Home » Remembering 6 Million Jews – Holocaust Memorial Day
Remembering 6 Million Jews – Holocaust Memorial Day
https://vimeo.com/534873850
This week the world commemorated Holocaust Memorial Day, marking one of humanity’s darkest hours.
It has been 76 years since the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp. However, the atrocities committed during those years extend far beyond Auschwitz. In fact, the majority of Holocaust victims come from the former Soviet Union, many of whom managed to immigrate to Israel in the past 30 years.
There are currently 165,800 Holocaust survivors living in Israel, their average age is 85. About 31,000 of them are over the age of 90′ and as little as 950 of them are 100 and above.
Approximately 15,324 of them passed away last year — with an average of 42 survivors passing every day. A truly passing generation to whom there is still a tremendous outstanding debt. There’s very little time left to reach out a helping hand and show them just how loved they are by God.
Holocaust survivors are usually in worse physical, emotional, and financial shape than others their age. The effects of constant beating, abuse, starvation, frostbite, physiological, physical and sexual violence — the toll these horrific events have taken on these precious people is staggering. So many of them were orphaned and many more are now completely alone, with no family or relatives to care for them in their old age.
When I first approached a local Holocaust center dedicated to supporting these senior survivors, I was asked who are the people this help would be provided by. I told them it came from Christians who love Israel, who wish to bless her people, and especially those that have suffered so much at the hands of those that called themselves “Christians” during the Holocaust.
I was rejected. Aaron, an amazing 78-year old survivor who heads this center told me: “Christians? No, thanks.” I felt his pain deeply. I knew exactly where it was coming from and I realized that there are no words that can convince, only actions of love.
Many years have passed, and now after having worked and helped thousands of Holocaust survivors, Beit Hallel is received as a dear friend by these precious people. Not only that, but this work has sown seeds of love in their hearts and transformed their view of Christians. Now whenever I speak to Aaron and mention the dear Christians that selflessly and generously help and give to this cause, he always receives me with a big smile, saying: “After all these years I can feel we can trust Christians, they have been our best friends these years.”
To know that the labor of love you have supported so generously has caused the hearts of the deeply hurt to transform, open and receive the kindness that is behind your generosity — that is the greatest act of love you could’ve done. It has accomplished so much!
Yet, time is running short. With so many of these precious Holocaust survivors passing every day, — 900 of them died of Covid alone in the past year, we cannot help but feel the clock ticking, wanting to do so much more for them. Not a single one of them should have to make the choice between buying groceries or medication.
If you feel the same urgency as us, we encourage you to become involved in the incredible work of Beit Hallel with the Holocaust Survivors, dignifying them in their last days.
We aim to bless our community of Holocaust Survivors with essential medical devices like Blood Pressure Monitors, Blood Sugar Monitors, and Oxygen Level Monitors over the next few months. To Donate towards providing these medical devices to Holocaust Survivors in need, please follow the link below.
