Holocaust Day

Today the country stood still in silence for one minute at 10am; sirens wailed throughout the country. Traffic stopped, people got out of cars and buses, pedestrians, shopkeepers, soldiers, children and aged ... even foreigners like me ... all stood in silent remembrance of those killed in the Holocaust. It was a profound moment. I thought of Edith Stein, Titus Brandsma, Maximillian Kolbe and so many others who died in the hands of violent senseless hatred.

After the silence, shops, restaurants, offices began to open and function as usual. I happened to be out in the New City when the sirens sounded. There was an awesome silence as everything stopped, only the siren could be heard. After that, I shared a bagel with a friend to assuage his hunger ... I didn't feel hungry at all but as he offered, I took it. I guess it took on a more profound significance at that moment of the Holocaust Day ... of people sharing and being generous instead of being selfish, hateful and fearful of others.