Thursday, July 4, Memory and Renewal

Happy 4^th of July!  I apologize that I am creating this post a day late.  Truth be told, these Jerusalem days start REALLY early and are ending so late at night because there is so much to see.  I really needed to take a night and get to bed a little early because tomorrow (Friday, July 5) we leave the hotel at 6:45 am to get to Masada.  So please forgive me for this!  I also think that today was such an emotional one, I needed time to process all I had seen, and all I watched our traveling families experience. 

Our day began early with a discussion with Dr. Rachel Korazim, a Holocaust scholar and educator. 

She set the stage for our traveling family as to what we would experience at Yad Vashem.  She had some amazing insights for us, like the fact that all of the photos we would be seeing were either taken by Nazi soldiers (who wanted to show the Jews as less than human) and by the liberating soldiers, who saw us at our very worst.  In both cases, our humanity was stripped from us because no one asked “Hey, can we take your picture?”  The photos were taken, and needed to be taken, so we could bear witness, against our will and at the time in our lives where we would have never wanted a photo taken.  She also talked about how all the photos were in black and white because color photos were so expensive to develop.  But this makes it feel like the photos are taken from another time in history, older than it actually is.  She wanted us to remember that even though the photos were in black and white the world was actually very much in color.  The sky was not grey, it was blue.  Little girls wore colored ribbons in their hair.  This brought a new sense of reality to us.  And, she made a comment that really stuck with me.  She explained how every person is taught the number 6 million.  However, when she asked us how many names of victims we could mention, it was relatively few.  Her reminder, as was Uri’s throughout the morning, was that it was not 6 million Jews that died in the Holocaust.  It was one single Jew, one person who died 6 million times.  This focus on the individual is something I teach when I educate about the Holocaust.  It is also something that Yad Vashem does so well, helps us each to focus on the individual.

After our discussion with Dr. Korazim, we made our way to the Yad Vashem complex, the Jewish National Memorial to the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust.  My heart grew heavy as our bus approached the mountain where this complex is located.  Heavy because I knew that I would be bringing a new reality to those traveling with me who had never seen this place before.  Heavy because for most of the kids in our group, this would be the most in depth and graphic look at man’s inhumanity to other people, at the same baseless hatred that brought down the Second Temple.  I watched Hayley closely to see how she would take this in. 

Yad Vashem is a beautiful place, and I love the fact that Uri began our tour with the Avenue of the Righteous, a forest of trees, each planted in honor of those non-Jews who risked their lives and their family’s lives to help Jewish strangers. 

Uri challenged us to think about how difficult a choice it would be to help a stranger whose life was in danger.  On the surface, it is a no-brainer.  Of course we help.  Of course we try to hide Jewish families we don’t know in our home.  Of course…  Until we realize that helping puts the lives of not only ourselves, but our children at risk.  Would you help knowing that if you got caught your entire family would be exterminated just like the Jews?  The Avenue of the Righteous is such an important place to start because on this hill there is an entire forest of those who did make the choice to help.  And today, there are generations of Jews who are here because of the bravery represented by these trees.  It is an inspiring site, each tree with a plaque honoring those righteous gentiles who risked everything to help.  How amazing that where we start is not about death at all, but the preservation of life. 

And then, we entered the museum.  

Again, I am grateful that I was not allowed to take photos inside the museum, so I could take it in myself.  Normally, during trips I lead like this Uri is at the front of the line and I am at the back, making sure that all of our travelers are between him and me, to be sure no one gets left behind.  But here, at Yad Vashem, I needed to be more of a dad to Hayley today than a leader for our group.  I needed to be near to her when she would need me for an embrace, or to let her know it was ok.  Even though I knew it wasn’t ok.  Hayley has always felt things on a different level, a much deeper level than someone her age normally does.  While this seems like it would be a good thing, it also works against her as she internalizes other’s feelings to the point of allowing it to get in the way of her own…  How would she internalize the reality of the horror of the Holocaust?

