Jerusalem – Sirens Wail In Israel In Tribute To Six Million Nazi Victims

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    Israelis pause during a two-minute siren in memory of victims of the Holocaust in the market in Jerusalem, Thursday, April 19, 2012. Photo by Avishag Shar/Yashuv/Flash90Jerusalem – The wail of air raid sirens sounded across Israel on Thursday, signaling the country to come to a standstill in tribute to 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust.

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    For two minutes, pedestrians stopped in their tracks and motorists stood next to their vehicles, heads bowed. In homes and businesses, people suspended their daily tasks to pay homage to victims of the Nazi genocide.

    The day is one of the most solemn on Israel’s calendar. Restaurants and places of entertainment shut down, and radio and TV programming focuses on Holocaust documentaries and interviews with survivors.

    Ceremonies were scheduled at schools and other public institutions, including the public reading of names of Holocaust victims at Israel’s parliament and other sites around the country.

    At the opening state ceremony Wednesday night at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, Israeli leaders linked the Nazi genocide to Iran’s suspected drive to acquire nuclear arms and urged the world to stop it.

    “Those who dismiss the Iranian threat as a whim or an exaggeration haven’t learned a thing from the Holocaust,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been criticized by some in Israel for making the linkage.

    “To be deterred from telling the truth — that today, like then, there are those who want to destroy millions of Jews — that is disrespectful of the Holocaust,” he said. “That is an insult to its victims and that is ignoring its lessons.”

    Iran denies its objective is to build nuclear bombs.

    The linkage drawn between the Holocaust and Iran shows how more than six decades later, the mass murder of Jews during World War II is still a central part of Israel’s psyche. The nation was created just three years after the end of the war, and hundreds of thousands of dazed survivors made their way to Israel.

    Today, fewer than 200,000 elderly survivors remain in the country.


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    20 Comments
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    DRE53
    DRE53
    11 years ago

    The siren should serve as a wake up call to do something for the kedoshim, such as learning a perek Mishneios or giving tzedaka. Standing still is meaningless and can even be Bitul Torah, which does no good for the kedoshim.

    Buchwalter
    Buchwalter
    11 years ago

    I lived 7 years under Hitler of which 4 in concentration camp. I davened in the camp and raised frum children and have frum grandchildren and I too feel sorry for you . Because you are an ignoramus. Do you know any of the places were my family was burned, gassed and shot. Number yashar koach and may they remain a maylitz yosher for all of us.

    Nebech
    Nebech
    11 years ago

    Tisha’bav
    Is the day of mourning for all our sorrows that ever took place

    chodesh Nisan however
    Is not the time for that

    I don’t get the Jewish significance in bowing ones head for two minutes
    And I also
    don’t see how that does something good for a nifter

    Now don’t get me wrong
    These are all wonderful emotional spiritual gentile traditions

    But then again we are not gentiles

    Now I know (believe me)
    That one learning mishnayos is not as emotionally spiritual
    As one standing like a golem for two minutes

    Still the mishnayos achieves more

    NotSure
    NotSure
    11 years ago

     #1: I stand by your words!
     #3: It’s sad! Sad for what you went through, but also sad that such an old person still believes that standing still means something, actually, it’s not allowed, it’s called ‘Chikos Hagoy’.
    And what exactly is it today that everyone is suddenly reminded of the war? (any ‘Jewish’ Yoma D’Pagra?)
    So, please, if someone really wants to do something meaningful, go do so, leave this none-sense to others.

    qazxc
    qazxc
    11 years ago

    I suspect yiddin arguing over whether or not today should be a memorial day for them does not provide the kedoshim with much nachas ruach in olam ha’emes.

    11 years ago

    Its Irrelevant if standing still for 2 min is an appropriate remembrance for the kedoshim or not, if the country does it we dont always have to be provocative and do the opposite, furthermore according to the chilonim that do believe in it, us not doing it gives them the impression that we don’t care, if its not against halacha, then DO IT, I just can’t fathom why some of us have to be so irrational

    CommonSense
    CommonSense
    11 years ago

    Does EVERYTHING we do have to have a source in the torah??

    Is there a source for waving at someone? or perhaps that’s also chukas Hagoyim?

    How about for clapping our hands when someone says something nice or sings..hmmm what’s the JEWISH significance…it definitely comes from the goyim..