Holocaut Remembrance Day

Today for holocaust remembrance day, we took a bus to Yad Va Shem, the official holocaust museum in Israel, for a memorial service. I’ve been here three times before, but every time, it never fails to amaze me. The museum is located on top of a big hill surrounded by green trees and if you look over the balcony, you can see the lights of the entire city. The museum is so gigantic that you learn an immeasurable amount every time you come.

            Thousands of people including dozens of holocaust survivors, the prime minister, members of the Knesset, the president, and packs of soldiers, filled the chairs outside in the courtyard. At the front of the pack stood a stage with three huge projector screens and a podium where various speakers preached. Six holocaust survivors went on stage and after showing a video of each of their life stories’, they lit a torch to represent the 6 million that died in the Shoa. Although I was already shivering from the cold under the grey Jerusalem sky, after seeing the survivors stand proudly in front of millions of viewers, the chills of sadness, but also empowerment, gushed through my body. People around me were crying, some were even holding their neighbor, although a stranger, next to them.

            After hearing the chief Rabbi talk and say the Mourners Kiddush, the entire audience, along with a group of violinists on stage, sang the Hatikvah. I felt the weight and vigor of the Jewish community all together, sharing a similar moment while reflecting on a significant event that isn’t just historically important, but also personally momentous to each and every Jew in the audience. Singing the Hatikvah alongside thousands of Jews in Jerusalem, the holiest city in the world, was an experience that I will never forget. My pride and love for this country continues to distend and swell as I understand more and more how miraculous and incredible it is that this country, as well as the Jewish people, exists in the first place.