Last night, Hubby and I watched the live ceremony of Holocaust Memorial Day at Yad Vashem from the comfort of our couch. As is the case every year, 6 survivors are invited to light a torch in order to commemorate the 6 million who perished during the Holocaust. As I sat there watching and listening to the survivors share their stories, I was struck with so much awe, respect and admiration for these heroes. They are all the epitome of resilience and have literally risen from the ashes.
This morning, I sat at the table with my kids and we ate breakfast, facing the gorgeous forest and quarry that surrounds us here in our town of Beit Shemesh, in the Land of Israel. I smiled as my kids answered "Amen" to my blessings on the food, as well as when I answered in kind to theirs. And I felt THEIR loving presence with us, as I very often do. My three angels. My paternal grandmother, grandfather and uncle, all murdered at the hands of the Nazis. How many millions of families torn apart? How many beautiful and innocent children whose Mommies and Daddies were stolen from them, never to be returned?
After I dropped my older two off at their respective preschools, my baby and I went to visit a friend of mine who just had her second baby, to offer some love, support and strength, and to remind her that she was made for this holy role of Mommy. As we left her apartment, the famous Holocaust Memorial Day siren went off and I found my thoughts to be so very different than they ever were on this very sombre day on the Jewish calendar.
I grew up hearing horror stories from my Dad and his sisters. Dad was only six years old when he was all alone to face the big scary world(his two sisters were together during the war, and Dad and his brother were together until his brother was murdered)...My father was only a year and a half older than my eldest. My uncle was exactly his age. UNFATHOMABLE.
When I was 16, I was the brave trailblazer in my family to walk into Auschwitz first, on the March of the Living. I went to the archives and found my grandparents' transfer cards. And I imagined the hell on earth they experienced until their brutal deaths. Those thoughts have continued to creep into my thoughts at many times over the years. Especially on Holocaust Memorial Day. Every single Holocaust Memorial Day I can remember has been filled with tears, pain and asking WHY?. That is NOT the case today.
Today, I feel strong. Today, I feel resilient. My angels are with me and I feel proud for choosing the life that I have chosen for myself and my family. I am a proud Jewish woman. I keep the Sabbath and the holidays like my grandparents did. I keep the Laws of Family Purity like they did. And I'm doing all that in OUR LAND. The Land that G-d promised to the Jewish People. I KNOW that my holy grandparents are looking down at my family and smiling. I feel a little bit wistful; how much would I love to host them around my Shabbat table and feed them all their favorite delicacies in honor of the Sabbath Queen? But somehow, I feel their spirits with us every Sabbath and every holiday.
And that is my revenge. I have three beautiful angels watching over me, who were murdered for their only crime of being Jewish. I have three beautiful JEWISH children, Thank G-d( BA"H). I will raise them to be G-d Loving/ G-d Fearing Jews. One day, with G-d's help, they too, will have children of their own, and the legacy will continue on and on until eternity.
So to my Holy Jewish Brothers and Sisters, wipe your tears away. We are a nation of Builders. A nation of Survivors. Hitler tried to destroy us, but he couldn't because we are unbreakable. Go out there and hug children today. For they are the future generation of Am Yisrael.
Am Yisrael Chai...Long Live the Nation of Israel!
