The Fear I Was Taught Never to Forget
I learned about fascism from Holocaust survivors. Now I’m seeing its shadow in Trump’s America.
Like so many other Jewish children who grew up in America in the mid-1960s, I learned about the Holocaust in Hebrew school. It wasn’t taught to us as distant history, but as lived experiences by the people who went through it.
Many of my teachers were survivors of the death camps, occassionaly rolling up their sleeves to show us the numbers tattooed on their arms, a permanent reminder of the horrors they faced. We read The Diary of Anne Frank. We lit candles and recited prayers for those who were killed. We were charged with a sacred duty: Never forget.
We were warned that in any country without democracy, people could be dragged from their homes, their places of worship, their businesses. And we were taught that defending everyone’s rights in America was essential to protecting our own as Jews.
I took those lessons seriously. I’ve always actively worked for social justice. And I’ve always carried a quiet fear of authoritarianism.
I remember traveling by train from Prague to Munich about twenty years ago. I knew we’d cross into Germany overnight, and that border agents would check our documents. I told myself it was routine. But when the knock came and a German voice demanded to see our papers, something ancient and visceral stirred in me, a fear that had lived in my body for decades.
Fast forward to today. America is under authoritarian rule. The Tump administration is disregarding court orders, has usurped the power of congress, is attacking the free press, and has turned the DOJ against his political opponents.
The clearest sign of his authoritarian rule can be found in his immigration policies. Warrantless arrests, the violation of due process, sending people to foreign prisons, targeting blue cities, a well funded private police force in the form of ICE. The authoritarian playbook is all there.
ICE has come to my own suburb of Evanston, Illinois. I’m hearing reports of raids at Home Depot, at hospitals, in places of worship. People being taken. Families disappearing overnight.
People are afraid. I am afraid.
But fear cannot be where we stop.
I’ve spent years working to stop Donald Trump and the authoritarian movement behind him. Today I watched the below video that gave names and faces to the people ICE has taken. And I realized: we have to do more.
I’m doubling my efforts. I hope you will too.
Here are some ways you can get involved:
Volunteer Blue helps match people with volunteer opportunities that fit their interests and time. Their volunteer coaches can help you find the right way to make an impact.
Join the National Immigrant Justice Center’s Rapid Response Team to receive urgent alerts and take action to protect immigrants and asylum seekers.
If you’re a lawyer or have interpretation or translation skills, consider volunteering with the Immigration Justice Campaign, which supports people navigating the immigration court system.
There are countless ways to help families directly affected by the Administration’s policies. Food banks, shelters, and community centers across the country are struggling to meet growing needs. To find opportunities near you, visit Feeding America or VolunteerMatch.
Many religious institutions — churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples — also have volunteer programs responding to local needs.
In moments like this, compassion is not just charity. It is resistance.
And don’t forget the power of your own voice. You are a trusted messenger among your family, co-workers, friends, and social networks. Stay informed, speak up, and help others cut through the noise to understand what’s at stake.
As a child I learned that during the Holocaust a lot of good people, including President Roosevelt, looked the other way and stayed silent. Let their mistakes be our lesson.