Written May 3, 2011

 

Shalom & hello to my dear children & grandchildren, family & friends,and neighbor.

Hi, I am fine, busy as usual,and having a good time.

I found, that every time I visit, stay, live, in this wonderful country, I learn something new. The Israelis, never cease to amaze me.

Yesterday, in Israel, we commemorate the Holocaust day. (Yom Hasho'a). It has been celebrated on the 28th day, of the Hebrew month of Nisan. The day of the start of the failed uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto in 1942. It is a somber day in Israel. Regular TV & Radio programs are dedicated to the Holocaust. I am not sure, when this day was established as a memorial to the 6 Million, I think the decision was made after Eichmann's  trail in 1961. As a child , a teen, & a young adult in Israel, I, as well as many others who lived in Israel at the time, were not aware of the atrocities & the murder of the Jews in Europe during 2nd world war. What is so amazing, the survivors, who arrived after the war, did not talk either.  The concept "Remember" started in the 70th, when the war generation started to pass on. I am sure you are all aware of the many Holocaust Museums around the world. The Israeli museum, appropriately, named "YAD VASHEM"(memorial & a name).  The Spielberg witness project, movies on the topics, books & documents being compiled, are all for the purpose of "REMEMBER".

Israel, now, is taking steps to salvage the last remnants of survivors stories. The statistics are, that about 13,000 survivors died since last year, and the number is growing as the years passes by.

We, here, believe that our collective memory is not better then other nations, but because we are insisting of remembering the events & not letting it being forgotten,we will be able to stand the wear & tear of time that is known to be a vehicle for erasing and forgetting. 

Yesterday, at 10:00 am, through out Israel, a 2 minute siren was heard. Entire nation stopped whatever they were doing, and stood in silence.  The siren caught me on Jabotinsky road, main traveling artery, in Ramat-Gan. Buses, cars, motorcycles, pedestrians, all stood. (drivers & passengers got out of their vehicle to stand). Shopkeepers stood at the entrance to their establishments.

Now, you would ask, what was I doing on Jabotinsky Rd ?  Well, I went to buy fish. Mr. Yossi Aragi has a large "pool" inside the store, looks more like a whirlpool with live fish swimming in. We looked inside, and he picked for me the 2.5kg (about 5.5lbs) fish with his net. I will spare you the end of this fish story... Any one for a good fish recipe ?

Wishing you all good days to come, I miss you all, please write.

With Love, Ima, Savta, The Shvig, Estherika, Ludmilla, that me, Esther.