Q&A: What Is the Point of Preserving the Memory of the Holocaust?
What Is the Point of Preserving the Memory of the Holocaust?
Question
Hello Rabbi,
Is there value in preserving the memory of the Holocaust?
I can’t really find any value-based justification for it, except maybe to satisfy the psychological need of the Zionist Jew to say to the gentiles, "You see why we deserve a state?"
Or maybe to justify the theory of the weak, miserable Jew that we love so much…
Answer
I also think this is exaggerated. Part of it is empathy for the survivors, and another part is educational—so as to prevent future acts and events. If we demand that the world remember, then we too need to do so. I also think part of it is a Jewish vacuum among the broader public. They are looking for Jewish elements in their identity and latch onto any event or characteristic that can connect them to a Jewish identity without any connection to religion or religious commitment. Therefore, in my opinion, Holocaust memory-consciousness is weaker the more religious you are.
Discussion on Answer
"The more religious a Jew is, the weaker the memory-consciousness is"—this is the first time I’ve heard this "fact."
Wondering, Holocaust memory-consciousness. Note that distinction.
No need to rely on me. Just go out and check reality. Who establishes more museums, dedicates memorial days, organizes trips to Poland, writes books, and in general brings it up more in everyday discourse? I have no doubt that the fact I described is correct. In addition, the secular pathos in the discourse about the Holocaust is shrouded in a kind of sacred awe, like a Hasid telling about his rebbe or a spiritual supervisor describing the experience of saying "for the sake of the unification" before redeeming a firstborn donkey.
I just remembered that I wrote about this in Column 7; see there:
https://mikyab.net/%D7%9E%D7%94%D7%95-%D7%96%D7%99%D7%9B%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%A2%D7%91%D7%A8-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%93%D7%A8%D7%A0%D7%99-%D7%9E%D7%94%D7%90%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%98%D7%99-%D7%9C%D7%9E-2/
I really enjoyed your explanation of the fact that the more religious a Jew is, the weaker the memory-consciousness is. Interesting point.