There are no words to describe experiencing this place.  Just like there are no words to describe what happened during World War 2.  Uri was able to make the Holocaust tangible for us to understand and his passion for Jewish education comes through clearly as he carefully guides us through this museum and explains the details, sometimes difficult and unthinkable, to each one of us.  I am grateful for his expertise and his ability to connect with our group on every level, and his ability to present the facts to us in a gentle way, and in an honest way.  With each step I could see Hayley’s heart getting heavier and heavier.  There were times she would just reach out and wrap her arms around me in a tight embrace.  No words were necessary, and in her hug I could feel her anguish.  And my tears would flow.

There are many moments that stick out for me in the museum.  This is the 4^th time I have visited, and I am struck by the same photographs each time, and my eyes catch new ones with each visit.  I am always impacted greatly by the antisemitic board game that children used to play prewar.  It was just one example of such baseless hatred for a people.  I am also always impacted at the room where they have the yellow stars on display.  This act if separating us out from the rest of the world, another act of removing our humanity is always so hard for me to see. 

Another stop in the museum that always impacts me is the photo evidence of the beginning of the killing through the einzatzgruppen, the Nazi death squads, especially this one photo of a parent clinging to a child as a soldier was standing with the rifle pointing at them.  At first, I am struck by the way the parent is shielding the child from the rifle, even though looking at the picture you know the fate of both.  But this time, after our talk with Dr. Rachel Korazim this morning, my thoughts were on the photographer.  How could someone take this photo?  What were they thinking?  Were they horrified at what they saw?  I will, unfortunately, never find out the answers to these questions.

In another room, as Uri was talking to the group, one of our younger travelers, Sammy, was sitting on the floor next to a display showing photos of children during the Holocaust.  And in one photo, the child was sitting in the same position Sammy was in, and he was wearing his yellow star as was the law.  I first noticed how Sammy and this child were in the exact same position.  Then I noticed the yellow star.  And then I saw the big Jewish star necklace Sammy was wearing.  One child was wearing a star as a badge of shame and another as a badge of honor.  One had little hope for their future, while the other has so many opportunities to look forward to.  I pray that all of these kids on this trip realize how lucky they are to be living at a time where we are relatively safe, and where we still have the ability to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves.  I think of all the souvenirs Hayley has bought on this trip, and all the signs that proudly states that she is a Jew.  May she always be able to wear these with pride.  Another long embrace with Hayley.  This time, she is comforting me.

As Uri weaves the story of the Holocaust for us, there are countless moments I could recall for you, but, again, words do not do the experience justice.  So I will only say that I think you should all come and experience this for yourself.

As we walked through I knew we were coming to the room that always hits me the hardest.

In this circular room called the Hall of Names, there are countless binders where all of the victims of the Holocaust are listed.  In each binder is a page that represents one victim.  Every victim was registered by someone living who manually entered them into the database.  There are countless binders on these shelves.  Everywhere you look is another binder.  So far, according to Uri, there are 4.2 million names recorded in this database.  But look at this photo…

While the binders are heartbreaking, the empty shelves are unthinkable.  If 6 million Jews were murdered why have 4.2 million names been recorded?  Why not more?  Because the reality is that entire families were destroyed by Hitler’s killing machine and there is no one left to remember them.  The reality that those shelves will always remain empty leaves such a pit in my stomach that I do not even hear myself weeping.  And I look and see that Hayley is weeping, too.  Somewhere, on one page in one of these binders is the name Hermi van Hasselt, Hayley’s Holocaust twin.  And on another is Sophia van Hasselt, Carly’s Holocaust twin.  And I wonder if the other 9 kids who are becoming b’nai mitzvah this Saturday morning realize that their Holocaust twins are also on these pages.  The weight of the loss is too much to bear.  Think of all the potential that was lost in those pages, and the generations that would never come to be because of the loss of these innocent people who were the victims of baseless hate.  Another huge embrace with Hayley, this time, we are comforting each other.

