped from the face of the earth. Thankfully, we will never have to find out.<br />
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So in simple terms - Thank you for your serviceAnn S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-38290437534846719752016-05-18T09:10:00.001-04:002016-05-18T09:19:21.412-04:00FamilyWhen my dad came to America, he was sponsored by my grandmother's family. She had three sisters and a brother that had immigrated to America way before World War II started. She had not even met her oldest sister until she came to visit my dad for the first time! I can't even imagine. When the war was over, her siblings here in America wrote letters back to Brzostek, hoping to find a relative that survived. That is how they reconnected. My grandmother was the only one to survive from the entire family in Poland.<br />
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After the war ended, my grandmother, father and aunt stayed in Poland and lived there until 1957. At that time they emigrated to Israel. At the time they left Poland, my dad was enrolled and attending law school, and my aunt was going to dental school to become an orthodontist. The news that they were leaving Poland was a shock and the entire exit happened very quickly. They were only given about a week notice. Poland was becoming increasingly dangerous for Jewish families.<br />
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When they got to Israel there was not enough money to send my dad back to law school and my aunt back to medical school. My father told his sister to pursue her career and he started to search for a "job". He worked for a while in a factory that manufactured ammunition. The reality was that he was not happy, and my grandmother saw it. The opportunities in Israel to make a living were not great. She finally convinced and basically "pushed" my dad to get on a boat and go to America.<br />
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Coming here must have been frightening. He knew no one, had never met any of his relatives, did not speak English and had only $5 in his pocket. When he got off the boat, he was greeted by one of his cousins, who recognized him from a photo my grandmother had sent. The problem was, he only spoke English. Somehow they got by, and when my dad got to his aunt and uncle's house, luckily they spoke Yiddush, so finally my dad could communicate with them. He quickly enrolled in a class to learn English and he was on his way.<br />
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Our family here really took him in. He had a huge family, lots of first cousins and he quickly became close with them all. I remember growing up always surrounded by my dad's cousins and their kids. We are all very close, and even though we now live all over the country there is a special bond we all share. Most people are so close to their first cousins, but after that their more distant relatives are just that - distant. For me, my second cousins are as close as my first. My dad's first cousins became his adopted American siblings. But the fact is, most of them really did not know or understand what he went through during the war.<br />
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Writing this book is for them as much as it is for my children. This is their legacy, their family, their history. I have heard from so many of my cousins, heard how excited they are to read it, and after they read it, how touched and moved they were. I am very close with one of my cousins, and his mom, Phyllis is one of my dad's first cousins who lives close by. Tomorrow is my launch party and first book signing. She insisted that she must attend the event. And then I got a call from one of my cousins, Amy.<br />
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Her dad, Billy, and my dad became very close, again another first cousin. Unfortunately, as happens, Billy is not doing well, Parkinson's is a horrible disease. They live in Altoona, PA, which is probably close to 5 hours away or more. Billy wants to be here to support my dad, to see him again, and maybe for the last time, and to support me. I am blown away. They are making the long drive tomorrow to come out for the book signing. Words can not express how much this means to not only me, but my dad. <br />
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To go through what he did, to feel so alone in the world for so long. To think you are the only Jewish person left alive. These are feelings I can not even begin to imagine. But then, to find family, to know they are here for you, and to know they genuinely share your joy and happiness and are happy themselves for you, is one of the most moving and important lessons. Family is everything, Sala proved that in her determination to keep her family together. Our family has stayed together.Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-22570405451354419412016-05-11T09:47:00.004-04:002016-05-18T09:20:37.536-04:00InspirationIt has been almost a week since I launched the book Together. Wow what a week! I am overwhelmed by the amount of support and emails I have been getting. I have always known, and even wrote about the charisma and magnetism my father has. Going through this journey has just reinforced how many people admire, respect and love him.<br />
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So what is the take away from this all? I see it as quite simple. Here is a man, who experienced the worst kind of hatred, discrimination and terror, that most of us can not even imagine. Yet he is kind, giving and always has a smile on his face. I am not sure how he does it, to be honest. Growing up as a child of a holocaust survivor, it is almost like a badge that I wear, and I truly don't think many others can understand it, unless they too have experienced it. It is the little things that you start to notice. Like, why did we never have a dog growing up? My dad does not like dogs at all! I realized in my adult years, this is probably because the Nazi's used dogs when hunting for people, and somewhere in his subconscious, he associates these two. I really don't think he even realizes it himself!<br />
