The 3 minute trailer below is only a preview of the 20 minute video for the conference
In those days, music notes were silent.
On this day, the music will be heard.
In those days, drawings were hidden and invisible.
On this day they will be seen.
In those days, literature was voiceless.
On this day, life stories, words, and poetry will be heard. Jacqueline S. G.
Music scores, painting, drawings, and literature were kept secret from the Nazis, and all perpetrators. They were inscribed on any kind of material, of any size, and of any shape.
THEY WERE HIDDEN, BUT NOT LOST.
THEY WERE SILENCED.
THEY WERE INVISIBLE.
THEY WERE VOICELESS
The Mission of WE ARE THE TREE OF LIFE?? is to present the arts and culture that were created during the Holocaust as an educational tool, and acting as a lesson of the past to be carried and revised to the present. Emphasizing the message of moral courage and acceptance, we will present compelling exhibitions and performances in the realms of music, visual arts and literature.
ZOOM RSVP
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Dearest Friends,
Best wishes for the 2024 New Year to you and all your loved ones. And Shalom Ba Olam
With Guest of Honor, Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul and Mary)
Playing Mozart’ s Fantasy in D Minor to Peter Yarrow
JEWISH LIFE TV has scheduled the following airings on April 20, 2024, Sa, 5:00PM ET, August 9, 2024, Fr, 8:00PM ET/PT and December 8, 2024, Su, 2:00PM ET, as per a 3-year contract. Please subscribe www.jewishlifetv.org
WE ARE THE TREE OF LIFE INITIATIVE was born in October 2018, in remembrance of the massacre of The Tree of Life Synagogue. For the past few years, mission-based events have been presented by Jewish and secular organizations, nationally and internationally – just to illustrate this point: The Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, The American Society of Yad Vashem, The USC Shoah Foundation, The Pacific Lutheran University, Francesco Lotoro’s Institute of Concentrationary Music Literature (Italy), Memorial de La Shoah, Le musée and Centre de documentation, Paris, France, UNESCO …A new outline is in progress: Combating Antisemitism with Arts, currently based on renowned Holocaust survivor artists David Olère and Samul Bak.
Jacqueline Semha Gmach is a Tunisian-born, Sorbonne-trained American educator renowned for her work in Jewish culture, Sephardic history, and the preservation of Holocaust victims’ artistic achievements. Born in Tunisia in 1940, Gmach pursued higher education in France, later moving to Canada and then the United States. In San Diego, she significantly contributed to the Jewish cultural scene, organizing book fairs, music festivals, and art exhibits. Gmach has also been instrumental in documenting Holocaust survivors’ stories and promoting awareness through various educational projects. She is an author and recipient of several awards, including the 2008 Marla Bennett Humanitarian award.
Correction: it says Dr. Joseph Cohen and it should say Dr. Joshua Cohen
The focus of this project is to:
Showcase the astonishing creativity of Shoah composers, artists and writers, despite the brutality and inhumane conditions under which they produced their work.
Give voice to those silenced Shoah artists and to enable them to be heard today.
Honor our Holocaust survivors through this unique programming.
Offer this project as a model for others to adapt and emulate.
Transmit the lessons of the Shoah from the generations who still live in its shadow to future generations.
OUR VISION: WE ARE THE TREE OF LIFE? will become a widely used EDUCATIONAL TOOL to combat HATE. Through the inspiration of the arts and culture created during the Holocaust, we aspire to teach the LESSONS OF MORAL COURAGE in order to further the goals of RESPECT, ACCEPTANCE and PEACE within and across communities.
This vision seeks to assist in building a world in which all persons flourish through the respect and value of every individual and group, and their rights to live in a just and peaceful world, a world of UNITY and LOVE.
Jacqueline Semha Gmach`has spent a lifetime dedicating her energies to the furtherance of Jewish culture. A native of Tunisia, Mrs. Gmach is the curator of several San Diego-based Jewish events (San Diego Jewish Film Festival, San Diego Music Festival, Samuel and Rebecca Astor Library – among them the renowned San Diego Jewish Book Fair. As the Book Fair Director, she herself became a source of inspiration to authors and helped sprout new national literacy events. Some of her own writings have appeared in newspapers and magazines— (i.e. The Bird, A Bomboloni Story, is in the San Diego Jewish Journal, The Gilberta Story is in Yitta Halberstam’ Small Miracles.)
Watch the full movie here for a preview of volume 2 on Post Traumatic Growth which is a collaborative effort to demonstrate peace
Jacqueline Semha Gmach
Dr. Joshua Lee Cohen
This movie, designed as a complementary preview to the upcoming book “Film/Video-Based Therapy and Trauma: Volume 2: Post-Traumatic Growth,” is a diverse and comprehensive exploration of post-traumatic growth, particularly in the context of war and conflict. It comprises various segments, each focusing on different aspects of trauma, resilience, and healing. These include:
- Vignettes and Post-Traumatic Growth Opening Crawl: Sets the stage for exploring personal growth following trauma, with an emphasis on soldiers’ resilience stories.
- Video on The Shoah Foundation: Focuses on our collective humanity and the lessons from the Holocaust.
- Trailer for Video and Filmmaking as Psychotherapy: Highlights coping mechanisms and growth after trauma, especially in war-affected individuals.
- Opening Credits: Credits contributors focused on mental health and trauma recovery.
- Documentary Explanation with Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng and Mark Wolf: On World Peace and its relevance to the theme.
- Explanation of Film/Video-Based Therapy: How these therapies aid soldiers and individuals in conflict zones.
- We Are The Tree of Life Segment: Focuses on Holocaust arts and culture as educational tools, emphasizing moral courage and acceptance.
- Lynn Crandall on Leadership at the USC IGM Art Gallery: Discusses the role of art in understanding and healing PTSD.
- Israeli VR Company on Compassion in Hospital Settings: Shows VR’s role in healing emotional wounds in conflict zones.
- Evan on Ukraine: A personal story about the psychological impacts of war and recovery.
- Rose Mapendo and the Congo: Emphasizes personal resilience and growth stories in the Congo.
- Elyn Saks Interview with Dr. Cohen: Discusses mental health.
- Animation Project with At-Risk Youth: Showcases animation as a therapeutic tool for youth affected by war.
- Green Screen Work and Post-Traumatic Growth Using Technology: Demonstrates how technology aids trauma recovery.
- Bravemind, PTSD, and Mental Health: Focuses on virtual reality in PTSD treatment.
- Benjamin Patton and Mental Health: Highlights Patton’s work with veterans.
- Cathy Malchiodi and Art Therapy for Soldiers: Explores art therapy for soldiers with PTSD.
- Peter Yarrow on Flowers for Ukraine and End Credits: Summarizes the meaning of each segment.
The project intertwines various mediums like documentaries, interviews, VR, and art to provide a multifaceted perspective on trauma and post-traumatic growth.