Yellow Stars of Tolerance

Filmmaker Curt Fissel's Yellow Stars of Tolerance tells the story of now-fading yellow stars painted on the side of a synagogue that represent preserved symbols of a tragic past. France's complicated history during World War II included the cooperation of French authorities in arresting Jews during the Nazi occupation (although there was also a strong resistance movement). In July of 1942, in an action known as the “Vel'd'Hiv Roundup,” over 10,000 Jews were arrested in Paris. The anti-Semitic stars (reminiscent of the identifying Star of David patch that Jews were forced to wear) were painted by Nazi sympathizers on a synagogue in Elbeuf following the mass arrests. These fading stars continue to silently document a horrific time in world history. A recognition ceremony—recorded during the 2014 70th anniversary of D-Day—with French and U.S. officials (including President Obama)—sets the context here for recollecting what was to be the beginning of the end for the Paris Jewish community in the mid-1940s. Some escaped to safety, while others either hid or tried to integrate into smaller French communities. The documentary also features survivors (all of them children during World War II) who recount personal stories of fear, terror, and hardship—and acts of kindness and support from the French—as they fled Nazi oppression. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (C. Block)