Homework for the Holy Land: Day 7: Two somber visits

Today was a free day in Jerusalem, which means we were on our own as opposed to being on the tour bus.  Before arrival, a group had expressed interest in visiting Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, so we engaged the services of a tour guide.  We were yet again blessed with a wonderful guide who enhanced the experience for us.

The Spousal Unit™ and I have been to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.  In comparing the two, I would say that the DC facility had quite a few more artifacts of the Holocaust.  The Israeli center historically traces the rise of the Nazi persecution of the Jews through the liberation of the camps.  The center also has an number of beautifully done monuments to those who were instrumental in saving Jews.  They are called the Righteous.

Rows of trees are planted on the Avenue of the Righteous

Each sign is a marker for one of the Righteous.  They are located throughout the grounds of the Center.

Our guide said that the bulk of the Center's budget goes toward research and study.  They are working to document the names of all who died in the Holocaust.  The Hall of Remembrance is where the files of each documented victim are kept.  The Center is also engaged in the work of documenting those who assisted in saving Jews.  The Garden of the Righteous on the Center's grounds celebrates those brave people in 51 countries who put themselves and their families at risk to protect the lives of their friends, family, neighbors, or even someone they had never met before.  

This gives you an idea of what the panels look like.  Someone had left flowers at one site.

This was the entrance into the Children's Memorial.  The rebar on top signifies unfinished lives.  The actual memorial is a darkened space, with lit memorial candles reflected to create the impression of millions of stars shining.  The names of the approximately 1.5 million children lost during the Holocaust are spoken aloud as you walk through the space.

On the walk to the Garden of the Righteous, we came upon this marker and tree:

 

This tree is composed of figures of people.

The last site we visited was this boxcar, hanging out on a segment of steel bridge.

Afterwards, My Friend Jeanie™ and I went back to the Old City where we stood on line at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to see the tomb of Christ and where Christ was crucified.  At the site of the crucifixion, a group of priests/monks/maybe Benedictines/maybe Franciscan were saying the final stations of the cross in Latin.  We were able to observe this rite and ritual.  And after spending the better part of the day at the Holocaust Center, combining that with the visit to the tomb and site of the crucifixion, all I can say is I'm sorry.  I will try harder to be the hands and feet and voice of Christ in this world.  

It was a beautiful, somber day.