![]() I liked to stop at the tree planted in honor of the beloved Corrie ten Boom. Then, we walked along the tree-lined “Garden of the Righteous Among the Nations” honoring Righteous Gentiles-non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. We cannot follow in the footsteps of the masses who turned their heads away from evil.” Holding hands in a circle, I noted, “We bring you here to help you to encounter the past, and to inspire you as Christians to advocate for the Jewish community whose ancient ancestors gave us our Scriptures and our Savior. I would draw the stunned group together for a much-needed pause and time of prayer led by one of the pastors. Our several hours ended when we stepped out onto a balcony overlooking the forest below us. Each group would fall silent in shock as they saw the collections and artifacts-too many to name-and wondered how such evil could have happened. We viewed photographs of entire families that later perished, not knowing that the joyous family picnics or Passover meals they were celebrating would be their last. We watched short films that featured Holocaust survivors telling their haunting stories. Other sections were filled with the grim memorabilia of Nazi symbols and propaganda. Our groups walked the somber gray concrete hallways, some with lofty ceilings that soared overhead. Led by a skilled Israeli guide, we began our walks into the architecturally stark, sobering epicenter of Holocaust education. We always included a visit to Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. I staffed numerous trips for a weeklong series of geopolitical briefings enfolded in a spiritual pilgrimage. included recruitment of Christian leaders to visit Israel, hosted by the AIPAC-affiliated American Israel Education Foundation (AIEF). Part of my position as Christian Outreach Director in the southeastern U.S. Yad Vashem is helping to ensure that six million Jews who perished will be honored and that “Never Again” will remain as our watchword.įrom 2007 to 2016, I was privileged to work on the staff of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Since its creation in 1953, a million people a year visit and learn in this extraordinary museum and educational facility. Yad Vashem is the world’s foremost source for Holocaust education, documentation, and research. Preeminent among them is Yad Vashem, the International Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem. Over the decades, many institutions and individuals have aided in preserving our memory of the Holocaust. This year, ECI is encouraging local churches worldwide to mention Holocaust remembrance in their January 31 services. As Europeans we have a historic responsibility to be at the forefront of this global battle.” Gull stated: “Whereas Jew hatred was once a European plague it has now increasingly become a global problem. He recently said: “It must be clear that anti-Semitism is a sin and contradicts everything Christianity stands for.”ĮCI chairman Tor G. Some of these nations have spoken out firmly in favor of the language, such as Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, chairman of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany. It has since been endorsed by more than 40 nations, plus the European Union and the U.N. and other IGRA member states adopted this language in 2016. “Antisemitism frequently charges Jews with conspiring to harm humanity, and it is often used to blame Jews for ‘why things go wrong.’ It is expressed in speech, writing, visual forms and action, and employs sinister stereotypes and negative character traits.” The language, which was developed and agreed-upon in 2016, goes on: Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.” The European Coalition for Israel (ECI) marked the day with an online memorial service that encouraged faith communities around the world to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition on anti-Semitism: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Yesterday, President Joe Biden affirmed, “The facts are not up for question, and each of us must remain vigilant and speak out against the resurgent tide of anti-Semitism, and other forms of bigotry and intolerance, here at home and around the world.” This week, as we honor the 76th anniversary of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we recall its origins and its vital importance. Yet we must remember-so that such an atrocity never happens again. You have probably seen or heard this devastating truism before. If we held a moment of silence for every victim of the Holocaust, we would be silent for eleven-and-a-half years. ![]()
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