. Tonight marks the beginning of Holocaust Remembrance Day here in Israel. All places of entertainment will close, radios will broadcast only soft, quiet music, and the whole of Israel will embark on a day of quiet contemplation, remembering all those lost to the evil and the madness, among them most of my father's family, all the relatives he never got to know, the cousins he didn't get to grow up with, because his grandparents, aunts, and uncles, and their families, friends and neighbors, were murdered by the butchers in a world that had gone insane.
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Tomorrow morning at 10:00 a siren will sound, and for two minutes all of the country will come to a standstill. Cars on the highway will stop driving. Meetings will cease. Shopkeepers will stand silently at their tills. Pedestrians will stand quietly where they are. No music will play, conversations will halt, and all classes will stop, as we remember the six million and those who fought to save them, and vow "Never Again".
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When the siren again falls silent activity will resume, but at a quieter, softer pace, at least for a while.
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Never forget.
.
Never again.
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31 comments:
Very touching post, Robin.
I got chills reading this. I can't imagine being there in person and experiencing it. And remembering.
I met a man once who escaped across the border to France and joined the resistance there. He was 14 at the time. He was one of the lucky ones. One of three of his family to escape.
It gave me a whole different perspective on the history.
Never again.
Never ever ever forget.
May they rest in peace.
Thank you for the reminder, my thoughts are with you and your family this week.
Oh, Robin. It just boggles my mind that this happened in the first place.
Wow....what can I say. Those moments in your country must be so very moving. What an incredible way to honor the memory of those lost and to keep the horror of that time in the forefront of our minds so that it will NEVER happen again.
my thoughts will be with you
It should never have happened in the first place.
Never again. Indeed.
Thank you Robin, this is something the world must never ever forget... even though our time frame is different, I will join you at 10 am here in California...
It makes me cry, thinking of the devastation, the madness, the cruelty. Thank you for marking this day for and with the rest of us. Never forget.
The President of Israel, Shimon Peres, said in the official ceremony tonight that 1 in 3 of all the world's Jews were murdered in the Holocaust.
1 in 3.
It's beyond comprehension.
We must never forget and we must never let anything so horrific happen again.
1 in 3 is indeed beyond comprehension. This gives me chills.
Here's an educational resource guide on the holocaust http://www.findingdulcinea.com/info/holocaust-resources
We will never ever forget.
This should be a worldwide remembrance.
All the family that my husband will never know...we can't forget...
Thank you for the link anonymous. The first link in my post will also be very helpful to anyone looking to learn more - it is to Yad Vashem, Israel's official Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority.
I urge everyone to spend just a few minutes there, reading and learning a little bit more than you knew before. So that we can truly "never forget".
Good and useful post.
I didn't know about this. Thank you. If I'd know about this, at the same time I would have stood in silence as well.
Human nature has a enormous ability to embrace evil. I hope we have learned from this horrific time in the world's history...but somehow I doubt it. To your and your family, Shalom. Eaton.
Yes, never forget and never again.
Paz
If we never forget, then hopefully it will act as a caution for the future. Unfortunately, that has not turned out to be true. But I know I have raised my children not to hate and to speak up for those who are persecuted. Reminders such as this always help the next generations.
I enjoy your blog a lot, Robin. And that sunny kitchen is my current envy! :-)
I cannot imagine losing so many family members to mindless butchering. I'll never forget your story.
Very sad subject, but one we need to remember and continually educate people about. In Boston there is a beautiful memorial on the Freedom Trail behind City Hall and near Fanueil Hall.
The memorial consists of six lighted glass towers representing the six main death camps. It has six million numbers etched in the glass and steam rising from below to symbolize the ovens. I go by the area often and always stop and visit, it is very compelling.
Here is the link to visit the official site: New England Holocaust Memorial.
I will never forget; it was ingrained in me by the society I grew up in. It's not possible for me to forget. I can't imagine an entire country coming to a halt. I suspect it's heartbreaking and chilling.
A new Holocaust museum opened in my hometown yesterday. It had, at one point, an incredibly high number of Holocaust survivors. I will take my boys there when they're ready...and when I'm ready for the questions.
Dear Robin,
I pray for peace for Israel.
I also pray that the holocaust wound never must heal, never must stop aching in the conscience of all the nations of the world.
We were all guilty.
From Felisol
Thank you for this post and thank you for your comment on my site. Beautiful post.
When I lived in Germany I took a train to Dachau to witness the memorial to what occured there. It left an impression I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I only wish that our country too would observe this day of remembrance. It would be a good lesson for us all.
As much as it hurts, the only way to prevent such atrocity is to remember it. A chillingly beautiful post. I hope the day was a quiet one.
Yes, Robin, never again. Never forget.
Beyond my comprehension, the way humanity can oppress and murder its own. Never, ever again is my prayer.
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