In 2025 we witnessed with horror and revulsion the advance of authoritarianism throughout the world. Shocking crimes against civilian populations, repression, and Orwellian Newspeak that seemed unthinkable just a few years ago have now become everyday realities in many parts of the world. I’m reminded of Edgar Mayer’s 1955 non-fiction book, “They Thought They Were Free,” a study of “how political tyranny is established” based on interviews he conducted with 10 men in Marburg, Germany, in 1953. As summarized by Wikipedia: “The author determined that his interviewees had fond memories of the Nazi period and did not see Adolf Hitler as evil, and they perceived themselves as having a high degree of personal freedom during Nazi rule…” A 1955 reviewer of the book wrote that it “suggests how easy it is for human beings in any society to fall prey to a dynamic political movement, provided their lives are sufficiently insecure, frustrated or empty." (my emphasis, see Wikipedia). The main mission of the OMA is, and has always been, to counter such insecurity, frustration, and emptiness with opportunities for community, connection, creativity, and meaning, which is how we understand “empowerment.” That starts simply by being a place where people feel safe enough to share thoughts and feelings with each other without fear of being discounted, ridiculed, gaslighted, or canceled, in contrast to the often adversarial, judgmental, dangerous space of public discourse. All OMA projects strive to increase this kind of empowerment, working with different communities, topics, and methods. If you’re reading this newsletter, you probably already know how Yiddish Summer Weimar brings people together every summer to learn about and celebrate diversity and creativity in the context of Yiddish and related cultures. But you may not be aware of many other OMA projects that are active locally, nationally and internationally. I invite you to read about some of those projects in this newsletter, including “Wir am Wasser in Aken,” “#openpavillon,” “Caravan Orchestra & Choir,” “Come Closer,” “YAM Ensemble,” “OMA Café,” ”Generation J,” and many others, and to meet some of the people behind these wonderful projects. Having celebrated 25 years of Yiddish Summer Weimar in 2025, we launch 2026 with a very special and long overdue topic: “Yiddish Wo:men - Another Story of Modernity.” Three new projects curated by Dr. Diana Matut and funded by the German Federal Cultural Foundation are at the center of YSW26, surrounded by a diverse program of workshops, concerts, international youth projects, and much more. Read all about it in this newsletter and check the YSW website for the latest updates. In the midst of the unspeakable violence, greed, and cynicism that directly threatens all life on Earth today, it can be easy to lose sight of the phenomenal idealism, resilience, and creativity of countless individuals and organizations throughout the world who do inspiring, life-affirming work every day in the arts, sciences, and social movements. We are profoundly grateful to this virtual community and hope that the OMA can contribute to its impact. Dr. Alan Bern |