Helen Ramirez / Roundup
Imagine living in a hut built for 30 people, but housing 400.
Imagine having to sleep in a bed with seven or eight people then waking up to find someone beside you dead.
Imagine your family being split into different groups, different camps, not knowing which group would be killed.
Imagine having someone you love die. Then watching as their dead body is thrown into a mass grave with 1,500 other dead bodies.
Imagine everyday seeing dead rotting bodies just outside your door.
Imagine wanting to escape over the fence, but then seeing the dead bodies near the fence reminding you that if you even try you’ll end up like them.
All of this was reality during the Holocaust.
The Holocaust, of meaning, “sacrifice by fire,” was the persecution and murder of approximately 6 million Jews by the Nazi regime and collaborators. The Nazis were a political party, head by Adolf Hitler, which sought to eliminate the Jewish race.
According the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Web site, German authorities also persecuted: Roma (Gypsies), the disabled, and some of the Slavic people (Polish, Russians, and others) because they were believed to be inferior in the German race.
Others were persecuted for their political, religious and social differences.
In Hebrew, Holocaust Remembrance Day is called Yom Hashoah (Yom Ha-shaoh). Holocaust Remembrance Day is internationally recognized the 27of Nisan, which changes according to the Hebrew calendar. When the date of Yom Hashoah falls on a Friday, the state of Israel observes Yom Hashoah on the following Thursday. If the date falls on a Sunday, Yom Hashoah is observed on the following Monday.
This day marks the anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising, which was the first time Jews fought back against German officers. The Warsaw ghetto was to be exterminated in three days, but the Jews fought back holding the ghetto up for more than a month.
In honor of the fighting spirit of the Warsaw ghetto, Days of Remembrance ceremonies commemorating the victims and survivors of the Holocaust are connected to those of the Warsaw ghetto uprising.
Meir Tassa, 24, president of Hillel (Jewish club) at Pierce College was born and raised in Israel. For him, remembering the holocaust is remembering his Jewish heritage. He feels that going back in history helps to commemorate the Jewish culture.
“When the day comes, we don’t do anything,” added Tassa. “It’s a day for holocaust.”
On Yom Hashoah, the names of those who died are mentioned. Holocaust survivors also share the stories of their experiences with others.
“We commemorate those stories,” said Tassa, “those memories.”
Tassa mentioned that the Nazis would tattoo numbers on the wrists of Jews to keep track of them.
“They were just numbers for the Nazis,” said Tassa. “Not names, not Jews, just numbers.”
Tassa moved from Israel to the United States two years ago. After moving to the United States, Tassa was looking to keep his Jewish roots.
“You come here, you want to keep your identity,” said Tassa.
He joined the Hillel Club on campus to make sure he didn’t forget where he came from. Tassa said that there are events that all Jews need to remember, the holocaust being one of the most important.
Having served in the Israel Defense Force (IDF) for four years, Tassa cannot grasp how the Nazis killed so many of his people.
“Taking a life is not that simple,” said Tassa. “Trying to genocide a nation is something horrible.”
The Hillel Club had a table set up last Thursday to commemorate all those who died during the holocaust. Handouts with names of the dead and the Mourners’ prayer were available for all students. The prayer is usually recited at funerals and by anyone mourning a loss. There were posters with facts of the Holocaust alongside the table. On the table were six yellow candles with the engraving of the Star of David, which represented the six million Jews that died.
Sarah Kheel, 24, is an undergraduate who helps coordinate Hillel at both Pierce and Los Angeles Valley College. The Holocaust Remembrance Day makes her reminisce about the people that died during the holocaust.
“It’s very crazy, when I see people that were my age,” said Kheel looking at a name list of the dead.
“There were those that were one year old, and didn’t get to live their lives,” said Kheel.
Kendi Kim, 30, a psychology major and member of Hillel, started reading the names of the dead out loud, and began to cry.
“It’s just that they’re so young,” said Kim, as she swiped off tears with a tissue.
Her voice broke up as she began to cry, again.
“It’s like a whole movie in my brain,” said Kim mustering herself to speak.
“If you’re 12 and at a camp, and you know you’re going to die – It’s sad,” said Kim crying and laughing nervously.
Although the holocaust can bring agonizing memories and reflections, Tassa feels they are necessary to preserve that appreciation for the Jewish background.
“With all the pain, we will remember,” said Tassa. “That way we never forget.
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Sarah Kheel, 24, mans the Holocaust remembrance table sponsored by Hillel, the Jewish club on campus, Wednesday. The Day of Remembrance commemorates the victims and survivors of the Holocaust. (Elliot Golan / Roundup)
Meir Tassa, president of Hillel, lights candles in remembrance of the Holocaust as Monica Nabizadeh, 19, reads distributed information on the Mall on Wednesday. (Elliot Golan / Roundup)