Mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day at The Vilna Shul with a screening of the award-winning film Remember This, the story of Polish diplomat-warrior Jan Karski, paired with the music of Polish Jewish composer Miecyzslaw Weinberg. Facing History and Ourselves will host the post-screening conversation.
This event is co-sponsored by Facing History and Ourselves and Boston Jewish Film, and is presented in collaboration with JCRC, American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors of Boston and Boston's 3G.
“And thus I myself became a Jew. And just as my wife’s entire family was wiped out in the ghettos of Poland, in its concentration camps and crematoria – so have all the Jews who were slaughtered become my family. But I am a Christian Jew… I am a practicing Catholic… My faith tells me the second original sin has been committed by humanity. This sin will haunt humanity to the end of time. And I want it to be so.”
Remember This
In a virtuoso solo performance, Academy Award-nominee David Strathairn (NOMADLAND, GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK, LINCOLN) portrays Jan Karski in this genre-defying true story of a reluctant World War II hero and Holocaust witness. After surviving the devastation of the Blitzkrieg, Karski swears allegiance to the Polish Underground and risks his life to carry the first eyewitness reports of war-torn Poland to the Western world, and ultimately, the Oval Office.
Escaping a Gestapo prison, bearing witness to the despair of the Warsaw ghetto and confronted by the inhumanity of a death camp, Karski endures unspeakable mental anguish and physical torture to stand tall in the halls of power and speak the truth. Strathairn captures the complexity and legacy of this self-described “insignificant, little man” whose timely story of moral courage and individual responsibility can still shake the conscience of the world.
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Miecyzslaw Weinberg
The music of Mieczysław Weinberg (1919 – 1996) is among some of the 20th century's greatest hidden treasures. Born in Poland, Weinberg emigrated to Russia in perilous circumstances, where he was to live out the rest of his days half-way between deserved fame and unjustified neglect. Often seen in the shadow of his close friend Dimitry Shostakovich, by whom he was regarded as one of the most outstanding composers of the day, Weinberg is slowly being rediscovered as a 20th century genius, a figure of immense significance in the landscape of post-modern classical music.
David Strathairn is a widely acclaimed actor known for his
leading roles on stage and screen. Since its inception in 2009
he has been a member of the acting core of Theater of War,
a social impact project which presents dramatic readings of
seminal plays, inviting audiences to share perspectives and
experiences, helping to foster a deeper understanding of vital
complex human issues.
Jonah Kernis has been playing the cello since the age of three. In 2024 he served as The Vilna's Kol Nidrei cellist. Born and raised in New York City, he currently studies with Paul Katz at the New England Conservatory. He also studied with Natasha Brofsky at the Juilliard Pre-College Program, and Yari Bond at the Special Music School. He has performed in many venues and summer festivals including the Tanglewood Music Center, Taos School of Music and Yellow Barn Young Artist Program.
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