Holocaust Day Commemoration Speech
Yom haSho'ah Commemoration Speech; Dordrecht (Netherlands), May 2, 2019
During its long history as a vulnerable minority, the Jewish people have found themselves in a precarious situation. On the one hand, Jews were – and still are – admired for their rich history, their special heritage, and their achievements. Some people believe them to be smart and point out how Jews have disproportionately contributed to science, have received Nobel prizes, and are successful businessmen. Others admiringly refer to the State of Israel where so much was achieved in a relatively short period of time.
But on the other hand, Jews are sometimes portrayed as the incorporation of evil, even as the Devil’s henchmen. While in the Middle Ages, Jews were suspected to have spread pestilence by poisoning the wells, today Jews are accused of bringing aids into the world. Rumors have it that Jews are responsible voor 9-11, ISIS, economic recession, even for tsunamis and earthquakes.
My friend Maher, the owner of sandwich shop Cairo, here in Dordrecht on Scheffers Square, once told me that his Kindergarten teacher in Egypt warned the children never to pick up a pencil with an eraser should they find one on the street. “At night, the Jews come and scatter them around. But never take them home, because there is a bomb inside. When you use them, they explode!”
Even though crucifixion was a typical Roman form of execution and never a Jewish punishment, Jews were historically portrayed as the sadistic murderers of Jesus. I was told that a passion play was recently performed in Dordrecht… (Luckily, you all got through this in one piece.) Historically, such passion plays, performed around Easter often ended in violence against the Jewish population. If, let’s say, the body of a murdered child was found around that time, the Jews automatically were condemned. It was believed that the blood-thirsty Jews wanted to murder Jesus again and again but lacking the desired victim they would lay their hand on an innocent Christian child. On numerous occasions, entire communities were eradicated based on such allegations.
Even now, one can find claims on the internet that Jews kidnap people, murder them, and drink their blood. Such and other irrational convictions have been remarkably persistent and have led, once again, to an increase in assaults on Jewish targets, most recently, a few days ago, the shooting in a synagogue near San Diego.
It is a quite uncomfortable situation: On the one hand admired, adored almost, on the other vilified and demonized. When will Jews be seen as normal people? Not as special or extraordinary? Normal! Or perhaps I should say ‘unique’. But then, just as unique as everyone else. Just like all other people, with our own qualities and our disagreeable traits. It is like Tevye said to God in Fiddler on the Roof: “Dear God… I know, I know, we are the chosen people. But once in a while, can’t you choose someone else?”
The story goes in the Torah that the Jewish people received the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. Moses our teacher then ascends the mountain where he receives these Ten Commandments on two stone plates, the Stone Tablets. When he climbs down again after having been in God’s presence for a long time, he sees that the people have not been faithful to their mission and are involved in a paganistic ritual. Moses then smashes the Stone Tablets; the covenant is broken. After a process of repentance, Moses receives two new stone plates with these same Ten Commandments which are placed in a gold-plated, portable crate, the “Ark of the Covenant” and carried along during the long journey to the Promised Land. Besides a burden, they are also a roadmap. The Promised Land is more than just a geographic location. It also stands for the idea of an ideal society. As such, the Ten Commandments would later prove a priceless contribution to the world and not in the least to Western society. They are the principles of respect for life, for property, justice, and integrity, carved in stone.
Why am I telling you this?
Not only did the Israelites carry with them the new, undamaged Stone Tablets, symbol of our dignity and ideals, but they took the broken plates with them as well. The awareness, the reality of human failure and brokenness. There is the proud, celebrated reality of being Jewish, and the not-so-pretty, the regrettable side. Both components do we carry with us throughout the ages.
But, even though those two opposites are both part of our lives, they do not have to be exhibited each day. There is a time for everything under the sun, and today it is certainly good to stop and contemplate the horrors spawned by the dark side of our existence. But that crate, the Ark of the Covenant, was made portable for a reason. The ultimate Promised Land, the ideal of global justice and peace has not been reached yet. Therefore, first and foremost, our goal is not to ruminate on the past but to look forward, to forge ahead. After a great tragedy, Judaism’s central question is not “Why?” The essential question to ask is “Whereto?” Now that this tragedy took place, what can we learn from it, how can we grow from it and contribute to a better future?
