Rembering Yom HaShoah
Although it has been almost two months since I have posted on this blog, there is a moment, in time, in the history of the world, that I choose to remember, which begins at sundown tonight: Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Rememberance Day. At 10:am, in Israel tomorrow, a siren will sound, for two minutes for all to remember:
For me, it is important that we acknowledge this day, whatever our level of comfort or discomfort, to remember those who perished, suffered, survived, and to keep an eye in the moment, considering the state of the world as it exists today. No matter who we are, or what we have, we must remember:
We remember the six million Jewish martyrs, including 1.5 million children, who were exterminated in the Holocaust. We remember the entirely new alphabet created by the Nazis for the Final Solution -- from the letter "A" for Auschwitz to the letter "Z" for Zyklon-B.
We remember not only the tragic deaths of the six million Jews, but also their vibrant lives -- as shopkeepers and craftsmen, scientists writers, musicians, teachers and students, parents and children, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters. We remember the richly hued and ancient Jewish civilizations that were destroyed -- from Salonika, Greece to Vilna, Lithuania. We remember the fertile soil of European anti-Semitism -- cultivated over centuries by cultural, political, and religious voices -- that created an all-too-receptive climate for the Nazi objective of eliminating the Jewish people.
We remember the courage of Denmark, as well as Albania, Bulgaria, and Finland, for their extraordinary efforts to protect their own Jewish communities. We remember the courage of thousands of Righteous Persons -- whom we call, in Hebrew, hasidei umot ha'olam -- who risked their own lives that others might live. We remember the millions of non-Jews, including Poles and Russians and Romas.
We remember the disabled, those who suffered from mental illness, political opponents, homosexuals and gypsies, all who were murdered under the relentless Nazi onslaught.
We remember the courageous survivors of the death camps, who endured such unimaginable suffering and who have inspired and whose strength continues to inspire us, all with their indomitable courage, spirit, and will to live. We look at their lives and remember their never ending hope and ability to endure, and to be strong when faced with such horrendous difficulties.
We remember the absence of an Israel in those war-time years, an Israel which, had it existed, would have provided a haven when so shamefully few countries were willing to accept Jewish refugees.
We shall never forget those who perished.
We shall never forget those who saved even a single life. As it is written in the Talmud: "He who saves one life has saved the world.We shall never forget the importance of speaking out against intolerance, whenever and wherever it occurs.
We shall never forget the inextricable link among democracy, the rule of law, and protection of human rights.
We shall never forget the age-old prophetic vision, one which becomes more and more difficult to remember in the world as it exists today, but sight of a world of justice, harmony, and peace.
And we shall never forget that each of us, in ways large and small, can help bring us closer to the realization of that beautiful vision.
So long as I am alive, I shall never forget you....
For me, it is important that we acknowledge this day, whatever our level of comfort or discomfort, to remember those who perished, suffered, survived, and to keep an eye in the moment, considering the state of the world as it exists today. No matter who we are, or what we have, we must remember:
We remember the six million Jewish martyrs, including 1.5 million children, who were exterminated in the Holocaust. We remember the entirely new alphabet created by the Nazis for the Final Solution -- from the letter "A" for Auschwitz to the letter "Z" for Zyklon-B.
We remember not only the tragic deaths of the six million Jews, but also their vibrant lives -- as shopkeepers and craftsmen, scientists writers, musicians, teachers and students, parents and children, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters. We remember the richly hued and ancient Jewish civilizations that were destroyed -- from Salonika, Greece to Vilna, Lithuania. We remember the fertile soil of European anti-Semitism -- cultivated over centuries by cultural, political, and religious voices -- that created an all-too-receptive climate for the Nazi objective of eliminating the Jewish people.
We remember the courage of Denmark, as well as Albania, Bulgaria, and Finland, for their extraordinary efforts to protect their own Jewish communities. We remember the courage of thousands of Righteous Persons -- whom we call, in Hebrew, hasidei umot ha'olam -- who risked their own lives that others might live. We remember the millions of non-Jews, including Poles and Russians and Romas.
We remember the disabled, those who suffered from mental illness, political opponents, homosexuals and gypsies, all who were murdered under the relentless Nazi onslaught.
We remember the courageous survivors of the death camps, who endured such unimaginable suffering and who have inspired and whose strength continues to inspire us, all with their indomitable courage, spirit, and will to live. We look at their lives and remember their never ending hope and ability to endure, and to be strong when faced with such horrendous difficulties.
We remember the absence of an Israel in those war-time years, an Israel which, had it existed, would have provided a haven when so shamefully few countries were willing to accept Jewish refugees.
We shall never forget those who perished.
We shall never forget those who saved even a single life. As it is written in the Talmud: "He who saves one life has saved the world.We shall never forget the importance of speaking out against intolerance, whenever and wherever it occurs.
We shall never forget the inextricable link among democracy, the rule of law, and protection of human rights.
We shall never forget the age-old prophetic vision, one which becomes more and more difficult to remember in the world as it exists today, but sight of a world of justice, harmony, and peace.
And we shall never forget that each of us, in ways large and small, can help bring us closer to the realization of that beautiful vision.
So long as I am alive, I shall never forget you....
