On Holocaust Remembrance Day, a ray of hope
As we remember the horrific events of the Holocaust, we regret that this historical event still falls victim to denial and accusations that Jews have distorted facts to advance their own interests in the Middle East. But a tide seems to have turned, at least in one country in the Middle East.
The Holocaust has been the subject of numerous movies, including Claude Lanzmann’s “Shoah.” “Shoah” is the Hebrew word for Holocaust; the movie is composed of first-hand accounts of concentration camp survivors and employees. First released in 1985, the first part has just aired on public state television for the first time in a majority-Muslim country, Turkey.
“It is a historical event,” Lanzmann told the Associated Press. “The Turks are engaged in a pioneering work and I am sure [the showing] will be followed by other Muslim countries.”
SFCG shares Lanzmann’s hopes, especially as Turkey also took the initiative to release its own movie last year, “The Turkish Passport”, which commemorates the heroic actions of Turkish diplomats during the Holocaust who issued Jews Turkish passports, saving thousands of lives.
Life presents us with many opportunities to be courageous, to start a dialogue about painful things, and to make unpopular decisions in order to do the right thing. At SFCG, we will go into the weekend reflecting on the actions of leaders and everyday citizens alike that are taking steps to ensure a more peaceful future throughout the world.
