Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah) in Israel. Many Jews around the world take the time to light a candle and remember the six million of our people who perished in the Holocaust as well as to honor the survivors. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death and concentration camps. It is also the year that due to the coronavirus pandemic commemoration events are either cancelled or take place exclusively online. March of the Living, the march from Auschwitz to Birkenau, was to take place today, April 21st. Every year, for more than three decades, thousands of people, Jewish and non-Jewish, from many different countries participate in what is the largest international Holocaust Commemoration event. They come to pay respects to the millions who lost their lives, to honor the resilience of those who survived, and to learn about the horrors of the Holocaust. And to the rest of us, the day and the memorials are an opportunity to pause and reflect on the legacy of the Holocaust and World War II and to consider how history continues to influence our lives today.
Yom HaShoah is the day on the Jewish calendar to remember the unthinkable atrocities, the crimes of Nazi Germany and the mass suffering inflicted by German tyranny. As we are required to stay home to save lives, I cannot help but think about the millions of people taken from their homes, the millions kept imprisoned behind wire fences starved and tortured, the millions murdered, the millions displaced, the millions who lost everything they had. Today, I am taking the time to think about the duty to “never forget.” What can I do to use the lessons of the past to promote unity, equality, and tolerance? How can I use my voice to combat prejudice, Intolerance, racism, and discrimination of any kind?
Perhaps the answer is in the acknowledgment of the resilience of the human spirit, in tuning in not only to the great destruction of life but also to the power of love and kindness. Throughout the darkest moments in human history, there have always been people who chose to rise above. Even at times when humans are at their worst, committing acts of sheer inhumanity, we can still witness empathy, compassion, generosity, and heroism. There are always brave and decent people who, despite the risks, choose to extend a helping hand and leave a trail of kindness behind them. It seems to me that the duty to remember is the obligation to recognize, honor and respect the dignity of humanity in every person. And so, treat one another with kindness and compassion. It seems so simple, treat others as you want to be treated, right? If only it were all so easy!
Living in America in this day and age means that most of us have the privilege of having agency, of having the freedom to respond to life and to be able to make decisions and take cation. And with freedom comes responsibility. If I have the freedom to choose my actions, I must act responsibly. To do so, I need to anchor myself to my deeply held values and beliefs. Together they are a powerful foundation to understanding my place in the world and how the needs of my community, the nation, and the world may guide my duty to speak, act, and serve others. Tikkun Olam is a great Jewish value meaning “the world needs fixing, and it’s my duty to fix it.” In the words of Ethics of the Fathers: “It is not upon you to finish the work, but you are not free to ignore it.”
The American Dream is fundamentally individualistic, focusing on the person rather than the community. While it is important to strive for personal fulfillment and a happier sense of self, what history and the current pandemic teach us is that each of us is intertwined into the lives of others. We are never completely free. Our decisions, actions, and behaviors impact others and the world. Yes, we have a duty to search for meaning and pursue happiness, but we are also called to act in a responsible way for the common good. We cannot flourish as individuals unless we live in a strong and healthy local community, which entails both supporting and being supported by other communities. To survive and thrive as individuals and as a (global) society, we must focus our actions through the lens of collective care and support and foster a culture of equality, fairness, compassion, and kindness.
We make many choices every hour of every day. Every decision we make and every action we take represents a choice. Having a choice involves assigning a value to the different options available to us. Values are our choice pointers – who we are, who we want to be, what is important to us, what we want to bring out into the world. As we consider the competing values and cost and benefits associated with each individual choice, let’s try and take the time to be grateful for the privilege afforded us and to add “acting for the common good” into the equation.
I cannot do all the good that the world needs through these difficult times. But I am still able to give of myself in a meaningful way. To me, “never forget” means asking ”how can I help others right now?”
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