Oakton’s Skokie campus receives remembrance sculpture from Holocaust survivors

(Dec. 23, 2015) Oakton’s Skokie campus, 7701 North Lincoln Ave., now has a permanent reminder of the Holocaust, thanks to survivors Yakov Zakon and Stella Sokolovskaya. The founders of the Evidence of Holocaust Association recently spoke to Jewish Studies students sharing their harrowing experiences of the Holocaust. They donated a sculpture in memoriam of Eastern European victims of the genocide that saw millions of Jews and non-Jewish victims murdered by the Nazis.

Zakon and Sokolovskaya met Oakton art lecturer Teresa Parod while taking a Jewish Studies class at the college. The two survivors commissioned Parod to create the sculpture “The Mourning,” inspired by the work of Polish artist B.W. Linke. They explained this sculpture is meant to symbolize the mourning of all of the victims of the Nazis. On one side of the base it reads, in part: “We have to know, we have to remember.”

Another side of the base has the following words, “Teaching the Holocaust to the young and old is our generation’s most important and compelling endeavor.” Zakon said the Evidence of Holocaust Association received the quote from Auschwitz survivor and famed author Elie Wiesel in a letter. Organization members said that they strive to follow Wiesel’s advice.

“Anyone interested in issues of social justice, war, genocide, and ultimately hope, survival and strength should view this sculpture,” said Wendy Maier-Sarti, Oakton professor of history and coordinator of Oakton Jewish Studies. “Precious few Holocaust survivors remain and it’s important that future generations learn their stories.”

The sculpture is on permanent display at the library at the Skokie campus.

“We must never forget the Holocaust, so that it will never happen again,” said Sokolovskaya.