Butterflies fly free. . .

I tried being "a lady who lunches", but to no one's surprise, it just doesn't work for me. Which leads me to an unusual volunteering project, at the Charlotte JCC, that I am really enjoying.

Let me introduce you to "The Butterfly Project".  I never heard of it either, but it is a national project designed for school children from the 5th to the 12th grades, to learn about the 1.5 million children who died in The Holocaust, and to remember them by painting a ceramic butterfly for each of their names. It is an amazing experience.

First the kids, many who have no prior idea what the Holocaust was really about, gather in an auditorium to meet one of two actual survivors, watch a film of their experiences, and have a chance to ask questions.  The discussion, led by Lori Semel, the head of the project here in Charlotte, leads to talk about prejudice, discrimination of religion and races, bullying and outright terror.

Next, the kids go into a large room set up with tables.  Here's where I come in.  When I first volunteered for the Project, I helped set up the room in advance of the kids arriving. Today, for the first time, I became a "presenter".  The one standing at the front of the room, talking to the kids, and leading the discussion.

Glazing the painted butterflies to ready them
for the kiln

At each place there is a paper plate with a small ceramic butterfly on it.  There is also a printed sheet where the student writes his or her name over the name of one of the 1.5 million lost children.  Each is asked to say that name out loud as a means of remembrance.  Then they paint the butterfly after learning that each of them will eventually become part of the huge butterfly sculpture on the grounds of the JCC.

It's an amazing project, with over 30,000 Butterflies already created at the Charlotte JCC alone.  I feel very honored to be part of it, and wanted to tell you about it.

School children painting ceramic butterflies.

Every child paints his or her own design.

First I talk about the importance of a name.
Then they paint.

The incredible Butterfly Memorial to the Holocaust
Sculpture on the grounds of the JCC.

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