Reflections following Holocaust Remembrance Day
Who doesn't recognize Holocaust Memorial Day?
It is difficult not to think about Israel’s religion and state conflict in the context of MK Mansour Abbas’s words on Holocaust Memorial Day. Unlike MK Abbas's impressive remarks, much of the ultra-Orthodox media did not address Holocaust Day, for its leaders refuse to recognize the date set by the Knesset to mark Israel’s memorial days.
Uri Regev 24/04/2020 01:20
Tags: Mansour Abbas · Yated Neeman · Holocaust Memorial Day · Zionism
Knesset members (Left to right) Mansour Abbas, Ayman Odeh, Ahmad Tibi (source: Wikipedia)
This week marked ‘Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day’, which was established by the Knesset in 1951. This day and ‘Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers of Israel and Victims of Terrorism’ (next week) are the only two official memorial days of the State of Israel by law.
As has been the case in Israel throughout the years, the atmosphere of ‘Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day’ profoundly shaped the spirit of both public and private radio and television broadcasting, as well as online and print media.
During these days of the Corona crisis, as was as expected, many joined online ceremonies and events organized by Yad Vashem, the Ghetto Fighters' House Museum, and other sites. Many shared their memories of the Jews who perished and the heroism demonstrated by both Jews and non-Jews that refused to give in to the Nazi decrees, risking their lives and families by helping and saving Jews.
The importance of this day, therefore, is not only in actualizing the imperative: ‘Remember!’ It is also in translating this into contemporary reality in Israel and in the world, including the lessons learned and the personal commitment to dealing with racism, hatred of the other, and discrimination on the grounds of race and religion.
Particularly powerful and exciting on Holocaust Day this year were the remarks at a special Knesset session of MK Mansour Abbas, Chairman of the Raam faction of the Joint List, who spoke as an Arab and as a Muslim about his identification with the Holocaust of the Jewish people and the lessons learned from this black chapter of world history. [Please take the time to read his words fully]:
“… As an Arab-Palestinian and as a believing Muslim, who was educated on the teachings of late Sheikh Abdullah Nimr Darwish, founder of the Islamic movement, I empathize with the pain and suffering throughout the years of Holocaust survivors and the families of those who perished.
I stand here and express solidarity with the Jewish people, here and around the world. The people chosen by the Nazis as a target for mass murder and genocide. And I say here Never Again.
I bow my head before the heroism of men and women who participated in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, against the decree of death and the sentiment of despair, in order to preserve the image of God….
As a believing Muslim and as a member of the Palestinian people who suffered and continues to suffer, for dozens of years, I pray that all the inhabitants of this land, Jews and Arabs, will draw and internalize the humane lesson.
That all of us will recognize the suffering of the other people, its rights for liberty and dignity, and that we shall realise the vision of peace, security, partnership and tolerance, between the two peoples and the two states.”
It is difficult not to think about Israel’s religion and state issues in the context of Abbas’s words on Holocaust Memorial Day. Unlike MK Abbas's impressive remarks, much of the ultra-Orthodox media did not address Holocaust Day, for its leaders refuse to recognize the Knesset legislation and refuse to accept the date set by the Knesset to mark Israel’s memorial days.
It is difficult not to think about Israel’s religion and state issues in the context of Abbas’s words on Holocaust Memorial Day. Unlike MK Abbas's impressive remarks, much of the ultra-Orthodox media did not address Holocaust Day, for its leaders refuse to recognize the Knesset legislation and refuse to accept the date set by the Knesset to mark Israel’s memorial days.
Hiddush follows many of the media channels of orthodox Judaism, including, for example the daily of the ultra-Orthodox Degel HaTorah party, which is called Yated Neeman. This is the party of MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni, Chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee, who will be a partner to the next government coalition, as has been for most years of the state. Ironically, this very government is described by the leaders of the ruling parties as a partnership of “national Zionist parties”. However, regardless of the media and the general atmosphere in the State of Israel on this day, readers of Yated Neeman would not even know about the uniqueness of this memorial day!
The ultra-Orthodox media has been dealing with anti-Semitism and racism recently, but it mainly presents the broad criticism in Israel of the conduct of ultra-Orthodox leadership during the Corona crisis as anti-Semitic(!!). In reality, this leadership was largely responsible for the spread of the virus throughout this population at levels much broader and more severe than in the rest of the Israeli population.
On the eve of this Holocaust Memorial Day, a coalition agreement was signed between the Likud and Blue & White towards the establishment of the next government, which we will deal with below in this newsletter. Reading the coalition agreement and knowing the circumstances that led to it indicates that Hiddush’s hands will be full of work in the coming years, particularly after the end of the Corona crisis.
The clash between religion and state and the challenges of religious freedom and equality will not disappear from the Israeli arena but rather quite the opposite. But we will persevere and the importance of Hiddush’s work will only increase. We hope that you, our readers and supporters, as well as the Jewish leadership of the Diaspora will join our battle for religious freedom in Israel and support our work generously.