As many of you may know, this past week we commemorated Yom HaShoah- the day of remembrance for the Holocaust. This year it was especially moving for me after my experience in Belarus during Pesach. Thanks to the staff at HUC, I was able to attend the Yom HaShoah ceremony at the Yad VaShem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem.
The theme of the ceremony was "The Voice of the Survivors". There were speeches from President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as several readings from letters written by Jews in the concentration camps, and the Torch lighting ceremony. They had 6 survivors light torches and share their stories. I cannot remember a time in my life where I cried continuously for 2 hours, but I was so moved by this ceremony and the fact that I was standing in Jerusalem with thousands of Jews remembering the Shoa. I don't have very many words to explain this evening, except to say that if you are ever in Jerusalem for Yom HaShoa, make sure you get tickets to the Yad VaShem ceremony- it will be a life changing experience for you.
here are some pictures:
Prime Minister Netanyahu giving a speech that called for everyone to teach others about the Holocaust, to honor the memory of those who were lost, and ensure that it does not happen again. He also spoke about the threat of Iran and Ahmadenijad.
the survivors lighting torches
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