Article - August 2007

LET US NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE TREES FOR THE FOREST!

The United Nations is obsessed with condemning Israel with every crime and breach of international law it can fabricate, therefore I agree absolutely with Sam Lipski’s sentiment that UN Holocaust Day has ulterior motives.  (AJN 02/02/07).

Manny Waks’ (AJN 9/2/07) states the obvious, yet I can not fathom the logic of rejecting the UN declared Memorial Day in defence of Israel, when Israel herself moved the motion to establish this day.

Anti-Semitism needs to be fought on a number of fronts, not just on the global stage.  As a community we must be pro-active, we must target groups who are not aware of the implications of the Holocaust for all of mankind.  This is where the distinction is drawn between Yom Hashoah and the UN declared Holocaust Memorial Day.  Yom Hashoah is our community’s day of mourning and remembrance.  UN International Memorial Day gives us the opportunity at the local level, to focus on the non-Jewish world.  After all, it was the non-Jewish world which perpetrated this crime.

At the commemoration held at the Holocaust Centre on Sunday the 28th of January, the keynote speakers were Bishop Christopher Prowse, representing the Roman Catholic Church and Mr George Lekakis, Chairman of the Multicultural Commission of Victoria.  At this level at least, a representative of the Catholic Church unequivocally accepted the historical role that the Church played in promoting anti-Semitism in past.  Mr Lekakis expressed his revulsion for those who deny the Holocaust and commended initiatives taken over a twenty four year period by the Holocaust Centre in combating racism and prejudice where ever it occurs.

To demonstrate the horrors of an ideology which creates “the Other”, our candles were lit by students from Jewish day schools as well as a representative of disability groups who were considered and labelled by the Nazi regime as “lives not worth living”.  The president of the Roma/Sinti people, (Gypsies) and members of the Gay community also targeted by the Nazis lit memorial candles.

This dialogue amongst such disparate people produced instant results in the fight against anti-Semitism.  Invitations to address local communities by a number of politicians were extended.  Dialogue with Catholic organizations and other groups representing a variety of backgrounds which make up part of the Victorian community were strengthened.

The Victoria Police Force sent two representatives to our commemoration.  One of the young officers expressed that he had gained a greater insight into the Jewish Community by attending such an emotionally charged and factually enlightening event.  He also commented that he felt he had a better appreciation of why a physical attack on one Jewish individual motivated by anti-Semitic sentiment, reverberates throughout the entire Jewish Community.

As Sam Lipski argues, on a global level I also remain sceptical.  On the local level however, where we Jews live and interact with others, I claim that we have had a major breakthrough.  This UN sanctioned day helps to create a greater understanding of us as a people and of understanding that genocide and mass murder can occur anywhere in the world.  This type of Holocaust education is priceless and relevant for all Australians.

Written by:
Bernard Korbman
Executive Director
Jewish Holocaust Museum and Research Centre