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Reflections on an extraordinary journey with Jacqueline Pery and the film “Sisters in Resistance”It has been one of the most inspiring and moving experiences of my life to have the privilege of meeting Jacqueline Pery and presenting her to our enthusiastic audience at EnlightenNext Boston. We invited Jacqueline to travel from her home in Paris to appear as our special guest in this first event in our new series, Frontiers of Film, which features inspiring stories of awakened human potential and consciousness.
Present at the event were several high officials of the French, German and Israeli consulates of New England, who together with everyone in the room, including many survivors of the Holocaust, came to honor Jacqueline and bear witness to the deeply moving story of heroism, sacrifice, sisterhood and freedom, portrayed in this remarkable film. Jacqueline was a delicate figure on the stage, but she commanded the entire room with her presence, light and dignity. She transmitted palpably the raw experience of the events she lived through, both as member of the French Resistance and in her fight to survive incarceration in the Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. Despite the darkness of the subject matter, she spoke only from a profound sense of conscience and deep love of humanity.
The precious time I spent with Jacqueline, speaking quietly and intimately about the events and choices that determined her destiny, had a deeply healing and consciousness raising effect on my soul. I fell in love with her spirit and remain haunted by the depth and power of her words. Before the war, as a teenager, she sang Renaissance Music quite seriously. It was during her six month period of solitary confinement in France that these beautiful melodies supported her as she sang them over and over in her mind. It was later in Ravensbruck that she would sing these soulful tunes aloud to comfort her dearest Sisters in their darkest hour.
Judy Gerratt
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Events & Venue Rental: venue@38cameron.com |
38 Cameron Avenue, Suite 100 |
Having previewed and selected this award winning documentary, “Sisters in Resistance”, dedicated to Jacqueline and directed by Maia Wechsler, I knew that we were in for something really special, but the power of the evening, and my direct experience of Jacqueline’s depth and transcendent spirit, surpassed all imaginable expectations.
On this journey with Jacqueline, I have had the opportunity of meeting many soulful people, some of whom are survivors themselves. I spoke to one woman on the phone whose life had been saved by members of the French Resistance and who wanted to meet and honor Jacqueline. She was so humble and positive. It absolutely broke my heart. I actually could not stop sobbing at one point, and realized that I have never really allowed myself to let in the overwhelming intensity of this chapter in human history and my connection to it as a Jew with relatives who perished. 
It was a joy to experience Jacqueline's ever present transparency, humor, super inquisitiveness and wide awake love of life. She shared freely many stories from the entire span of her life, from her early pre war memories of her family and friends, to her post retirement 20 year journey of opening her intimate and courageous tale to the world. She has raised a family, has a great-grand child she adores and had a wonderful career in the business world.
At one point, I was sitting “backstage" with Jacqueline, just before she was about to enter the room where she was to speak after the film. She was obviously nervous and said that it was because it was so important that she come completely and absolutely from her heart. She told me she was always nervous just before speaking because of the transparent place she needs to come from in order to communicate her experience consistently from the deepest place of honesty. With tears in our eyes, we embraced, and together entered the room packed full of people who honored her with an overwhelming and heartfelt standing ovation. 