The Holocaust and Heroism

Wow, just wow. I've been to the Holocaust museum here in West Jerusalem named Yad Vashem (taken from Isa 56:5 KJV "a place and a name" - so referenced as the custom goes childless Jew couples would build buildings to bring their own name into a state of remembrance - so these 6 million Jew dead receive this museum as a remembrance). Upon our first entering our Judaism instructor Ophir Yarden pointed out the many carob trees at the entrance (the carob traditionally being a sweet remembrance). These are for the "Avenue of the Righteous" and each tree is dedicated to an individual or a family who risked their lives in order to save the Jews (there are some thousands of trees). He pointed out that any Jew going through would be reminded that though there were many atrocities which the Gentile inflicted on them there are these righteous examples (highlighted in the museum is not only German and surrounded conquered countries Holocaust actions but also how foreign countries refused to accept the immigrants who were trying to get out before and during the Holocaust). We first came to a plaza which illustrated well the theme of the day and that is Heroism and the Holocaust. Relief 1 and Relief 2 Two statues displayed the opposing reactions to the Holocaust events. Relief 1 shows an Heroic image of the ghetto fighters - those who saw the signs did not believe the illusions and fought and tried to convince others to do the same (this group is an minority). Relief 2 shows dejected Jews following orders and numbly praying to God (a note I made was that this group was holding the Torah and the other was not). This brings to my mind a deep question of national identity complex - are we Heroes or are we that other group (whom the ghetto fighters said were going like sheep to the slaughter). Just before the 67 war (6 day war) much Holocaust imagery was written. People saying for instance that I've been told to be heroic like the ghetto fighters but I'm not sure I will measure up. Also, for example the Israeli Olympic athletes being killed by the group Black September - it was reported that none of the athletes fought back (This was viewed as that second group behavior).


Our first stop was to the Hall of Remembrance where they usually take dignitaries of foreign lands - there is an eternal flame lit there next to a tomb like stone as well as names of the extermination camps (a note is that the Holocaust did not occur, both geographically or chronologically, in the State of Israel - so in bringing foreign dignities here Israel is declaring its Jewish ties and implies they speak for the Jews of all Nations). On the opposing wall is a steel hebrew letter quote of Isaiah 56:5. 


Next was the Memorial for the Children. As you enter there is darkness - I had to grab a iron rod and continue forward. There are candles in the center of a circular walkway. Glass panels and mirrors elegantly constructed shroud where these candles exactly are and mirrors on the tops and bottoms give the imagery which seems to me to be the stars in the sky. And in English are read the names of those children killed in the Holocaust. Upon exiting it is explained that a teacher in a ghetto planted a tree against Nazi regulations (because that Jewish holiday called for planting trees). So in this modern day it is realized and being acted upon that planting trees and education as well as protecting children all are extreme Heroic acts (a shaft of that same tree is planted there on the path as you exit the Memorial). 


Now for the more traditional Museum section - this section should be taken with a six hour self tour for maximum intake - we had two hours. I will try no exhaustive essay on the subject I learned here - there is too much. There were some 9 sections in the museum - some focused on ghetto life another on Hitler and Nazi actions against Jews throughout different sections of history. Things I learned were that in West countries it was more focused on extreme limiting of Jews in a legal sense (and the deportation of many Jews to the East), and that in the East is were the ghettos were set up as well as where the extermination camps were. I learned that those in ghettos would sometimes be asked to "Resettle" to "Work Camps". In the museum there were signs similar to the ones over those work camps which basically read Work brings freedom. Up until the very last moments these Jews might have been under the impression that they were actually working in Labor camps for the Nazi war machine - these Jews were killed. There were many variations to the theme but the degree to which the Nazi's wanted all Jews dead was never fully realized by me till now. One could say the last acts the SS and Nazis were committing was an outright killing of as many Jews as they could. Logistics for the bodies were presented at length. I tended to listen to survivors testimonies which were on the television screen - most tended to say how they didn't understand that their nationalism to their country meant nothing to that country. One survivor was smiling while describing it all - the internment camps - ghetto life and living of the holidays under quite grim circumstances - he said "many ask me that, how I can smile, I tell them that smiling saves me. Because if it were not for that I would be crying endlessly". Those ghetto fighters staged a number of revolutions against the Nazis one of the largest was in Warsaw. I can hardly say more - if I think of anything unique to the general obvious theme I will edit this page to add it. 


Next to the peak of Mt Herzl


4 Questions now:
David moved an item to a mountain in order to improve the spiritual centrality of the new capital
Who is David?
What is the item?
What mountain?
How did it improve the centrality?


There are two answers and this displays well the Orthodox Jew (left) vs Zionist (right) ideology:

King David (Biblical) - David Ben Gurion (1st Prime Minister of Israel)

Ark of the Covenant - Theodor Herzl's body 

Mount Moriah (Temple mount) - Mt Herzl (where there is a large plaza and ceremonies held)

Most sacred object to the capital - Theodor Herzl is Zionisms originator 

You see Herzl did not much care for Jerusalem in truth - he considered it full of religious peoples who were not altogether with him in his dream. So when trying to follow his will there was a great debate about where it should be laid (he requested it be moved to the State of Israel when it was created). The final argument went that it would improve the spirituality of the State of Israel. To what spirit? one could ask - Herzl cared very little about the religious segment of Jewish life. It was presented to us there is a battle between two mountains Mount Herzl and Mount Moriah. 


The Zionists (who equate themselves as Heroics - and with the Maccabees ) are secular. Their versions of songs for the Hanukkah display this perfectly - It is Israel doing the miracles (Not God) - There was no jug of oil provided by God to the Maccabees and it is Zionism lighting the darkness (a tradition was that this jug lasted for 8 days rather than 1 in the temple by Gods power - which actually is the basis for the Hanukkah holiday) etc. The Orthodox have their versions for Hanukkah which include God of course, but these are examples from the most popular songs of the Hanukkah holiday. We went up to Herzls grave which is the head of a great plaza. There is a ceremony for Hanukkah performed on top of this mount where the speaker for the Knesset lights the Hanukkahs and on the first time this was done the newspapers reported that the lights emanated as it was in old from Jerusalem to the mountains and hilltops throughout Israel (But it was Moriah not Herzl mount from which the lights emanated of old). Also on top the mountain is a hill of cedar trees each planted by a foreign dignitary visiting the new state of Israel - this ceremony is now next to never performed and in it's stead is laying wreaths at the aforementioned Hall of Remembrance. 


/end that day


Today's activities are worth mentioning - I went out with a group to see what we could see. We walked along the Ottoman wall of the Old City but turned right at nearly the first chance into what I thought was mostly a shopping district. To my surprise there was a festival going on (we saw another festival later) I'm not entirely sure what it was commemorating. There was a Ferris wheel and horse rides (as well as a mechanical bull, roller coaster, and bouncy house at the other place). Anyways these young kids gathered around us and were good natured at first - it was pretty fun really. I was teaching them fun hand shakes to do. I took a short walk over to the ferris wheel to look at it. The rest of the group stayed back there basically and after a short bit I realized they were gone and one member Taylor Crane was talking with those who had just led him on a horse ride. Unable to pay them the amount they wanted I was there to bail him out and get out of there as well. When it was revealed to me the things I had missed - I did not get to see how things escalated to the harassment of the girls of the group (shocking to me). That's why we opted not to go into the second festival we saw in the old city. The old city was flooded with kids and they seemed to be taking a lot of pictures (there were 2 guys with snakes to take pictures with). Then we went to Jimmy's a woodshop owner and saw some of the pieces there very cool. Well have a good one!