Tag Archives: 6 million Jews

The Importance of Zero Tolerance

w-41tonyparker-quenelle-123113Having been busier than usual recently I have not had the chance to post something in quite some time.  However, as I sit here knowing it is Yom HaHashoah, I decided to make the time to write something.  It’s the very least I can do on a day that sadly will always be important to the Jewish people.  The story I will tell is one of zero tolerance, education, and a positive outcome.

About a week and a half ago I was kidding around with a work friend regarding the impending NHL Ice Hockey playoff match up between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers.  I have been a fan of the Flyers for a long time and I engaged in verbal battle with my work friend who is a long time fan of the Rangers.  In the heat of our spirited, and to that point fun debate, he stood  by my doorway and in conjunction with an insult towards the Flyers performed the Nazi salute.  Let me say at this point that us Jews who care, generally know who is an anti-Semite and who is not an anti-Semite.  I know with a great degree of certainty that the person I am speaking of is not an anti-Semite.  However, as a Jew, and son of Holocaust survivors, I was presented with a situation in which my reaction would be important regardless of his intent. I stood up, walked forcefully towards the door and with a degree of harshness I save for true and intense anger said “Don’t ever do that sh*t in front of me again.”  Somewhat taken aback by my tone and bad language the situation escalated slightly until we both chose to stay on opposite sides of the office.

That night he called me, and with admirable humility apologized profusely and without excuse saying that he messed up and knew he was wrong.  I accepted his apology immediately for a few reasons.  The first one and most important one being that I knew even as it happened that this is not a person who condones hatred towards the Jewish people in any way shape or form.  His actions were more those of an ignorance to the significantly offensive nature of the action.  And as Jew it was incumbent on me to make sure he would know differently and subsequently never do something like that again.  Something I am very confident is now the case.   Another reason I accepted the apology immediately was that despite the seriousness to me as a Jew, the action was nothing more than an individual making a mistake, something we all do sometimes, which meant that once he realized it and apologized, I was comfortable putting the incident behind us.  There is however one important point relating to this incident that I wish to emphasize.

As Jews witnessing a worldwide resurgence in anti-Semitism not seen since the time of Nazi Germany, we must take extra care in showing zero tolerance for anti-Semitic action of any kind.   When Dieudonne M’bala M’bala, the French “comedian” who is proud of his anti-Semitism does the quenelle gesture, the reverse Nazi salute, he does so with no concern over how much he offends anyone, particularly anyone Jewish.  As a result, no tolerance can be shown towards the action regardless of who does it and their claimed intent.  Case in point NBA star Tony Parker.  Tolerance and acceptance was something all to present in pre-Holocaust Europe and we all know where that lead.  Can our zero tolerance ultimately make the difference between our death and survival in the future?  No one knows the answer to that question.  But we have no choice but to do everything we can to make a difference.  We owe that to ourselves, the world, and the 6 million Jews we will always honor and remember.

 

 

 

 


What Sets this Book Apart and My Pride as a Son

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With countless books having been written about the Holocaust, the obvious and fair question is, what sets the book Jew Face apart from the others?  Well, I make no claims to being objective since I wrote the book, but having spoken with many people who have read it, what makes this book different is two factors.  Firstly, it is very much a love story. One I am very pleased to have written since it resulted in my 4 siblings and myself being here.   Despite the natural difficulties I as a son ran into when trying to tell the story of my parents romance, I am told I got the message across in a way that leaves no doubt to the love that was formed in the most horrific of times.  Secondly, I believed it important, even appropriate to write a book that made you feel good on some levels.  I made absolutely sure to do honor to the blessing of the 6 million Jews murdered by Hitler and his Nazi henchmen, while realizing that the reality of the outcome for my parents, albeit it filled with tragedy and loss, was one of the truly happier endings to come out of the time of the Holocaust.

In this very important and increasingly frightening time, maybe telling the story that shows how ultimately as a people we were not defeated provides more strength to combat a growing evil, and to show another side of the humanity that resulted from one of the most horrible times in human history.  6 million Jews as well as millions others were murdered, and their sacrifice and blessing will live on forever and we must never allow our enemies to succeed in denying this atrocity in human history did take place. However in many ways, those  who survived are as important as any group of people in our history, for at a time when one evil man created a movement that killed more Jews than any time in history, a group survived and endured.  I am proud to be the son of two of those very special people, who not only survived, but helped our people survive.


