The Pragmatician

HOLOCAUST OVERDOSE

In my circle I’m the only one feeling this way, so I’m hoping to find a like-minded person among my readers.

There are no words sad enough and adequately tragic to describe the horror that was the Holocaust.
Pretending it didn’t exist would be foolish, hurtful to those who lived through it and grossly disrespectful to its countless victims.

Since I was a child there was always talk about it and around it.
My mother used to bring books from the library for me to read about it.
50 % of the Artscroll and Feldheim catalogs contain Holocaust stories (some really interesting).

Rebbeim often referred to it and it was a large part of the history lessons year after year.
Movies on the subject are made by the dozen, so many in fact I find it tasteless. Books written about it wouldn’t fit in the largest library in the world; and many countries have museums and shrines devoted to it.

Before I continue I’d like to emphasize that I’m not against being taught about it, reading about it, or even watching movies relating to the war.
I’m not saying people shouldn’t be told about it at all and that children shouldn’t be taught.
But I am troubled by something.

In recent years it has become common to travel to Poland, or other places where all the horror took place.
My wife, before we were married was on such a trip.
I feel this is a bad idea.
When asking people who visited such places about their experience, the answer is invariably, “it’s an experience one should have“
They rarely have anything to add.
It sounds like an indoctrinated answer, as literally everyone who returns from such a place will answer those exact words.
Those who organize these trips advertise it as a once in a lifetime experience and a spiritual journey but I don’t buy that.

The truth is most people resume their normal lives the second they’re in the bus back to the airport. And I have yet to meet someone who was inspired enough to turn his/her life around.

My grand-mother unfortunately was there 60 years ago, and had she had the choice I’m positive she would have chosen not to be there.
So isn’t it crazy to send our kids voluntarily to that place where so many Jews were cruelly murdered.
When I advance my arguments, people answer that the next generation needs to “know”.
I say yes of course they do, but they know, they hear, they read, they see, what’s next? “Spend a day in a concentration camp”? “
It’s so sad that the Holocaust had to happen; it’s tragic that nothing has been learned from it, it’s ridiculous that non-survivors make tons of money on merchandising (yes it exists!) and holocaust related stuff.
Baruch H’Ashem the Holocaust is over; the new generation is privileged and blessed to be living in free countries with actual civil rights.
Why do kids need to be confronted with what happened non-stop.
It should be taught, visiting a museum is instructive but going to a concentration camp and inundating the kids with information and images is wrong.
They don’t have to know all the gruesome details; it only serves to create nightmares and subconscious fear.
The Jews were punished enough during the Holocaust, why should the new generation be punished again?