Angels Of Austria:The Church That Reached Out To Holocaust Survivors, a personal documentary by Judy C. Faust, will be presented to honor Yom Hashoah, 7:30 pm, at Beth Sholom B'nai Israel, 400 Middle Turnpike East, Manchester, CT. The film and discussion explores the possibilities of healing from the Holocaust.
film synopsis:
All her adult life in America, Trudy, a Jewish refugee from Austria, blamed herself for failing to rescue her father from the Nazis. In 1995, she received an invitation from the Ichthys church in Austria, asking her to return to her hometown to befriend and perhaps to forgive the descendants of the Nazi Regime. But how can Trudy forgive them, when she hasn't even forgiven herself? Is it possible to heal from the Holocaust? The daughter, Judy Faust, shares the story and explores the challenging and rewarding journey to forgiveness. The audience is invited to ask questions, comment on the film, and to share their own Holocaust or related stories. The event is free and open to the public, ages 13 and up. Call 860-643-9563 for more information.
Bio Sketch
Judy C. Faust is owner of What's Your Story? an educational service that connects family stories to history and the arts. Her documentary,Angels Of Austriais touring movie theaters, universities, community centers, churches, synagogues, middle and high schools and summer camps all over New England. She has written a book on her family story called, "Waltzing With Papa: Three Generations To Healing", and offers several other workshops on related subjects. She is also a personal historian, helping others to tell their story in DVD form. Call 978-212-2345, or email . See the movie trailer at
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Adult Audience Comments
"You have a gift every community needs."Eveningstar Cinema, Brunswick, Maine
"Great movie! Overwhelming!"Holocaust & Human Rights Center of Maine at UM, Augusta
"Thank you for offering such a beautiful sense of hope to everyone!
"Teresa D. in Waterville, Maine
"Your presentation was wonderful... The students loved it! The film was so inspiring and I was very touched to hear your personal accounts of the process of reconciliation. It clearly has a broader relevance to many other situations in the world today.
"Flo Brown, teacher, Kennebunk, Maine
"Excellent! Deeply moving show! You are effervescent and uplifting and helped discuss difficult topics with a delightful sense of humor. Thank you!
"Bill W, Boston, Ma
"I hope you get to present this film and read from your book to many audiences. The lessons of history and the power of individual choices have a universal application and benefit that stretches across cultures and situations. At a time when we can point to so many bad choices human beings make, your project casts humanity in its best light...You are clearly sitting on something big here, a chance to illuminate the impact across generations, and even those on the killing end of genocide."Greg Bates, publisher of Common Courage Press, Monroe, Maine
"What a wonderful evening of film, storytelling, and discussion you provided for the kick-off of ourHope and Remembering: Honoring and Healing film/discussion seriesin Portsmouth. The audience was caught up in the stories you shared both in the film and through your narratives at the event. Those stories and the important issues of healing and forgiveness in your presentation lead to some insightful and intense discussion that I believe everyone enjoyed tremendously. The completed feedback sheets included responses of Quality of presentation: all 4s and 5s (5 = outstanding). We definitely feel the evening was a great success!
"Deb Barry,Awareness UNlimited, Portsmouth, N.H,and the Cohen Center for Holocaust Studies at Keene State College, Keene, New Hampshire
Retirement Communities
"I have perhaps never felt as hopeful and optimistic about the future of the human race as I did following your presentation. Every facet of it is the most beautiful example of what is possible when the goodness in people and the human spirit triumphs. Some day it will be said, 'Little did the church in Austria and the Jewish guests they invited, and Judith Faust know they were going to change the hearts of the world.Priscilla,Activities Director,
Aynsley Place, Nashua, N.H
"Thank you a million times for sharing such a beautiful story with the residents here at the Woods at Canco. Your personal journey is now touching others, each in a unique way, bringing both hope and peace in a time we are often lacking both, questioning the world."Angela Langely, Activities Director,The Woods at Canco, Portland, Maine
King Middle School Students comments (Portland, Maine)
The day you came I was very moved. I wanted to cry when I heard about your mother. So I was wondering about my own mother. You see she went through I guess something similar. I'm not sure if you know this person but he was a lot like Hitler. Pol Pot of Cambodia. I asked her If a Khmer Rouge soldier asked you for forgiveness would you accept it? My mother said that she would have accepted it because not ALL of the soldiers were bad people. In fact some of them were forced to become soldiers. It made me think of your mother a lot. I learned a lot from you coming here in King. Thank you!Thina
This movie was extremely moving and inspirational. It was beautiful that those from the church opened their hearts and extended their reach to find Jewish people from that particular town that their people had caused such suffering and grief. When they were forgiven, it was so powerful to see the healing effect of forgiveness on both sides. Acts of kindness we should all strive for, but the courage and strength (of the Jews) to meet them is something even more. Thank you for showing us this movie, it has forever changed me. I'm hoping this will convince other communities to take part in something similar.
Victoria B.
The movie was inspirational and moving, and taught me a lot more about the Holocaust that I never even dreamed. Thank you for sharing this touching message with me.
Michaela B.
Watching this video really changed my views and opinions and really informed me. It was put together nicely with pictures and music. Actual scenes made it more real and it all came together very nicely. Amazing.Maradi
Press Articles
The Sentry, South Portland, Maine, November 2007
Sunday Telegram, Portland Press Herald, Feb, 2008
Forecaster, Maine, Feb 2008
Times Record, Brunswick, Me, March 2008
The Bowdoin Orient, Feb. 25, 2008 (Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine)
Coastal Journal, (Mid-Coast area in Maine) Feb 28, 2008. A Review of the movie presentation.
Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel, (Central Maine editions) April 27, 2008
The Current, July 30, 2008, page 9 in the Arts and Entertainment section
The Republican Journal (now Village Soup), July 30, 2008
Lakes Region Weekly, July 30, 2008
Bangor News, August, 2008
Gloucester Daily Times, Gloucester, Ma, March 2009
Jewish Journal of Boston North, Salem, Ma, March 2009
Arlington Advocate, July 9, 2009
Boston Globe, West Section, People Column, Sunday, July 12, 209.
Shalom Magazine, December, 2009
The Jewish Chronicle, December 2009
T. V
SPC-TV (South Portland Community T.V, channel 2, for South Portland and Cape Elizabeth, Me)
Channel 5, WABI TV, Bangor and Central Maine region
NBC News in Bangor, WBLZ, August 12, 6:00 News
"Shrink Rap," with Szifra Birke. Chelmsford Cable TV, Massachusetts (November 2009)
Radio
WMPG, University of Southern Maine, interview on The Locals show, March, 2008 also with Elaine Colella.
WERU, 89.9 Blue Hill, interview August 6, 3:45 pm. on Cathy Melio's show,Off The Cuff.
WSCA, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Interview with Deb Barry of Awareness Unlimited, and Thomas White, director of Cohen Center of Holocaust Studies at Keene State,
N.H,September 17, 2008
Maine Public Broadcasting Network, "Maine Things Considered", February 2009
Previous Presentations
Movie Theaters
Frontier Cafe and Cinema, Brunswick, Maine
Eveningstar Cinema, Brunswick, Maine
Railroad Square Cinema, Waterville, Maine
Magik Lantern, Bridgton, Maine
Colonial Theater, Belfast, Maine
Cape Ann Cinema, Gloucester, Massachusetts
Smitty's Movie Theater, Biddeford, Maine
Jewish Film Festival, Cape Ann Cinema, Massachusetts
Majestic Home Theater, Conway, New Hampshire
The Regent Theatre, Arlington, Massachusetts
The Little Arts Cinema, Rockport, Massachusetts
Colleges and Universities
University of Maine, Augusta, at the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine
Cohen Holocaust Studies at Keene State, N.H sponsored at Temple Israel, Portsmouth, N.H
Middlesex Community College, Lowell, Massachusetts
Nashua Community College, Nashua, New Hampshire
Great Bay Community College, Stratham, New Hampshire
Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire
Middle and High schools
New School High School, Kennebunk, Maine
Casco Bay High School, Portland, Maine
Arlington High School, Arlington, Massachusetts
Kennett High School, North Conway, New Hampshire
King Middle School, Portland, Maine
Summer Camps
Camp Micah, Bridgton, Maine
Camp Young Judea, Amherst, New Hampshire
Camp Yavneh, W. Knottingham, New Hampshire
Camp Bauercrest, Amesbury, MA
Retirement Communities
Ocean View, Falmouth, Maine
Maple Suites, Dover, New Hampshire
The Cedars, Portland, Maine
Huntington, Kennebunk, Maine
Scarborough Terrace, Scarborough, Maine
Thorton Hall, Brunswick, Maine
Betsy Ross House, South Portland, Maine
Seventy-Five State, Portland, Maine
The Woods at Canco, Portland, Maine
Edgewood, North Andover, Massachusetts
Rockridge, Hadley, Massachusetts
Ansley Place, Nashua, New Hampshire
Pleasant View, Concord, New Hampshire
Kittery Estates, Kittery, Maine
Hillcrest Terrace, Manchester, New Hampshire
The Inn at Robbinsbrook, Acton, Massachusetts
Golda Meir Jewish Housing, Newton, Massachusetts
Orchard Cove, Canton, Massachusetts
Courville at Nashua, Nashua, New Hampshire
Cedear Mount Commons, Newington, Connecticut
Havenwood, Concord, New Hampshire
Jewish Family Services, Brookline, Massachusetts
Springhouse, Jamaica Plain,Massachusetts
The Huntington of Nashua, Nashua, New Hampshire
Cadbury Commons, Cambridge,Massachusetts
Boylston Place, Chestnut Hill,Massachusetts
The Lodge at Cold Spring, Rocky Hill, Connecticut
Piper Shores, Scarborough, Maine
Quail Run Estates, Agawam, Massachusetts
The Gables, Winchester,Massachusetts
Churches and Synagogues
Trinity Lutheran, Vernon, Connecticut
Temple Israel, Dover, New Hampshire
Unitarian Universalist Church of Reading, Massachusetts
Congregation Ahabat Sholom, 151 Ocean St, Lynn, Ma. Sponsored by The Jewish Historical Society of North Shore and the Holocaust Center of Boston North
Beth El Temple, West Hartford, CT
Ahavath Torah Congregation, 1179 Central St, Stoughton, MA.Sponsored by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Boston Senior Programs.
Libraries
Portland Public Library, Portland, Maine, sponsored by the Jewish Community Allianceof Southern Maine
Nashua Public Library, Nashua, New Hampshire
Wayland Public Library, Wayland, Massachusetts
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