A San Diego Weekly Standouts feature recognizing individuals whose leadership, service, and community impact are helping shape San Diego, California, the Cali-Baja region, and communities connected to the region around the world.
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – “History often feels distant until you hear it from someone who lived through it.”
Remembering One of History’s Darkest Chapters
That was the experience for those who attended the Holocaust Survivor event at the La Jolla Library, where community members gathered to honor the lives of Holocaust survivors and remember one of the darkest chapters in human history. Through historical exhibits, books, magazines, photographs, and authentic artifacts from the 1940s, visitors were given the opportunity to reflect on the past while hearing firsthand testimony from someone who survived it.
The featured speaker was Holocaust survivor Ben Midler, who will celebrate his 98th birthday on June 27. Despite enduring unimaginable hardship during World War II, Ben continues to share his story with audiences in the hope that future generations never forget what happened.
Listening to a Holocaust survivor is far different than reading about the Holocaust in a textbook. History suddenly becomes personal. Every story carries emotion, every detail has meaning, and every memory serves as a reminder that these events happened to real people with families, dreams, and futures that were forever changed.
A Story of Survival
Ben shared what it was like growing up as a Jewish child during Nazi rule and surviving six concentration camps. His stories painted a picture of fear, uncertainty, and unimaginable loss. Families were separated with little warning. Friends disappeared overnight. Communities were destroyed. Children lost their childhoods. Every day became a fight to survive.
The audience listened in complete silence as Ben described experiences that most people could never imagine. Some attendees wiped away tears while others simply sat in quiet reflection. It was one of those rare moments where words alone carried enough weight to fill an entire room.
According to historical records, the Nazis created approximately 44,000 concentration camps and related facilities between 1933 and 1945. Millions of innocent people were imprisoned simply because of their religion, ethnicity, political beliefs, or identity. Many were denied food, medical care, freedom, and basic human dignity. Countless families never saw one another again.
It is difficult to comprehend what life inside those camps was truly like. Imagine being separated from your loved ones, cut off from the outside world, deprived of hope, and treated as though your life had no value. For many prisoners, every sunrise simply meant another day of survival.
Yet somehow, Ben survived.
Finding Strength After Tragedy
What stood out most throughout his presentation was not only his story of survival, but the attitude he carries today. There was no bitterness in his voice. Instead, there was gratitude, humility, and an unwavering commitment to ensuring that future generations learn from the past.
Many of the attendees were members of San Diego’s Jewish community, although people from many different backgrounds filled the room. Everyone gathered with one shared purpose. Hatred must never be allowed to rise again.
That message feels just as important today as it did eighty years ago.
Hatred is rarely something people are born with. More often, it is learned through fear, misinformation, and generations of prejudice. History has repeatedly shown what can happen when discrimination is accepted instead of challenged. The Holocaust remains one of humanity’s greatest reminders of where unchecked hatred can lead.
Events like this serve an important purpose beyond remembering history. They encourage conversations about tolerance, compassion, and personal responsibility. Every generation has the responsibility to recognize prejudice when it appears and to speak out before it grows into something far more dangerous.
Words of Wisdom
Following Ben’s presentation, audience members had an opportunity to ask questions. Surprisingly, many were less interested in the details of the Holocaust and more interested in Ben himself.
“What are your dreams?”
“How do you stay healthy?”
“What makes you happy?”
The questions reflected something much deeper. After surviving unimaginable trauma, how do you continue living with optimism? How do you find joy after experiencing so much pain?
Ben’s answer was remarkably simple.
“Take it one day at a time and keep your body moving.”
Sometimes the most meaningful advice comes in the fewest words.
His response was not only about physical health. It reflected a philosophy of resilience. Focus on today. Continue moving forward. Appreciate the time you have. Do not allow yesterday to define tomorrow.
Why These Stories Matter
As the event came to a close, attendees left with much more than historical knowledge. They left with a renewed appreciation for life, a deeper understanding of the importance of remembrance, and a greater sense of responsibility to stand against hatred wherever it exists.
As Holocaust survivors become fewer with each passing year, opportunities to hear firsthand testimony become increasingly rare. That is what made this event so meaningful. One day, these stories will only exist in books, documentaries, and recorded interviews. Until then, every opportunity to listen should be treated as both an honor and a responsibility.
Ben Midler’s story is not simply about surviving one of history’s darkest periods. It is about resilience, hope, forgiveness, and the strength of the human spirit. His life reminds us that even after unimaginable suffering, people still have the ability to inspire others through courage, compassion, and perseverance.
History should never be forgotten because forgetting allows the lessons of the past to fade. By preserving these stories and sharing them with future generations, we help ensure that the words repeated throughout the event continue to ring true.
Hatred must never be allowed to rise again
About the San Diego Standouts Series
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