As have most of you, I've read many books, seen many movies and been to many museums that tell the story of the Holocaust in various profound and moving ways. But I wonder if revisiting the story again and again is much like the experience of war, as reported by many veterans. If you see enough horror, will you become desensitized to it?
I was thinking about this as I made my way through the first of three levels in the museum's core exhibition. I traveled through the exhibition as it was meant to be seen, starting with the introduction to Jewish culture and history, moving on to persecution and the Holocaust, and then finishing with stories of post-war experiences and reflection (some hopeful, some despairing).
Here, in short, was my reaction. On the first level, I was somewhat engaged, but I kept thinking, "They could do so much more to draw us in." Then when I got to the second level, specifically the section on the Holocaust, I felt as though I had been hit over the head with a sledgehammer. I could not complete the journey through that floor. I escaped to the "renewal" section, and to be honest it was quite difficult as well. I listened and watched people describe their search for surviving family members. Many talked about having to go on completely alone in the world -- looking for community, but often not finding it for years and years. It was incredibly painful.
So I don't have the answer to the desensitizing question. All I know is that it hasn't happened to me yet.
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