Commemorating Holocaust Remembrance Day
On Monday, which is Holocaust Remembrance Day, we remember not only those who perished but those who struggle to survive.
There are about 100,000 Holocaust survivors living in the United States. More than one in four of them are existing at or below the poverty level.
Those unconscionable numbers will continue to rise as survivors age into their 90s and drain whatever resources they have.
Many lost their life’s savings in the Holocaust and were never reimbursed. Others have no family support. Too many don’t have the means to overcome major medical bills or other unforeseen expenses.
A Memphis nonprofit organization is standing in the gap.
KAVOD – the Hebrew word for dignity – provides emergency aid to help Survivors meet their basic needs and maintain their dignity.
KAVOD was founded in November 2015.
Working through community Jewish Family Services or other local agencies, KAVOD’s board quickly reviews confidential requests for aid.
Survivors in need receive gift cards they can use at local groceries or pharmacies. The gifts offset expenses incurred from emergency situations such as medical and home repair problems.
As we help survivors in need, we preserve their stories and their witness for new generations. We still have so much to learn.
Genocide isn’t just something that happened long ago. As we see time after time in places such as Rwanda, Bosnia and Syria, the evil of genocide goes on.
Survivors remind us that we are capable of unfathomable horror and boundless love and generosity.
We must continue to remember the millions of victims of the Holocaust, teach our history, and tell their stories.
We must remember the stories of resistance and the ways that maintaining human dignity were fought for even though the Nazi’s strategized to dehumanize and destroy.
We must continue to honor the survivors and support their rights to a dignified life.
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Siku ya ukumbusho wa mauaji ya kimbari ya Holocaust ni siku ya ukumbusho wa watu waliouawa na waliokabiliwa na mauaji hayo. Kuna watu 100,000 wanaoishi katika Holocaust nchini Marekani. Zaidi ya mmoja kati ya wanne wao wako kwenye au chini ya kiwango cha umaskini. Idadi hiyo ya watu itazidi kuongezeka kadiri watu wanaopona wanavyozidi umri wa miaka 90 na hivyo kutumia rasilimali wanazo. Wengi walipoteza akiba yao ya maisha katika yale Maangamizi Makubwa ya Wayahudi na hawakuwahi kulipwa. Wengine hawana msaada wa familia. Wengi sana hawana njia ya kukabiliana na bili kubwa za matibabu au gharama nyingine zisizotazamiwa. Shirika la Memphis lisilo la faida linasimama katika pengo hilo. KAVOD <unk> neno la Kiebrania linalomaanisha heshima <unk> hutoa msaada wa dharura ili kuwasaidia Waokokaji kukidhi mahitaji yao ya msingi na kudumisha heshima yao. KAVOD ilianzishwa mnamo Novemba 2015. Kwa kufanya kazi kupitia Huduma za Familia ya Kiyahudi ya jamii au mashirika mengine ya mitaa, bodi ya KAVOD inachunguza haraka maombi ya siri ya msaada. Waokokaji walio na uhitaji hupokea kadi za zawadi ambazo wanaweza kutumia katika maduka ya vyakula au maduka ya dawa ya mahali hapo. Zawadi hizo zilipunguza gharama zilizotokana na hali za dharura kama vile matatizo ya matibabu na marekebisho ya nyumba. Tunapowasaidia waokokaji walio na uhitaji, tunahifadhi hadithi zao na ushuhuda wao kwa vizazi vipya. Bado tuna mengi sana ya kujifunza. Mauaji ya kimbari si jambo lililotokea muda mrefu uliopita. Kama tunavyoona mara kwa mara katika maeneo kama vile Rwanda, Bosnia na Syria, uovu wa mauaji ya kimbari unaendelea. Waokokaji wanatukumbusha kwamba tuna uwezo wa kutisha bila kipimo na upendo na ukarimu usio na kikomo. Ni lazima tuendelee kukumbuka mamilioni ya waathirika wa yale mauaji ya kimbari, tuendelee kufundisha historia yetu, na kueleza hadithi zao. Ni lazima tukumbuke hadithi za upinzani na njia ambazo kudumisha hadhi ya kibinadamu ilipigania hata ingawa Wanazi walipanga mkakati wa kuharibu na kuharibu. Ni lazima tuendelee kuwaheshimu waokokaji na kuunga mkono haki zao za maisha ya heshima. Bonyeza hapa ili kutazama makala ya awali.