I promised myself I would not get political on this blog. I am trying hard not to do so, however, today is International Holocaust Memorial Day. As a grandchild of survivors, this day holds a special significance to me. My bubbie and zaidy on my mom's side both lived through the war. My bubbie had three brothers and her mother also survive. Her father and one brother were murdered. My zaidy had his two brothers survive, one of whom lost a wife and child. He also lost a sister. I don't know if I should go into detail here about what they went through. I prefer to remember my bubbie as a happy person. A person full of love for her family, especially her grandchildren. I know that during the war they were transported to Siberia. They had to do all kinds of labour there. One of my great uncles fought in the Polish resistance. I heard stories from my bubbie about friends who were horrifically killed, along with their entire families.
My point is this: Today we are supposed to remember the six million men, women, and children who died at the hands of the Nazis. This time in history is a huge warning to us all about what can happen if we allow our hatred to rear up and take over. It also shows us what can happen if we as a world sit back and allow one group to destroy another. We can not be silent when hatred and fear is allowed to grow. Now, I sit back and I see so many people who deny that the Holocaust ever happened. How can we allow ourselves to be silent to this? I have seen my bubbie's identification papers from this time, marked with the star identifying her as a Jew. I have seen the numbers that were tatooed on my great aunt's arm from where she was taken to a camp. I have seen pictures of relatives I will never know. It saddens me that this denial is still going on. My brother went on March of the Living. He saw the remains of the camps, he walked the steps of thsoe who died.
Today I remember the victims of the Holocaust. A terrible event in history that DID happen. No one can ever tell me otherwise.
My point is this: Today we are supposed to remember the six million men, women, and children who died at the hands of the Nazis. This time in history is a huge warning to us all about what can happen if we allow our hatred to rear up and take over. It also shows us what can happen if we as a world sit back and allow one group to destroy another. We can not be silent when hatred and fear is allowed to grow. Now, I sit back and I see so many people who deny that the Holocaust ever happened. How can we allow ourselves to be silent to this? I have seen my bubbie's identification papers from this time, marked with the star identifying her as a Jew. I have seen the numbers that were tatooed on my great aunt's arm from where she was taken to a camp. I have seen pictures of relatives I will never know. It saddens me that this denial is still going on. My brother went on March of the Living. He saw the remains of the camps, he walked the steps of thsoe who died.
Today I remember the victims of the Holocaust. A terrible event in history that DID happen. No one can ever tell me otherwise.
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