Della Carr spoke at the recent Holocaust Day Ceremony. Here is her very moving speech for you to read.
DON’T STAND BY....
‘Zachor’, ‘Remember’, is the normal Jewish response to the Holocaust, or ‘We must Never Forget’. There was also the 614th Commandment (Judaism teaches that there are 613 commandments in Torah) suggested by Professor Emil Fackenheim, that after the Holocaust “We must not give Hitler a posthumous victory”. But in some ways the theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations, ‘Don’t Stand By’ sums it up even better.
‘Don’t Stand By’.... Just three and half a simple words, how easy it is to say them, but how difficult to respond to their command. How can I, or you, respond to all that is going in this sad and beleaguered world? My excuse is that I am now too old to take up arms or join the groups of young people who are trying to make a physical difference. However I do believe that any of us can do something, and not just ‘stand by’.
About five years ago I was invited to take part in a training course organised by Southend Council. We were taught how to gently challenge those who could not accept ‘difference’: different race, colour, faith, sexual orientation, and I clearly remember the day when I surprised myself by challenging a doctor friend of mine who belligerently demanded to know the colour of the doctor, whom I had seen at the local hospital. I quietly asked him why he wanted to know, listened to what he said and, with neither raised voice, nor fist, gently challenged him with reasoned argument. Instead of a falling out we had a discussion and although I cannot guarantee that I completely succeeded in persuading him to change his views, we at least remained friends.
Sounds simple? No not really, not when you’re looking at a national or international situation, but if you start with just your family, office, club or place of worship it is possible to make a difference.
And sometimes just by being honest about who you are; for me I have learned to own that I am Jewish and be willing to talk frankly about my ‘Jewishness’ and what it means to me. I am always amazed by the questions I am asked but always willing to answer them to the best of my ability.
If none of this is for you, and we can’t all feel secure enough to challenge, then there are plenty of other ways not to ‘stand by’. Anyone can join or donate to local initiatives for collecting food or money to support those who are homeless, and we can all welcome the refugees who are escaping death in their own countries.
Finally..... Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights reads: ‘Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.’ I believe we should all do our utmost not to ‘stand by’ when we see this is being ignored.
In fact, my religion (and pretty much all religions) teaches that we have a responsibility or a duty to protect the lives, freedom and security of others. So please, if we are to take the theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day to heart and to respond positively, don’t stand by whenever you see an infringement of these rights of any other human being.
Della Carr
2 January 2016