Monday, April 24, 2017

Some thoughts concerning the Holocaust, miracles and revenge - by Forest Rain

...The miracle of survival is very personal. 3000 years later, nothing has changed. On Holocaust Memorial Day we ponder the memories of our grandparents. The children and grandchildren of those who were there are also part of the story. The horrors perpetrated against those who were there were a direct attack on us as well. If not for those who—miraculously–survived the Holocaust, we would not be here either.

Forest Rain..
Inspiration from Zion..
23 April '17..

On April 24th Israelis will commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. This is not the same date as the International Holocaust Memorial Day. This date was chosen to emphasize the place of the Holocaust in the story of the Jewish people.

We do this by first celebrating Passover. One week later, we mark Holocaust Memorial Day. Exactly one week after that is Memorial Day for IDF soldiers and victims of terrorism. The following day is a joyful celebration, Israel’s Independence Day.

This pattern is deliberate. The message is very clear. The exodus from slavery to freedom is an on-going journey. As we acknowledge during the Passover Seder: “In every generation [enemies] rise up against us, to destroy us, and every time God saves us from their hands.”

In other words, our very existence is a miracle.

The Passover story is relevant to our modern experiences. The lessons remain the same. The defiance of those who did not obey Pharaoh was critical but, alone, that would not have been enough to save the Jewish people. The leadership of Moses, alone, would not have been enough to lead the people to freedom. During the Passover Seder, we explain to our children that God rescued us from slavery – the miracles were a personal gift to us. If there is a child who rejects this legacy we are instructed to still teach the Passover story but to explain: “God saved me, me and not you.”

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