My Least Favorite Place

From Holy Land

I came to the Holy Land to see old, religious things. I wanted to see my faith stories come alive. I wanted to have a divine intersection with God in places I had only imagined before. I wanted to leave with joy in my heart due to my faith.

All in all that happened except for one tour. The tour of the Holocaust Museum on the Mount of Remembrance. Yad Veshem The origin of the name is from a Biblical verse: “And to them will I give in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name (Yad Vashem) that shall not be cut off”

I had been to a concentration camp before that told part of the story. I think it is good to educate people on what happened so that it possibly won’t happen again, but I wasn’t up for another visit. I knew it would be depressing. I knew I wouldn’t like it.

I was right.

Reading of the hate, the fear, and the evil that went on during this time bothered me. It bothered me because I didn’t understand how people could do that or let that happen but it also bothered me because I didn’t know what I would do if I were a citizen of Nazi Germany.

Would I have left? Would I have hidden someone? Would I have kept my mouth shut? Or would they have brain washed me too so that I even thought it was right?

That last question haunted me most of all. I know there must have been “good” people who agreed with their leaders because “good” people listen to the governmental authorities.

Seeing the relics and pictures made me hurt for “these people” who were really no different than me. They too had a faith that defined them and were punished for it.

As I walked into the hall of names, I was overwhelmed with grief and embarrassment. What does God think of us that we let this happen?

At the exit, we got to see a beautiful view of Jerusalem and even though this was my least favorite place, I still think its worth the visit and I felt that I must tell people to remember that it’s not always enough to just spread God’s Love. Sometimes you have to stop the evil too.

Until Everyone Hears,