Today, the 27th of Nissan in the Jewish calendar, marks the State of Israel’s official Holocaust Remembrance Day. It’s been seven decades now, but the sheer magnitude of the tragedy still resonates powerfully for Jews both in Israel and across the globe. But the focus is not only on the grief and mourning for the past, but no less on celebrating the incredible heroism exhibited by countless many during the period and on reaffirming a resolute, passionate commitment to a better future. The full official name of the day is “Yom ha-Zikaron la-Shoah v-la-gevurah,” or “Memorial Day for the Holocaust and for Heroism.”
In Israel, the focal point of the day’s observance is a two minute long siren sounded throughout the country at exactly 10 A.M., whereupon every single person, no matter where they are or what they’re doing, stops and stands in silent remembrance. I’ve been there and participated in the ritual myself, and I would say that it is easily the most poignant expression of civic and communal solidarity I have ever experienced. And there’s something profoundly hopeful about that.
For a flavor of what the experience is like, have a look at this video of every driver on a busy highway pulling over, getting out of their cars, and standing solemnly at the sound of the siren:
April 19th, 2012 | 1:47 pm
That’s just amazing.
I’m personally struggling for words to explain the fact that once the sirens stop, people immediately go back to their business. I mean, within a heartbeat people are getting in their cars and driving. Saying it’s “weird” sounds pejorative, which isn’t what I want to do at all. “Otherworldly” is perhaps better, in multiple ways. It’s like something out of the Twilight Zone, and again I do NOT mean that in a bad way–just that this phenomenon seems so FOREIGN to the way we live our lives here.
I’m reminded of growing up on military bases, and when the flag was being lowered at the end of the day, if you were within sight of it, you similarly stopped what you were doing and waited respectfully until it was done. A similar recognition that whatever it was you were doing, it wasn’t the most important thing in the world.
April 19th, 2012 | 5:14 pm
I found this to be very moving. How interesting that in our hectic world, standing in solemn silence can be such a powerful statement. My thoughts were flooded with the images of all the dehumanizing brutality that tried to blot out the dignity of so many human beings. Standing in silence in their memory seems very fitting. God bless them all.
Today is also the 7th anniversary of the election of Pope Benedict, and the ceremony announcing his election shares a bit of that “drop everything and pay attention” quality as this video. The white smoke and bells are timed so that people will have time to run down to St. Peter’s in time for the announcement. Very quickly people come running in to fill up that giant space — no cars or vehicles can come there, you just have to run. People around the world now can also drop everything and tune in for the announcement on tv or internet.
Very few things like this in our world, and they seem very precious.
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