The importance of remembering.

I just had to add one more thing to this entry.  Throughout the entire country of Israel, at 10AM in the morning, a siren sounds to signal 2 minutes of silence and attention to the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust.  The photo below is what it looks like.  This is a very busy freeway at 10 am.  It is chilling and beautiful to witness.

This evening is the eve of Israel's memorial day for the 6 million Jews killed by the Nazis and their collaborators.  The expression, never again!, is used often; never again will we let this happen, never again will we allow the world to stand by.

And yet I saw a headline today that made me both sad and angry. Anti-Semitic Incidents Surged in 2012.  The Associated Press reports a 30% jump in anti-Semitic violence last year.  30%!  Ranging from killings at a Jewish school in France, to desecration of cemeteries, these incidents occurred in 34 countries around the world.  What is this? What stands behind this ancient, fierce hatred? Why is this a constant and why does it get worse?  I don't have answers, you probably don't either.

Tonight I will light a memorial candle for the millions who were murdered and for the children and grandchildren they never had.  I will light a candle for my father.