1998-1999 Rothberg Yearbook

Holocaust Memorial Ceremony
First they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not Jewish
Then they came for the communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not communist
Then they came for the Catholics
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Catholic
Then they came for the Trade Unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I am not a trade unionist
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me
by Pastor Niemolier
At 10 a.m., the siren was heard, and Shimon Lipsky opened the ceremony with the reading
of the Yizkor. It was a special occasion for me, to commemorate this day together with hundreds of
students from all over the world. I felt this strongly as six fires were kindled by Jews from different
cultures, different backgrounds, and in different languages, all uniting in memory of the Holocaust.
Hearing the Yiddish song: “It’s burning, brothers, it’s burning”, describing a person calling
for help, asking his brothers to lend a hand and extinguish the flames of his burning shtetl, truly
affected me.
Ceremonies I have attended in the past never had such a strong influence on me, but
perhaps this one was different. Having seen the process of choosing the texts, and then rehearsing
them, gave new meaning to poems I knew before, like “The Butterfly”, and was even shocking, as
in the dialogue of “A Mother and her Daughter”, which was new to me.
I found it significant that ‘The Vow’ was read, in order not to forget that atrocities are still
going on in Europe today, and that ‘Hatikva’ was sung, in order to appreciate the fact that today,
those fleeing anti-Semitism have a home. I wish to thank all those who participated and helped out:
Cooper, Elna, Deb, Naomi, Suzanne, Carmi, Katie, Gido, Olga, Becca, Anita, Shelly, Aliza, Esther,
Ann-Marie and the a-cappella choir.
-Naftali Meschel