Dateline Jerusalem — This week Israel observed Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day. “HaShoah” means “the catastrophe” in Hebrew. “Yom” means “day.” I lit a yahrzeit (memorial) candle in remembrance.

Sunday night there were candle lighting and memorial ceremonies sponsored by the Israeli government. Monday morning the entire country came to a halt as air raid sirens blasted throughout the country continuously for two full minutes.

Silence was everywhere except for the blaring sirens and howling dogs. All traffic stopped. Cars pulled to the side of the road, and their occupants exited the vehicles to join the rest of the country standing at attention with heads bowed in silent devotion and prayer.

Pedestrians stopped wherever they were walking and stood still. People in their homes and businesses also quit their activities to pay respect to the six million Jews who lost their lives in the Holocaust.

Places of entertainment like movie theaters and pubs throughout Israel were closed down. Most television stations were off the air except for those stations showing Holocaust movies, ceremonies dedicated to the memory of those who died, and interviews of survivors. Many Israeli senior citizens are Holocaust survivors. Many of the younger generation are children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of survivors. Some are still traumatized by their experiences of 70 years ago as numbers tattooed onto their arms are a constant reminder of the horrors.

Face to Face with the Shoah

A national Holocaust memorial service was held. Several of the survivors made up the audience at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. Six survivors were chosen to carry torches, one for each of the six million Jews who were slaughtered. They were accompanied by their grandchildren to the stage where female soldiers handed them the torches to light the memorial flames. Most were able to walk. One came in a wheelchair. There were short histories of their lives and pictures of them as children and young adults. Many in the audience were the only members of their families to survive, as their parents, grandparents,siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins all perished. A friend of mine was named after one of the 78 people in her immediate family who died.

As I watched from my TV at home, I could not keep the tears from dripping down my face. But probably the most moving part was when everyone rose to sing “Hatikvah,” the national anthem of Israel. Hatikvah means “hope.” As I stood, in my bedroom, watching soldiers saluting, the audience and chosen participants standing at attention, my voice cracked as we all sang “Hatikvah” together. But, it was difficult for me to sing with the lump in my throat.

Just as our forefathers who stood at Mount Sinai and received the Torah had passed down the experience from generation to generation, so, too, do these survivors and witnesses pass down to their children and to the world what happened. We must never forget!!

Unfortunately there are those who deny the Holocaust ever occurred. There are anti-Semitic incidents rising all over the world. And it is said that anti-Semitism in Europe today is almost as high as it was just prior to Hitler's rise to power. Jews from France and Sweden are leaving their countries and fleeing to Israel. Even Jews in England no longer feel safe there. And just last week, a machete was thrown at two Jewish university students in Canada. During Pesach (Passover) in the United States, off-duty police were hired as security guards at many synagogues throughout the country to protect worshipers. But in Europe, many could not pray in peace as their synagogues were attacked.

Perhaps it is appropriate that Israel chose the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising as Yom HaShoah. While most of European Jewry were like sheep going to slaughter, a few Jews in Warsaw rose up and fought their oppressors.

Israel is like an island, surrounded by enemies who deny its right to exist. But the Israeli mentality is “Never again,” and even if no one in the world will help, Israelis will not go to slaughter without putting up a fight.

May there never be another Holocaust again.

May the people in Israel live here peacefully, and safely. And may those of you in the Diaspora have a home in Israel should, G-d forbid, you need a place to go.

L'hitraot. Shachar

Shachar is the Hebrew name of a California-based attorney and former Los Angeles County deputy sheriff who moved to Israel 2 ½ years ago.