3-minute read
Temple Emanuel marks Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, on Monday, April 13, at 7 p.m. with a presentation of “Echoes from the Ashes: A Voice Remains” by Craig S. Collins, Ed.D. The event is free and open to the public; donations to Temple Emanuel or to support the project are encouraged.
Collins will share 20 photographs from his larger exhibition, including eight physical and 12 digital images. “Every single image has a narrative, the historical narrative accompanied by contemporary reflection,” he said.
The presentation will be followed by a discussion, including Rabbi David Goldstein of Temple Emanuel; Richards Plavnieks, Ph.D., associate professor of history at Florida Southern College; and Rev. Olga-Maria Cruz Ph.D. of Grace Lutheran Church. Members of the community will be invited to ask questions of the panel.
What: “Echoes from the Ashes” by Craig S. Collins, Ed.D.
When: Monday, April 13, at 7 p.m.
Where: Temple Emanuel at 600 Lake Hollingsworth Drive
Cost: Free, donations accepted
Collins said his goal is to create a “third space for discourse,” bringing people of all faiths together.
“If we believe in human rights, then we believe in the protection of all people, and we cannot be selective in how we choose to recognize and protect other individuals. Indifference is just simply not acceptable.”
‘A visual historiography’
Collins said the images in “Echoes from the Ashes” progress through the Jewish ghettos, the systematic plundering of personal belongings, deportations, and the lived experiences within the concentration camps, and then we move to color images, which are memorials.”
“It’s a visual historiography,” Collins said. “I’m trying to create a total narrative for us that the photos themselves are more than just discrete artifacts, but that they tell the story.”
Collins is not Jewish. He said that he felt inspired by God to pursue this project. “I’ve never had an affinity for studying this. That’s not been the draw, but I can just tell you, it’s a passion that I cannot put down.”
The future of the project
Collins has secured financial support to continue to expand the project and is planning future trips, including a visit to Bergen-Belsen and other sites. He said he only photographs authentic sites from the Holocaust and World War II, choosing to exclude those that have been rebuilt or recreated since the war.
“We’re seeing the biggest rise of antisemitic behavior since the Holocaust.” Collins said.
In 2024, the Anti-Defamation League recorded 9,354 antisemitic incidents in the United States — up from 942 incidents in 2015 — an increase of 893%.
“The time is now,” he said, for “Echoes from the Ashes: A Voice Remains.” “I chose the word ‘echoes’ because even as we hear today, if we’re following current events, there’s a never-ending residual of the Holocaust.”
Collins has been in talks with two museums that are interested the exhibition. “I work on this project every single day,” he said. “The whole experience for the museum will be much more than just the images itself. I have things in mind and outlined that really bring us together as promoting understanding that captures the Jewish culture and or faith.”
Collins and his wife moved to Lakeland in 1983. He has over 43 years of experience in the arts and education, including 11 years as principal at Harrison School for the Arts.
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