Voices of the Shoah: Remembrances of the Holocaust

Narrated by Elliot Gould, this four-CD set is almost exclusively comprised of the voices of Holocaust survivors. As they tell their stories, the nightmare of the Shoah-the attempted annihilation of all Jews in Europe-unfolds as a living memory of one of mankind's most horrific periods. All these stories are first-hand accounts of Jews from this period. Some, of course, were very young at the time, but many were adults living a "normal" life before the Nazis imposed their will. They are true witnesses, and in various voices–some measured and calm, some choking with emotion–they tell their stories. We are taken from the time before the war when life was relatively idyllic, through the persecution and eradication of Jews, to the re-establishment of Israel as a permanent Jewish state. There are far too many stark and dramatic anecdotes to single one out, but to hear an American soldier, the only Jew in his company, describing the sight of railroad cars full of skeletons-the only sign of life being a few eyes moving-makes abundantly clear the absolute horror of the Holocaust. For these survivors, the Shoah is not merely history, but an unforgettable, permanent part of their beings. Through their remarkable voices, we are reminded that this evil was in fact witnessed, and with powerful documents like this, should never be forgotten. Rhino Records should be commended for this project and for understanding that the deep eloquence of a single human voice can serve as the most powerful testimony of all. –Wally Shoup