From Holocaust Survival to Online Hate Today
Beth Lane is an award-winning director, producer, actress, activist, and second-generation Holocaust survivor. She works to build bridges for a better future and aims to curb antisemitism, hatred and bigotry through the arts and activism. She made her feature directorial debut with her film UnBroken which is now streaming on Netflix in the U.S. & Canada.
UnBroken follows Lane’s personal mission to uncover those who enabled the survival of seven Jewish siblings forced to flee Nazi Germany and emigrate to the United States following their mother’s incarceration and murder at Auschwitz.
“It really is a spiritual quest to understand what it is inside of us that can enable our muscles of empathy and compassion and courage and bravery,” Beth shared during the conversation.
Beth spoke with CCDH’s CEO Imran Ahmed about the creation of her documentary, and the importance of having hope and resilience on and offline in the face of hatred.
Although the documentary follows events related to the Holocaust, the same forces of prejudice, hate, and scapegoating echo in today’s world- including on social media.
Beth shared, “I never in my lifetime thought my family’s story would have the resonance in today’s landscape that it’s having.”
Social media platforms are becoming a safe space for antisemitism and online hate in general. CCDH’s polling found that belief in antisemitic conspiracy statements on social media are high amongst adults (49%) and teens (60%).
As CCDH CEO, Imran Ahmed points out, “Antisemitism is one of the most pernicious evils on the planet… Social media is the modern vector for this ancient evil, a virus that seems persistent and difficult to end completely.”
Watch the full interview here: