THE HOLOCAUST IS OVER WE MUST RISE FROM ITS ASHES

students in one of the oldest and more prestigious schools in the capital. The visittook place early in the century, when Palestinian terror attacks tore Israel apart.Jerusalem was the target for killings and terrifying propaganda by Islamic militants.The conversation with the students was on various subjects, some of which wereembarrassing. The children, like typical Israeli youngsters, argued heatedly in favor ofdeportations and transfer of the Palestinians. Revenge was an accepted philosophyfor them and the killing of innocents a legitimate means of deterrence. Some of themore extreme speakers garnered the applause of their silent friends. The schoolprincipal, shaken, stood in front of them and spoke with a trembling voice: “But youare not listening to what you are saying. This is how they spoke about us sixty andseventy years ago. This is what they did to us.” He admonished them and they fellsilent in awe, but it was apparent they disagreed with what he said. Then one angrystudent threw out at me: “I will never forgive them. My friend was killed in a terroristact and my cousin was injured in a terrorist act . . . and I will never ever forgive them.They are the worst thing that ever happened in my life,” said the sixteen-year-old.“The worst thing that happened to the Jews is the Arabs,” he continued, genuinelyhurt.A rational response was not in order. So I tried to change the flow of his river ofwrath; I asked him what brand of car his father drove.“A Volkswagen Passat,” he replied.“And your mom?”“An old Audi.”“And you’ve forgiven the Germans?”“Yes,” he said. “They did nothing bad to me. They weren’t as bad as the Arabs.”There was a bit of silence and the bell rang, marking the end of the class session.“You tricked me,” he said. “You set a trap. You’re a demagogue politician.” He wasin tears. He then turned away and left.I did not mean at all to “trick” him. The Israeli nation’s wounded psyche spoke thetruth from both our throats. The political manipulation that turned the Arabs into thespiritual brethren of the Nazis, or worse, conveniently allowed us to move forward inlife. Restored relations with Germany and the West enabled us to receive the Germanreparations and compensation money. At the same time, we continued to lament our