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Yom HaShoah 2002
USY,
In his recent book Rethinking the Holocaust, Yehuda Bauer asserts
that the Holocaust shouldn't be described as "inexplicable." Why? Because
simply put, he says, it happened, therefore we can comprehend it. The concentration
camps, the gas chambers and the horrors of the Holocaust occurred and, however
atrocious they may have been, we should not say that they are indescribable.
There are people everywhere who remember those moments of terror, second
to none in history. Thus, we too can, in some small way, comprehend that
terrible period in history.
This Yom HaShoah, in the midst of trying times in Eretz Yisrael, and thus
for Jews around the world, we must pause and take time to reflect on Yom
HaShoah. "Shoah," in Hebrew, means a widespread fire, symbolizing the havoc
and terror spread across Europe by the Nazi regime, and thus terrifying
Jews across the world. Today, we, as Jews, must take time to remember those
horrid events, not only for their historical significance, but of their
continued importance to us and all subjugated peoples. No group, whether
they are Jewish, Christian, Islam or any other, should feel so subjugated
as to be "subhuman," as to be inferior to another group. If the Holocaust
can happen to us, then it can happen (as has happen in lesser forms) to
any other group.
"Let Us Say Kaddish"
Let us say Kaddish not only for the dead, but also for the living who
have forgotten the dead.
And let the prayer be more than a prayer, more than lament; let it be
outcry, protest and defiance.
And above all let it be an act of remembrance. For that is what the
victims wanted: to be remembered, at least to be remembered.
For just as the killer was determined to erase Jewish memory, so were
the dying heroes and fighting martyrs bent on maintaining it alive.
They are now being defamed; or forgotten-which is like the killing them
a second time.
Let us say Kaddish together - and not allow others to betray them posthumously.
-Elie Wiesel
This Yom HaShoah, let each of us seek to make "Never Forget" more than
a simple slogan, but a statement. That we, as a people, will never forget
this atrocious event, not only to avoid it happening to us again, but from
it happening to any other people. The tolerance and the compassion that
we must continue to have for diversity shall ensure that for the rest of
eternity.
I hope that you all have a meaningful Yom HaShoah at your respective programs
(please remember to light a Yellow Candle). As always, feel free to contact
me at jsrabin@erols.com or IM me
at BigRabe02.
Chag Sameach,
Joshua Scott Rabin
USY Religion/Education Vice President
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