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But despite it all, he never rose his voice or yelled at us, he always treats people with respect and his honor and word are the most important things to him. He is an inspiration and I hope we all can learn that we can overcome the obstacles and negativity in our lives to accomplish good and be good people.<br />
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<br />Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-2788862774951022622016-05-05T21:50:00.001-04:002016-05-18T09:20:48.248-04:00Launch Day!Launch day is here! I can't believe it. OK, so I admit, I have not slept much, the nerves are on end, but I am so excited to start having everyone read it! What a journey this has been. I never realized that when I decided to "write a book" it would take me down this path.<br />
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First, I have met some amazing people. I have always had mentors in my life. People that have inspired me, driven me, and supported me. It is such a blessing to have found a new mentor, and a new avenue. As exhausting as this has been, the joy I have gotten from the look in my dad's eyes that this is finally happening, is something that is beyond words.<br />
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Over the last few days, I have been interviewed by a few local newspapers and publications. A couple of common question are: <br />
Why did you write this book now? <br />
What was the hardest part for you? <br />
What do you want people to take away from reading the book?<br />
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Why did I write it now? Many of you have heard about my experience when I went back to Poland in 2009 for the re-consecration of the Jewish cemetery in Brzostek, my dad's hometown. The goodness and kindness I saw in those villagers inspired me to get the story down, hence the beginning of my blog.<br />
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What was the hardest part? We all have parents and grandparents, and many times, that is where we start and end in defining them as people. One of the hardest parts was the realization that my grandmother was not just my joyful, mushy, cute Baba Sala. She was a woman. A woman that had to endure things that I probably will never really truly understand or fathom or quite honestly know. It was hard opening up my inner self to those feelings, and putting myself into her head. I could not truly do it. And my dad. Hey, he's my dad! But to think that he was not just robbed of his childhood, but of his innocence, made me look at him and think, how is he such a great guy and not bitter? He amazes and astounds me everyday.<br />
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What do I want people to take away from reading the book? It is actually quite simple.<br />
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There are good people in this world, truly good people. With all the ugliness around us:violence, hatred, blood - to know that goodness exists is powerful. To understand that TOLERANCE is key. My dad once told us the following and I will leave it at this:<br />
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<span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">"I
am a survivor of the holocaust however I am from a generation that is
fading away. In a short period of time this generation will not be
around anymore. However the message that we have has to survive future
generations and it makes no difference who you are, a Jew, Christian,
Muslim or any combination. It may happen to you, it depends who is in
power at the moment. Don't allow it and be aware of what is happening in
the world and don't turn a blind eye and think it can't happen here or
again. "</span></span><br />
<br />Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700988056299074944.post-1580047681691923042016-04-22T09:22:00.001-04:002016-05-18T09:21:27.221-04:00The Power of our YouthTonight starts Passover. I think we all sometimes take for granted our families and these holidays. Yesterday, my sister called me and told me about the amazing day my dad and her had. My dad participated in the Metro West Holocaust Day. About 100+ high school students visited Metro West, in NJ, and toured their Holocaust Exhibit. Then, the students broke up into about 10 per table and had lunch with a survivor and got to hear their story. After lunch, one student was selected from each table and had the opportunity to get up and tell those assembled a little bit about their survivor. <br />
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The young gentlemen that got up from my dad's table was a senior. He walked up to the podium, and without any notes, began to speak. He started with "I had the privlige of meeting Mark and learning about his amazing mother..." He then went on to recount my father's story, just from hearing it once! Then he did something amazing. He put his hand over his heart, and spoke to the students directly to the student there. He reminded them that they all had mothers, most of the time they probably did not listen to their moms, gave them slack and talked back. But that they all had to remember, if faced with a life threatening situation, each one of their moms would do anything to make sure they survived. He asked each person there to go home that night and hug their mom, and tell her they love her. My dad and sister were so moved.<br />
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I was in tears when my sister told me this story. Make sure you tell your loved ones you love them, just because you can. Ann S. Arnoldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09181381427854490615noreply@blogger.com0