Refugees aboard the MS. St. Louis in Havana Harbor, 1939. in the public domain because the image was taken by an employee of the US government pursuant to his work.
I wish to share today this lovely image taken in 1939 of two women looking out the porthole of a ship. It is beautifully composed and tells a wonderful story of hope, excitement, and expectation. I love the simplicity of this photograph. The two women were on board the MS. St. Louis, the so-called “Ship of the Damned” as it sat in Havana Harbor. The St. Louis was under the command of Captain Gustav Schröder, who was trying desperately to rescue 937 refugees seeking asylum from Nazi persecution. They were denied entry first to Cuba, then to the United States, and finally to Canada.
Where are
חסידי אומות העולם
khassidey umot ha-olam
Many of those refused asylum and sent back to the Nazis died in the extermination camps.
The decision makers who denied a safe haven are participants in their murder.Those who did not protest also are blame worthy.
I urge everyone to stand up to those in our country who want to thwart the process to allow
refugees fleeing war and starvation a chance to survive.
This is our time to ask ourselves which side are you on?