Never Forget

I never fail to feel a tug in my heart when I view this video. The people are stopping in response to the cry of sirens, whether on highways, on beaches, or in their homes, to acknowledge Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. Although I’m sure there are those who resent this reminder of the devastating time, it bears repeating.

I feel compelled to acknowledge and contemplate, especially in these times, how fragile Jewish existence is. Protests, allegedly pro-Palestinian, are the latest manifestation of Jew-hatred. The one thing these activities do is remind all of us that hatred takes on a life of its own. It isn’t easily quelled or extinguished. For those people who insist that one group of people is the source of all the evil in the world, I call you out; you are deluded and vicious, and there is no place for you in a civilized society.

I hope that those of you who honor your Jewish friends and care about our wellbeing will take a moment to listen to the sirens that sound every year in Israel on April 24. It reminds all of us that life is precious, and we all rely on each other to find our way in this world.