I used to write about terrorist destructors in the U.S. every spring. My articles began with the domestic terrorism of the Oklahoma City bombing more than thirty years ago on April 19. That’s when I became the community/media liaison for Oklahoma’s Tulsa Jewish Federation. It was shortly after the bombing destroyed the Murrah Building and so many lives were affected. I felt compelled to investigate what led to the deadliest bombing, prior to 9/11, on our native soil. The violent hatred that I saw has not only continued, but has expanded globally, and now, it encompasses the entire year.
Holocaust education is a vital element to counteracting the antisemitism and Holocaust denial as they grow world-wide. Educators and students, community leaders and activists should hear the first-hand Untold stories of WW II and the Holocaust. Deborah Levine, daughter of a World War II military intelligence officer, has created this documentary as a tool for counteracting hate and for Holocaust education. Her father, Aaron Levine was a ” Ritchie Boy” trained at Fort Ritchie, the U.S. secret military intelligence camp focused on training men, often Jewish immigrants who spoke German, to interrogate Nazi prisoners of war.
Hear the wartime perspective of Aaron Levine as he liberated death camps, served as a spy, and wrote letters about his experience. Be inspired by the love letters of Estelle Swig Malloy, a Special Education pioneer whom Aaron married after they graduated from Harvard. Then hear the memoirs of Polish Holocaust Survivor, Leon Weisband who documented the Nazi invasion of his hometown.
“No student of history can come away from this without a deeper understanding of the sacrifices that were made to end the Holocaust and of the power of storytelling to heal the human heart.” ~ Dylan Kussman, Hollywood actor/producer
“Deborah Levine’s work continues to be of utmost importance for students of all ages. The specific story of ‘UNTOLD’ MUST be told today and forever, so that the words ‘Never Again’ never lose their meaning!”
~Avi Hoffman, CEO Yiddishkayt Initiative, Inc.
“Many liberators such as Levine’s father kept their experience largely secret So this is an important resource for Holocaust education and research…and a very engaging introduction to the journey of the Jewish community over the past century”
~ The Rev. Dr. John T. Pawlikowski: Founding member of the US Holocaust Center, Prof of Social Ethics/Catholic Theological Union
Religion Communicators Council names Wilbur Merit Awards:
American Diversity Report and Untold, Stories of a World War II Liberator:
Deborah Levine , Dennis Parker , Michael A. Levine , @Dylan Kussman, Charlene White , Trish Ross , Joel D. Scribner , Greg Glover, @George Hoctor, Chase Parker.
From her roots in the only Jewish family to have lived in Bermuda for 4 generations, to her role as a Forbes Diversity & Inclusion Trailblazer, Deborah has been dedicated to “Tikkun olam”, Hebrew for “repair of the world”. This latest project is decades in the making, and is broadcast internationally by Jewish Life TV.
“Untold” in its radio theater and documentary formats is a Winner in 15 International film festivals including: 1) Lily Indie Film Fest, 2) 4theatre selection, 3) NYC Independent Film Festival (11th season), 4) Red Moon Festival (8th season), 5) Spring Time International, 6) Bright International, 7) Dreamz Catcher International, 8) Indie Cine Tube Awards, 9) Lightbox International, 10) Crown International, 11) Delta International, 12) EdiPlay International, 13) Red Wolf Film Festival, 14) Indiefare International Film Festival, 15) FlightDeck Film Festival.
Author: Deborah Levine Director: Dennis Parker Music Composer/Performer: Michael Levine Actors: Dylan Kussman, Joel Scribner, Charlene Hong White, Trish Ross, Chase Parker, George Hoctor, Greg Glover.
I moved around frequently as a child, going wherever my mom would take my older sister and me. My parents had been divorced since I was two, so it was just the three of us. We would randomly switch houses, states, schools, and be constantly making new friends. I don’t remember a whole lot of the schools, but the one that sticks out the most was a private-christian school in Mobile, Alabama. We attended this one from third to fifth grade which was a long time period being in one school for us.
At 25 years old, the echoes of racial commentary still resound in my life. It’s a reality that echoes not just for me but also for my parents, deeply entrenched in the working class where racial slurs seem to find fertile ground. Their narrative, etched by a lack of educational opportunities due to the struggles of mastering English, intersects with mine, shaped by the privilege of pursuing higher education.
In this division lies a personal revelation: education serves as a beacon, illuminating the path toward understanding and combating racial discrimination. Witnessing firsthand the disparity between my parents’ experiences and my own highlights the significant influence of educational opportunities on how diversity is perceived.
My journey of self-discovery and cultural identity unfolds in Grandview, Tennessee, a gorgeous area filled with nature, wildlife, and a beautiful mountain view. My parents, hailing from Michoacan, Mexico, immigrated to the United States with little to no knowledge of English, along with my two older brothers, before I was born. As the first US born citizen in my family, I was introduced to a world that was a blend of Mexican heritage and the new American life.
It all started with a car accident that my mother was in while she was pregnant with me. My mom and dad were rear-ended that caused the seatbelt to tighten up on my mom’s stomach which inevitably tore her placenta. She was rushed to the hospital where I was born about a month before my due date. I was born a healthy baby, just smaller than the others in the nursery.
Fast forward about seven or eight years my mom noticed that I started to walk a little differently that normal. It was nothing too serious, it started off with me just walking on my tippy toes. Then I started to fall, like a lot. Finally, it progressed into me walking hunched over and with a limp. My mom, a nurse, put her medical knowledge to use to try to figure what could possibly be going on with me but it was no use. She couldn’t figure out what the problem was so we did what any sane person would do and went to the doctor. My primary care physician looked at me, and he was just as lost as we were.
I never understood the significance of women empowerment until the lack of it inadvertently affected me.
I was raised in a two-parent household, where all of the attention was devoted to me and my sister. My dad taught us how to treat others, he always treated my mother with respect and wanted nothing but the best for his daughters. He led by example and allowed us to express ourselves and our femininity freely, which as I’ve grown up, I’ve realized that most men don’t do. My mother was also an excellent parent, she was the breadwinner of the family, teaching my sister and I how to be independent and take care of ourselves. Like my father, she also wanted nothing but the best for us, and was always there when we needed her.
Once upon a time, in a beautiful garden, there existed blooms of all hues and sizes in blissful harmony. A group of flower friends soaked up the sun every day in their same patch of peaceful land. On this land lived Rosemary Rose, Donna Daisy, Fran Fern, Heather Hydrangea, and Lila Lavender. Their closeness and bond are what nurtured this patch of land and caught the attention of many ongoing spectators. Every day the flowers continued to grow and spread their seed among the patch of land.
Life was seemingly perfect, that is until one dark cloud gathered over the friend’s patch of land and later that day a storm blew through the peaceful garden causing chaos. In the midst of the storm, the group of flowers were ripped from their patch and strewn all over the landscape.
Bella, my dear friend, I hope that you have been doing well since I last saw you. I really do appreciate you taking care of Mom in my brothers and I’s absence, but I cannot afford to get sick at this time. However, I plan to visit later this week to help take care of her and the house to ease your burden just a bit.
With her falling ill, I imagine that the task of preparing food has been designated to you in my absence. I have nothing short of absolute faith in your abilities, as you have helped taste test many dishes as well as provide your deft service of cleaning plates as my sous chef. With that said, Bella, given your current stature, I feel like I would be remised if I didn’t share my insights and advice to you, so that you may not have to carry this responsibility on your own.
EDUCATION TOOL &