April 12, 2018

In Tel Aviv: Holocaust (Shoah) Remembrance Day


When the SS murdered Romanian-born Leah's parents in front of her,
a Christian neighbor heard the screams and gunshots,
dashed into the house, grabbed the 9-year-old child survivor
insisting she was hers, and hid Leah in a crawl space 3 years.

Note: I first published this post on Yom Hashoah 2009.

Today, as every year on the 27th day of the Hebrew month Nisan, at 10 A.M., a two-minute siren wailed nationwide. The sound calls us to remember the six million Jews — one-third of world Jewry then, among them 1.5 million children that the Third Reich systematically exterminated in less than five years. Five million more victims perished, including German opponents of Nazism, Gypsies/Roma, Serbs, Polish intelligentsia, resistance fighters from all nations, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, people with disabilities, habitual criminals, and the "antisocial" such as beggars, vagrants, and hawkers.

In Israel, listening to the siren, activities and conversations stop and traffic halts: drivers and passengers exit cars, busses, taxis, and trucks; and pedestrians stand still. Yom Hashoah memorial ceremonies follow at the Knesset (Parliament), the Yad Vashem Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority, and in schools, organizations, and institutions nationwide.

At the corner of Tel Aviv's Allenby and Yavne Streets, in the first public Beit Avot (Home for the Aged), I joined the residents, most of them Shoah survivors, for their memorial ceremony.

Watch the video (5:21 minutes).




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8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the video... I am staying with a friend in San Francisco and showed it to her - she finally understands what I mean when I tell her that this is a very different, special day.

Keep on posting! I enjoy it!

Unknown said...

Dear Tamar,
thank you for the link.
And now I discovered your blog. I enjoy it; I am sure we are going to meet one of these days on the streets of TLV
Hag sameah

Anonymous said...

My grandparents were Romanian. Lucky they came to the US at the turn of the century. Very large ideas from such a small place, Israel. Imagine a whole country standing still to learn from and dwell on the past. Powerful moment and impression on young and old, far and near. Tamar, thank you for bringing this near to me. Craig

Stefan, Vienna said...

There should be a day like this with sirens in Europe, too. The perpetrators, bystanders and their offspring also should remember, not only the victims.

Thanks for sharing!

Unknown said...

Thank you for documenting the ceremony Tamar. It touches everyone, and many who live at the home
have very personal connections. I especially like the way you chose to end it with a an affirmation.
Susanne

Tulasi said...

Dear Tamar, This is indeed a great day not only for the Jewish People but for the mankind. My question always is, Why did this happen? It's sad. I wish I am there [in Israel] to comfort the people. My support and solidarity for Jewish people is always there. — With warm regards, Tulasi

Maureen Milham said...

I love this, Tamar!!! Soooo beautiful... glad u went there :)

Uriel said...

Impressive film edition- you make professional movies- but the theme is difficult. Nice that you re involved with that.