A Blessing For the Lost

flame1The honor and memory of 6 million Jews is not a political issue.  It is not aligned to being a Man or Woman, Democrat or a Republican, Conservative or Liberal, Jew or non-Jew.  It transcends race, nationality or color.  As a Jew I make no apologies for this being my main focus.  It does not mean I hold no importance to genocides that have taken place in other parts of the world.  It does not mean I do not condemn slavery or oppression against people throughout history.  It is very simply an issue of remembering the murder and devastation committed against the Jewish people.  Let no one make a mistake by thinking atrocities committed against any people is of no consequence.  As long as our world still allows this to happen everyone is potentially at risk.  But that should not be what it takes for people to care.  As human beings we can never be complacent about the suffering of others.   But just as importantly, we must identify evil where it truly exists.  Murderous governments still exist and in some ways are stronger today than ever before.  Muslim leaders referring to Jews as pigs or dogs and speaking of the annihilation of the State of Israel is a very true reality today.  So the importance of remembering goes beyond honoring the dead, it speaks to the survival of our people and moral development of the entire human race.  Do we as people hold power?  In joining together in decency and dare I say love, we have a far better chance than if we battle each other and let the true enemy off the hook by battling each other over theory and conjecture.  If there is one advantage we have today it is that the enemy is not hiding from us, but is rather out in the open and very clear about their intention.  Let our remembrance of the 6 million who perished be a lesson that helps our world survive the very real threats that exist today, and let our actions be a blessing for their memory.


Our Responsibility

yad-vashem-hall-of-remembrance-israel-holocaust-memorial-in-jerusalemIn the 68 years since the end of the period in which the horrors of the Holocaust occurred, much has been written and said to honor and remember those who perished and survived a time so terrible words cannot really do it justice.  Rightly so, the day set aside to commemorate what took place is called Holocaust Remembrance Day.  There is nothing we can do to change what happened and nothing we can say to make it better.  All we can do, and hopefully cause others to do, is remember.  That is our solemn obligation and moral responsibility.

There should be no guilt in living a happy and healthy life.  Those who are blessed with the good fortune of a happy life have every right to enjoy what they have and live that life to the fullest.  However, every single one of us needs to remember what happened from 1933 till 1945 when Adolph Hitler’s Nazi Germany was in power.  The crimes against humanity defy every decent person’s sense of reason and to forget must never be an option.  The systematic murder of 6 million Jews must be something we carry with us in constant remembrance, for lest we forget we allow their honor and memory to die as well.  Our responsibility is to see that their honor and memory live on forever, not just in our lifetime but in the years to come.

Enjoy your lives, have your fun, but never shy away from this responsibility.  All that we have today was made possible by their sacrifice.  Never ever forget.


How Do We Remember?

rememebrenaxceAs we remember the 6 million Jews murdered by Hitler’s Nazi Germany, we are presented with many important questions.  What is the best way to actually remember?    What can we do to make sure this never happens again?  What is our obligation as fellow Jews and human beings?

In some ways all these questions and more are answered by addressing the last question.  I start with an additional question that will likely cause extreme emotion in many reading this, but in my opinion it is a legitimate and fair one.  The question is this:  How much do we truly care?  Do we care on the high-profile days when the world and our friends are watching, or do we care whenever presented with an issue or event that draws comparison or alarm?  Do we do anything that goes beyond the things that make us look like we care?  Do we cower in fear when presented with opposition?  I am putting these questions out into thin air, not directing them at any specific people or group.  Only we know the true answer in our hearts.

Do we care when anti-Semitism rears its ugly head or do we shrug it off and say, “There is nothing I can really do about the crazies out there anyway.”  Do we make excuses for those who hate us or just hope others solve the problems for us?  Do we trust our leaders to do the right thing?  Do we support our leaders enough not to stand in their way of protecting us?  Maybe most importantly, do we stand united against those who want to make hate a way of life or do we fight amongst ourselves feeding into their very plan?  These important questions are only some of the questions I have for the good people out there.

