In this post, for those who are not more directly connected, I am going to explain why things are as they are on this blog.  For example, how does Yom Hazikaron, Day of Remembrance, a day to remember those who sacrificed their lives for the State of Israel, tie in to the book Jew Face.  No post on this site is random.  The origin of it all goes deeper than the book itself.

Jew Face, as the cover says, is a story of love and heroism in Nazi-occupied Holland.  The love story between my parents and their heroic acts and behavior, Nardus and Sipora Groen is the main subject matter of the book and naturally will lead to many posts surrounding them and the life they lead.  Expanding it further the book discusses the heroism of various people, Jewish and non-Jewish throughout the 5 years of occupation.  Those active in the Dutch resistance will be discussed frequently and as in as much depth as possible with the main focus being on the righteousness of Lubertus and Geeske te Kiefte.

When you peel away another layer however the function of the blog goes much deeper and maybe requires explanation.  Three years after the Jewish people experienced the devastating horrors of the Holocaust, the Jewish State of Israel was formed.  Jews all over the world declared “Never Again” and have felt a sense of security knowing that there is a Jewish state willing to defend the lives of Jewish people all over the world regardless of their practical support for the nation.  The mere existence of this state gives an added strength to that cry of “Never Again”, and every life that is lost in defense of this state is a life that was sacrificed to protect the Jewish people.

When writing a book like Jew Face, a book about what 2 people experienced, as a Jew myself it is impossible to ignore the deeper importance of the story. The origin is the history and future of the Jewish people together with a hopeful betterment of mankind.    May God always bless those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.