The Jewish community does this the day after Tisha B’Av every year—they move on. They do not stay focused on tragedies. They spend Tisha B’Av recognizing the horrific events of the past, reflecting on the significance, and then wake-up the next morning to a new day.
Come and see the works of God…We went through fire and through water; but You brought us out to rich fulfillment.
“May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob defend you; may He send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion.” PSALM 20:1-2
I strongly encourage you to not only set an alarm to pause in a moment of silent solidarity with our Jewish friends, neighbors and co-workers; but, also determine to use Yom HaShoah to vocally counter those who aggressively attempt to diminish and co-opt the memory of the Holocaust.
“Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” PSALM 124:6-7
In a reincarnation of the spirit of Amalek, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime instigated the most aggressive program to annihilate the Jewish people in the history of mankind.
You can choose to ignore the animus focused on the Jewish community and delude yourself into thinking you have no responsibility. Or, you can choose to follow Esther’s example and stand in solidarity with and as an advocate for God’s Chosen People.
