SAN DIEGO — There's an art exhibit about the Holocaust on display at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla. It's free to the public and open until May 10.
The artist himself was a Holocaust survivor. He's since passed, but his story lives on through a program that empowers high school students to use his art to teach their peers about that time in history.
"This is the beginning of the exhibit. That's the Great Synagogue. It was the center and heart of Jewish community," Rebecca Leeman shared, as she gave me a tour of the exhibit.
"It's winter time, you can see a guard here forcing out the family," said Leeman, who is a junior at San Diego's Torah High School.
"You can see his eyes, they're dark, they're haunting — just showing the suffering he was forced to go through at this time in his life," she said, while explaining one of the paintings.
Leeman was selected as the art curator for the David Labkovski Student Docent and Leadership Training Program.
"These people were on their way to the gas chambers, but still painted with brighter colors, because these people had so much life left in them," Leeman said. "By the end of the Holocaust, 95% of the Vilna Jewish Community had been murdered."
Leeman added, "I really wanted to educate people on the past and show how we can use that in the present and safeguard from the atrocities so that it doesn't carry on to this next generation."
About the artist
David Labkovski, the artist, produced more than 400 pieces of art, depicting life from three major timeframes: before the Holocaust in his vibrant life in Vilna Lithuania, to a very dark time at a prison camp in Siberia during World War II, and ultimately, to his freedom and renewal in Israel.
"The brightness returns, he begins to paint more flora, fruit and beautiful landscapes. I think that shows the beginning of his healing," Leeman said.
He made it to age 91. I'm told he survived that time, in a way, because of art.
"He became the prison tattoo artist and because of this he was able to get an extra scrap of bread, a potato peel, so he survived," Leora Raikin said, who is the Founder and Executive Director of the project — and great niece of the artist.
Art history program for high schoolers
It was her idea to create this free program that has high school students teaching their peers about the Holocaust through her uncle's artwork.
"We use the philosophy of what do you see, what do you think, how do you feel? What is the conversation you want to have with this artist," Raikin added.
The ultimate hope is that education ensures history does not repeat itself.
"I never thought as an immigrant I would see this level of antisemitism, as we're seeing on college campuses," Raikin said. "We at the David Labkovski Project are here to show what hatred and words, can lead to."
Rebecca hopes her classmates see it as a reminder to lead with love.
"We need to foster tolerance, empathy, having an understanding of others and learning about different cultures and faiths," Leeman said.
High schoolers can apply online for the summer program "Documenting History Through Art."
"He would have been in awe of Rebecca and all of these students, because they've taken this so seriously," Raikin said.
The Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center is open to people from all faiths. They have a swimming pool, fitness center, youth theater company and international film festival.
"Our catchphrase is, the J welcomes all — we want everyone who walks through these doors, from whatever part of the world, to feel welcome and come find community here," said Jordan Fruchtman, who is the Chief Program Officer.
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