Review of Schindler's List (1993) by Desiree W — 23 Nov 2013

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie! Steven Spielberg's take on this historical event during World War II and the Holocaust is completely genius. The film was basically about a wealthy factory owner that saved the lives of hundreds of Jews during World War II by bribing other members of the Nazi Party in letting the Jews work in his factory, all while risking his own life.

In my opinion, I think that World War II was a period in time when a lot of people were for the most part riding the bandwagon in reference to the complete hate for the Jews. As the war progressed and Jews were being forced out of their homes and publicly killed to spend anywhere from two minutes to two years in these concentration camps struggling to survive, people became more aware of what was actually going on behind closed government doors.

The non-Jewish civilians who lived in these cities were influenced by the Nazi Party that these people were wicked and were depriving them of resources and supplies to fund this war against their allies; therefore they needed to be punished for that as well as not fitting into this "perfect" German race Hitler was trying to produce through mass genocide.

People all over Europe became more aware of the horrendous acts that were taking place in the work camps and Jewish ghettos of course by the circulation of rumors through conversations soldiers and generals were perhaps having with their families.

However, those who lived closer to the camps than most would unfortunately be able to smell the stench of burning bodies, see the stacks of smoke coming from the crematorium, and the ashes that were produced as a result so they would then be putting two and two together and realizing that innocent people were being killed in these camps.

In present day America and Europe, there are people who don't believe that the Holocaust ever happened. I believe that these people as well as present day Jews are becoming more aware the impact the Holocaust had on people because more people are coming forward and talking about their experiences and there is more scientific and historical evidence that has resurfaced that even the most logical person would believe.

The impact that the Holocaust has on modern Jews for some is they become more committed to the practice of their religion and are more appreciative of the fact that they can freely live a Jewish lifestyle without worrying if they're going to be killed for practicing Judaism or just being Jewish.

They no longer have to worry about being confined in crowded ghettos and forced out of their homes to be taken to camps where they would have most likely died. On the other hand, the Holocaust may have impacted non-Jewish people because they now have greater insight on what the Jewish people had to go through during the war and may have a newfound appreciation for just being an American and never having to have gone through that type of inhumanity.

As for myself I can say that I applaud the Jewish community for their strength and bravery during that time and still today likely facing anti-Semitic people. This film relates to World Religions because it directly shows the most devastating historical moments in Jewish history and how the Holocaust still affects the Jewish community today.

The Holocaust changed Judaism by strengthening their faith. The tests of faith as well as personal experiences in the Holocaust have been passed down throughout the years and used as a story indicating the struggle of their people and that the weight that was put on their religion has not broken them.