We make our way out of the museum to this view…

While the reality of the Holocaust is overwhelming, Uri is here to remind us that, even with this weight, Judaism has survived.  Nazism has fallen, but Judaism is strong.  We needed that reminder that even though people have tried to destroy us, we are stronger than their hate.  And we all have a choice to make.  Judaism is like a chain link fence, with each of us adding our link to the chain.  What choice will we make?  I hope and pray that our travelers, and perhaps you reading this at home, will make the choice to help strengthen the chain of Judaism.  I know I am inspired to do so.

We make our way from the museum to the Children’s Memorial.  The first thing you notice is the pillars at the top of the memorial.

Uri explained it like these are kids lining up for a class photo, each in perfect lines, and each pillar broken, representing the lives of these precious children cut short.  More tears.  Another hug.

I will not share with you the details of the Children’s Memorial.  It is something that defies explanation.  What I will tell you is that each time I walk through this memorial I am different when I exit.  It truly is one of those life-defining moments for me. 

Following this we gathered in front of the Janusz Korczak statue to do a brief memorial service.  

I love this space because when I was in Poland, some 3 and a half years ago, we visited his orphanage in Warsaw and learned all about his story and how he comforted all of the children in his care as he and they were led into the gas chambers at Treblinka.  Even though he could have saved himself, he chose to be that source of comfort for those children whose fate was sealed by the Final Solution.  In front of his statue and memorial, we prayed and wept as a community.  It felt good to be with my community in prayer after such an experience. 

Following our visit at Yad Vashem, we made our way to a truly unique and amazing experience in Israel, as we took part in an archeological dig at the Beit Guvrin Caves.  At first it seems inappropriate that we go from such a heavy and emotional experience to one that is so much fun, but, in reality it was important for us to do this.  It is so easy to get weighted down by the Holocaust.  If we allow it to consume us and define who we are, it is as if we are giving Hitler a posthumous victory.  Instead, we need to hold the memories close to our hearts, to hold the 1 Jew that died 6 million times close to us and make the choice to live.  What better way to say with a clear and strong voice that Hitler lost then by fully enjoying the rest of our trip to Israel? 

The archeological dig is not a staged activity.  We participated in an actual dig, as we got our hands dirty and uncovered pottery and other items from the Hellenistic period, 2300 years ago.  In other words, we were the first humans to find and hold these items in 2300 years, since the time of the Macabees!  This is an incredible experience!

During our dig we found many items, including countless pieces of pottery, bones from the food that was consumed, charred remnants from the fires that were built, and even some special items.  Hayley found a tooth and a piece of glass!  The glass was put into a place called “special findings” as glass from this period is an extremely rare find. 

Following the dig, we sifted through the dirt we pulled from the caves to find more treasures.

And then, those who were interested crawled through the Maresha Cave Labyrinth, a cave that is totally unexcavated and lit by candlelight.  This was a tough crawl!

We got back to the hotel with just enough time to grab a shower and a bite to eat before those who chose to do so went back to the Western Wall Plaza in order to experience the Western Wall Tunnel, the underground continuation of the Temple Mount’s Western Wall, exposed in recent years.  The Western Wall that we see is huge, but we can’t see how deep it goes into the ground and how long it continues because of the Arab Quarter built up on top of it. 

We saw the largest stone in all of the Western Wall structure and marveled at how it could have possibly been moved and placed.  The truth is, we just don’t know.

We then made our way through the tunnel to the point that we believe is closest to the Holy of Holies, now a special place for women to pray. 

Then, just past this we went to a large part of the wall that is believed to be a piece of Mount Moriah, the very mountain where Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac.  This was the moment I was waiting for, as this was the place, as close to the Holy of Holies as we could get, where I could wrap my arms around Hayley and we could lay our hands on the Western Wall together and pray.  This is my Western Wall.

I am so grateful that someone captured this photo.  It is a special moment for us both.  This was an embrace that felt much different than the ones at Yad Vashem.  And the tears that flowed down our faces were not ones of sadness, but ones of gratitude that we could be in that place together. 

This was another incredible day in our home in the east.  Israel feels more and more like home with each activity.  I cannot wait to share in the adventure of tomorrow with this group of travelers.