That question (how can these atrocities that we commemorate today inspire us towards building a better world?) is not an easy one to answer. Arguably, the answer to that question will be different for each and everyone of us. Nonetheless, we all should ask ourselves this very question continuously and insistently.
But on the other hand, Jews are sometimes portrayed as the incorporation of evil, even as the Devil’s henchmen. While in the Middle Ages, Jews were suspected to have spread pestilence by poisoning the wells, today Jews are accused of bringing aids into the world. Rumors have it that Jews are responsible voor 9-11, ISIS, economic recession, even for tsunamis and earthquakes.
My friend Maher, the owner of sandwich shop Cairo, here in Dordrecht on Scheffers Square, once told me that his Kindergarten teacher in Egypt warned the children never to pick up a pencil with an eraser should they find one on the street. “At night, the Jews come and scatter them around. But never take them home, because there is a bomb inside. When you use them, they explode!”
Even though crucifixion was a typical Roman form of execution and never a Jewish punishment, Jews were historically portrayed as the sadistic murderers of Jesus. I was told that a passion play was recently performed in Dordrecht… (Luckily, you all got through this in one piece.) Historically, such passion plays, performed around Easter often ended in violence against the Jewish population. If, let’s say, the body of a murdered child was found around that time, the Jews automatically were condemned. It was believed that the blood-thirsty Jews wanted to murder Jesus again and again but lacking the desired victim they would lay their hand on an innocent Christian child. On numerous occasions, entire communities were eradicated based on such allegations.
Even now, one can find claims on the internet that Jews kidnap people, murder them, and drink their blood. Such and other irrational convictions have been remarkably persistent and have led, once again, to an increase in assaults on Jewish targets, most recently, a few days ago, the shooting in a synagogue near San Diego.
It is a quite uncomfortable situation: On the one hand admired, adored almost, on the other vilified and demonized. When will Jews be seen as normal people? Not as special or extraordinary? Normal! Or perhaps I should say ‘unique’. But then, just as unique as everyone else. Just like all other people, with our own qualities and our disagreeable traits. It is like Tevye said to God in Fiddler on the Roof: “Dear God… I know, I know, we are the chosen people. But once in a while, can’t you choose someone else?”
The story goes in the Torah that the Jewish people received the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. Moses our teacher then ascends the mountain where he receives these Ten Commandments on two stone plates, the Stone Tablets. When he climbs down again after having been in God’s presence for a long time, he sees that the people have not been faithful to their mission and are involved in a paganistic ritual. Moses then smashes the Stone Tablets; the covenant is broken. After a process of repentance, Moses receives two new stone plates with these same Ten Commandments which are placed in a gold-plated, portable crate, the “Ark of the Covenant” and carried along during the long journey to the Promised Land. Besides a burden, they are also a roadmap. The Promised Land is more than just a geographic location. It also stands for the idea of an ideal society. As such, the Ten Commandments would later prove a priceless contribution to the world and not in the least to Western society. They are the principles of respect for life, for property, justice, and integrity, carved in stone.
Why am I telling you this?
Not only did the Israelites carry with them the new, undamaged Stone Tablets, symbol of our dignity and ideals, but they took the broken plates with them as well. The awareness, the reality of human failure and brokenness. There is the proud, celebrated reality of being Jewish, and the not-so-pretty, the regrettable side. Both components do we carry with us throughout the ages.
But, even though those two opposites are both part of our lives, they do not have to be exhibited each day. There is a time for everything under the sun, and today it is certainly good to stop and contemplate the horrors spawned by the dark side of our existence. But that crate, the Ark of the Covenant, was made portable for a reason. The ultimate Promised Land, the ideal of global justice and peace has not been reached yet. Therefore, first and foremost, our goal is not to ruminate on the past but to look forward, to forge ahead. After a great tragedy, Judaism’s central question is not “Why?” The essential question to ask is “Whereto?” Now that this tragedy took place, what can we learn from it, how can we grow from it and contribute to a better future?
That question (how can these atrocities that we commemorate today inspire us towards building a better world?) is not an easy one to answer. Arguably, the answer to that question will be different for each and everyone of us. Nonetheless, we all should ask ourselves this very question continuously and insistently.
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