The sirens went off. Every Israeli stopped dead in their tracks. In the middle of the streets, on bicycles, getting out of cars, grocery lines. Everything stopped. An entire country. For two minutes. Sirens blaring in every town, everyone took two minutes out of their day to remember those lost in the Holocaust. It was a sight to behold.
Living in Israel on days like these, I am so grateful. Getting to understand a perspective completely different than my own, I love living each day with new things to learn. Holocaust Remembrance day was tough. Already decently bummed about other things, the somber atmosphere kept me at a steady blah all day. In the evening there was a special ceremony in our Kibbutz dining room. There were so many Kibbutzniks, all somber, and more quiet than I think I have ever seen a group of Israeli’s. The names of some of those murdered were read over the microphone before the ceremony began. In Hebrew, the ceremony opened with a beautiful flute solo on a black stage lit by a single spotlight. Rows upon rows of people sat, handkerchief in hand, staring beyond the performance, no doubt remembering the horror. Here the Holocaust is not just a history lesson, it is a recurrent fear. Many Jewish people believe the Holocaust can happen again. It is a very real concern. Throughout the night, there were readings from Anne Frank’s diary and poems. The service could’ve been in Ukrainian and it would’ve been universally understood. The depth of emotion that night breached anything I have seen in a while. Sadness, nostalgia and pain were tangible that night. Let us always remember. Let us always stand up.
Take a glance http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8615319.stm
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