This background makes what Harry Reiss did all the more remarkable. He was a non-assuming, very bright, history teacher in the NY city public school system. He was also a religious individual with a broad perspective. In the 1970s he began teaching a course on the Holocaust in Rockland Community College and soon thereafter he planted the seeds for the Rockland Center for Holocaust Studies, later renamed the Holocaust Museum and Study Center, a project he spearheaded for over 30 years. Its goals were primarily education and commemoration aimed at the broader Jewish and non-Jewish community.
In this book, lovingly and admiringly written by Harry’s wife Marion, his partner in all his endeavors, the reader is granted a ringside seat to every detail in how this project was conceived and carried to fruition. The book is an absolutely boon to historians. The Reisses clearly kept every newspaper clipping, receipt, and minute-book entry. For a person who wants to study the development of a Holocaust educational center from dream to realization this book is nothing short of a detailed manual of a how to do it successfully. It includes every detail including name, numbers, costs, meetings, bill payments, legislative measures, etc. For chroniclers of the evolution of Holocaust commemorations this detailed record provides a trove of information.
Once the Reisses initiated their local effort they became part of the international community of Holocaust educators, activists, and community leaders, and the book chronicles Harry’s trips to meetings in Israel, Germany, and elsewhere to join with his fellow advocates. Thus, through the story of Harry’s involvement in the Rockland County effort the reader is treated to a survey of what was taking place on the international stage.
The Orthodox community often, justified or not, complains about the lack of Orthodox inclusion in holocaust memorials. That criticism cannot be leveled in Rockland County. It was not only because the Reisses are an orthodox family, but because all those involved in the center were interested that all people should feel comfortable using it. Thus, when Rabbi Dr. Moshe Dovid Tendler wrote to the board of his strong commitment to the center (page 58), but also his reservation that it must be sensitive to the religious needs of the orthodox community, he highlighted the observance of the Sabbath and kashrut and the propriety of fundraising functions. The board unanimously passed a motion to be sensitive to these needs. Nonetheless, uncomfortable moments were sure to arise. For example, in some of the early programs, the national anthem was sung by the wife of the co-chair. This presented a problem because Orthodox men will not listen to a woman sing (kol isha). Harry came up with a creative solution. With enough advance planning it was possible to get the West Point Jewish choir to present colors and sing, an honor that all found worthwhile (p. 34-35).
Today, well into the second decade of the 21st century, assimilation among U.S. Jews is at unprecedented levels. Some analysts point to weakening of what had been two pillars of the non-Orthodox community: identification with the State of Israel and Holocaust guilt. Harry Reiss did not feel that Holocaust commemoration should be used to strengthen or create Jewish identity among uncommitted Jews. In establishing a Holocaust course at Rockland Community College and in creating the Holocaust Resource Center he envisioned Jews and non-Jews studying and learning from and about the holocaust. Harry Reiss as presented in this book was a visionary who can serve as an inspiration for community activists in the next generation, not only those involved in Holocaust education. Some people are doers. Such was Harry Reiss. Together with his partner Marion they forged ahead with a project that was ahead of its time and, as he would have wished, is thriving even in his absence.