For those who don’t take issue with the murder of 6 million Jews I ask you one basic question.  How do you look at yourself in the mirror?  How do you justify your very existence on a planet of human beings all born with the same right to live?  Do you do it so-called in the name of religion?  Do you have the gall to declare that God somehow justifies your viewpoint?  Or are you so wrapped up in your own world that you don’t see how any other world even matters, even to the point where their existence holds no meaning?

Sadly, today, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, these questions and many more need to be asked.    The world we live in today shows signs of being no better than it was 68 years ago when Hitler’s Nazi Germany was defeated.  Only the names and places have changed.  People still kill others just because of what they are, leaders threaten to wipe out millions, and anti-Semitism is alive and well.  So today I hope that we ask ourselves all the questions that need to be asked, but maybe even more importantly ask others these questions, for although the true answers may be disturbing, hiding our heads in the sand will only increase the chances that history repeats itself.

HOW TO BUY THE BOOK JEW FACE: A story of Love and Heroism in Nazi-Occupied Holland


The Holocaust made simple

Recently I’ve engaged in conversation with numerous people regarding the book Jew Face and in doing so something struck me as somewhat concerning.  I have found that there are many intelligent, moderately educated people who do not have a basic knowledge of what took place in Europe between 1933-1945 and the subsequent Holocaust that resulted in the death of 6 million Jews.  As a result I decided to put together this post as a quick guide for those I come across who wish to know more and for anyone else who wishes to use this as a reference for anyone they encounter with a similar need for basic information.

It starts with World War I.  The first Great War took place between 1914-1918.  Germany was one of the major aggressors in Europe, and by the time they were defeated by the Allied forces that consisted of Britain, France, and the United States, among others, the German army was brought to its knees and the country’s economy was left in shambles.  Recovery was slow and with the great worldwide depression of the 1930s, poverty and discontent was on the rise all over Europe.  Conditions were ideal for revolutions.  Spain and Italy both went the direction of fascist dictatorships, and in Germany, an Austrian born ex-Corporal in the German Army by the name of Adolph Hitler would seize the opportunity and rise to leadership.  He would rise to power as leader of the Nationalist Socialist party, better known as the Nazi party, which would become the ruling party of Germany in 1933.

Hitler would rule his nation as an absolute dictator and would be known as and referred to as “the Fuhrer”.  The German masses would follow him with a degree of commitment and hysteria unlike any seen in history.  Hitler felt that the Germans were a master race, and that any nation or people not of pure German blood would be an obstacle to his goal.  Germany’s Nazi party would invade and occupy much of Europe and would continue fighting on numerous fronts as it attempted to achieve worldwide domination and the formation of this master race.

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At the time this was happening, the majority of the worldwide Jewish population was in Europe, primarily Poland, Russia, and Hungary.  Hitler would use the Jews as a rallying point around which he would motivate his people through hate, blaming them for the misfortunes of the German people and accusing International Jewry of being the force behind an imminent World War.  When Hitler invaded Poland in 1939, for all intents and purposes, not only did World War II begin, but what was to be known as The Holocaust would begin as well.  By 1941, with the implementation of what was to be known as the “Final Solution”, no Jew in Europe was safe.  Although anti-Semitism had been in full force for some time in Germany, once the Nazis invaded and occupied countries all over Europe, they would set out to capture, deport, and murder as many Jews as possible.  Death camps and Concentration camps were set up in various countries where Jewish people would be killed in Gas Chambers or shot en masse by firing squads.  The most infamous of all these camps was Auschwitz which was located in Poland.  The Nazis would not only kill these people, they would strip them of all their possessions, starve them, torture them, conduct medical experiments on them, rape them, and force them to do hard labor sometimes until they died in the process.  Hitler’s Nazi Germany was responsible for the death of millions of Russians, Poles, gypsies, and anyone else not considered by their standards to be a viable part of the future master race.  Nothing however represented the horrors and evil committed by Nazi Germany more than the fate of the Jewish people.  By the time it would be over in 1945, the Holocaust would result in the death of 6 million Jews.

There are a lot more details to the history, but for those who do not know what happened, it is my hope that this will provide you with a foundation on which to not only learn more but to identify the signs of evil rising up again.