25 Jan 2024: International Holocaust Remembrance Day
25 January 2024
International Holocaust Remembrance Day
As I joined friends in the candle-lighting ceremony for International Holocaust Remembrance Day, I reflected on the prose of ππ¦ ππͺπ¨π©π΅ ππΆπ³ ππ’π―π₯ππ¦π΄, particularly its third paragraph:
"ππ π‘ππππ© π πππ£ππ‘π ππ€π§ π©ππ€π¨π π¬ππ€ π¨π©π€π€π πͺπ₯π§ππππ© π¬πππ‘π π€π©πππ§π¨ π¬ππ§π πππ£πππ£π π©π€ ππ’π’π€π§ππ‘ π¬ππ‘π‘. ππ€π§ π©ππ πππππ©ππ€πͺπ¨ πΌπ’π€π£π π©ππ πππ©ππ€π£π¨ π¬ππ€ π§ππ¨π ππ ππ£π ππ«ππ£ πππ«π π©ππππ§ π‘ππ«ππ¨ π©π€ πππ‘π₯ π©ππππ§ πππ‘π‘π€π¬ ππͺπ’ππ£π¨."
One such figure was Dr. Mohammed Helmy, an Egyptian physician who saved numerous Jews from Nazi persecution, a story detailed in Ronen Steinke's book "Anna and Dr. Helmy: How an Arab Doctor Saved a Jewish Girl in Hitlerβs Berlin."
Contemplating such acts of bravery, I wonder: how are there individuals who risk everything to save others?
A common enemy could unify us, right? But is there a greater foe than death and destruction? I think not.
Would not uniting against the horrors of death and destruction embody righteousness and save lives regardless of identities?
In the film Shttl, which we watched at today's event, the Rebbe urges his people to be united in faith, while the protagonist calls for unity with gunsβa dilemma emblematic of our world's struggles.
Perhaps, as the Rebbe says, being united in faith will help us realise the true meaning of verses in Quran 5:32 and Mishna Sanhedrin 4:5.
βππ π¬ππ€ π¨ππ«ππ¨ π π‘πππ π¨πππ‘π‘ ππ ππ¨ ππ ππ πππ πππ«ππ£ π‘πππ π©π€ ππ‘π‘ π’ππ£π ππ£πβ.
If we unite in faith, we can save lives. We must. Please G-d. Insha Allah.
These candles signify memories of the fallen and the light of hope for those who could be saved and must be saved, regardless of who.
Thank you to my Jewish friends for including me in this remembrance ceremony and allowing me to engage and reflect.
Holding the Ropes: Interfaith Dialogue & Reflections Surrounding the Israel-Gaza War is a blog series that follows the events, dialogues and reflections experienced by Nazhath Faheema in the aftermath of the 2023 Israel-Gaza war. Triggered by the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and Israelβs military response, there continues to be widespread destruction and civilian displacement in Gaza. Additionally, Israeli hostages remain in captivity.
Against this backdrop, Nazhath Faheema, through her reflections, provides insights into the dynamics of the war, its impact on interfaith relations, and the inherent challenges and opportunities in fostering understanding and empathy between Jewish and Muslim communities.
