Photo by Sherri Mcewen / EyeEm/Getty Images Today (Jan. 27) is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and tonight we welcome the holiday of Tu Bishvat, also known as the Jewish “birthday” of the trees.
The marriage of these two days is chilling. The six million souls murdered in the Holocaust were like individual human trees. Each had the potential to grow, to flourish and to bear fruit for generations. They were obliterated. But one thing remained that could never be destroyed.
Their roots.
They were obliterated. But one thing remained that could never be destroyed.
Their roots.
The roots of Jews who perished in the Holocaust, like the roots of all Jews, go back 3,300 years to Mount Sinai. What gives Holocaust survivors the sustenance to keep going? What motivates future generations of Jews to double down on life? It’s not just the memory of those who passed away. It’s also the memory of the hundreds of generations who came before them, the generations who struggled and prevailed against all odds. These generations are the Jewish roots.
As we remember today the six million souls who left us, we can also remember the millions of souls who came before them, and those who will come after.
The roots that go back to ancient times represent resilience; the trees of Tu Bishvat represent growth and renewal.
Today we mourn. Tomorrow we plant and renew.
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