Holocaust Memorial Day

Monday was Yom Hashoah (holocaust remembrance day), which is also the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. I think it will stick out in my mind for a long time to come (Suzanne, the one who hasn't written in a while). The night before Yom Hashoah, my class went to a ceremony. Oren, Josh (other Jewish and American student) and I were very surprised when it turned out to be at the Young Judea Year Program Facility. It was a very nice ceremony lead by freshman. We felt like it was an event by BBYO, NCSY, NFTY....pick your Jewish American youth group. The Israeli social advisor said it was very different from anything that Israeli's do for remembrance. It was the only English Yom Hashoah ceremony they could find in Jerusalem. The next morning, Yom Hashoah, we had class from 8:30am-3:30pm. At 9:45am they dismissed us from class to attend a ceremony in the school auditorium. There was around 400 people in attendance. The ceremony started with 2 minutes of silence, marked with sirens throughout the entire country. During these 2 minutes, the entire country stops. If you are driving, talking, eating, learning you stop and stand up. It was a very eerie feeling throughout in the auditorium. I felt chills going through my body. All you heard were sirens. Following the silence there was a ceremony, totally in Hebrew. I cannot really tell you what it was about. The only thing I caught on to was that a 94 year old holocaust survivor spoke (in Hebrew). He was amazing. This guy survived Auschwitz and played the violin as the prisoner's were sent to the work fields each day. At the end of his speech he played the violin and then everyone joined him in the national anthem. Simply Amazing!

I think it is important to point out some of Oren's family history. Oren's paternal grandmother survived Auschwitz. She was a patient of Dr. Mengala. Unfortunately, I do not know more. I think it will be important to get more information from his grandfather. It is an important part of our history and NO ONE SHOULD FORGET. Oren's grandfather escaped the Nazi's. He saw the Nazi's coming into his home town in Poland and fled. Unfortunately, the only other family member that survived a concentration camp was his brother. When Oren's grandfather escaped he joined the red army(Russians) and spent over a year in Siberia. As soon as I learn more, I will share their story. I hope everyone is well. Back to my homework!

Oren's interjection: I was at work when the sirens went off. Conversations abruptly stopped and everyone that I could see with my peripheral vision was standing at attention and their head bowed. This Monday will be memorial day in Israel and immediately at sundown the celebration for Independece Day begins. From tremendous sadness to tremendous happiness. Can you imagine traffic on LBJ (freeweay in Dallas) stopping for 2 minutes of silence? Another interesting fact - the government adjusts the day if it effects shabbat (the sabath).
Another explanation of this day at this link: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/yomhazikaron.html