Inspiration from Zion: This is a Love Story

Years later the signs still remain…

On Holocaust Memorial Day it seems more appropriate than ever to post this image:
In 2006 Hezbollah rained missiles on to the cities of northern Israel. Each missile was carefully packed full of full of metal death balls, specifically designed to rip through flesh and bones. On impact, the missile explodes sending the metal balls flying through everything in their vicinity.

Shrapnel. Sounds rather innocuous doesn’t it?

In the picture you can see the effect of the death balls on a metal highway railing designed to stop car crashes. The death balls punched through the railing, strong enough to stop cars, as if they were slicing cheese…  

Most of the damage from that war was repaired immediately. This seldom noticed spot was not. Flowers have grown next to it but the signs of the destruction scream out to anyone who bothers to look.  

Holocaust Memorial Day screams out with the suffering of the victims. It shouts of the heroism of those who did what they could to save people and alleviate suffering. It shows in no uncertain terms that there are ultimate rights and wrongs. It holds up as a shining example the heroism of those who managed to survive, prosper, build happy families and a State where this horror could Never Again happen. This day reminds us of all the people who saw what was coming and did nothing to stop it. The people who justified the Nazi activities and even supported them. The people who saw and remained silent. The governments who knew what was happening and did nothing to help the helpless – because it was too inconvenient (and maybe also because in their heart of hearts they thought the “damn Jews” deserved it).

It is not enough to say: “Never Again” and it is more than an issue of remembering history. Holocaust Memorial Day is just one day in the year but the lessons of the Holocaust are screaming neon warnings that flash all day, every day – to those who bother to look.

“Never Again” means learning from history, understanding what is happening in the present and doing whatever it takes – no matter how difficult or inconvenient – to make the future possible for our children and grandchildren.