#YomHaShoah

We need to stay here, proud of what we are. Proud of our heritage, of our shortcomings and our heroes. Grateful for those who were before us and kept being what they were for us. Proud of our learning, of our mistakes, of our stories, of our food, of our brothers and sisters from all over the world. 

Sometimes, we don´t give up because we feel obliged to pass the heritage to our children. From the deepest seas of denial and self-hate, we remember and with a last breath we hurry up to teach to our children to be better than us. To be strong enough to defend who they are. To move on. To learn to self-defend. To learn to ignore the haters and the anti-semites. To not forget those who want to kill us. And be proud, again, for what we are.

We remember not because we want to sink into the drama and see no future. We remember exactly because we can see how far we are: as a people, as a country, as individuals, despite all the trauma we were given by birth and we sent it further to our children.

Proud yet careful. Life is such a precious gift and we shall use this gift to bring kindness and humility and love to our fellow Jews. By respecting the differences among us, the different levels of observance, accepting that some of us decided to live their life differently than ours. By respecting any human being, regardless the social status, religious or upbringing, by rejecting discrimination of any kind, by sharing our kindness to those in need no matter what. 

Yom HaShoah is taking place this year in strange times. Many Shoah survivors were among the victims of the terrible pandemic and died alone. And there are already so few left. It is time to feel more responsible for one another. Try to help those in need, bring food to our elders, connect with them, show them they are not alone, listen to their stories and share it further. Ask your friends or your community or your synagogue who needs help, how you can help. 

And don´t forget to be kind. It is so much hate and slander and intolerance in this world that can be countered only through gratitude and small acts of kindness. Stop judging the other, ask what you can do to help or at least try to understand why some are different. 

´The highest form of wisdom is kindness´.