we were not allowed to take pictures in the museum, but I took pages of notes of my impressions. I am thankful for the LORD equipping me with emotions, but at times it is difficult in public places! I had a hard time in some exhibits keeping my tears down.
in a labor camp, Jewish workers were assigned to make shoe pads, drum heads, and the lining of purses. the materials they had to use- Torah scrolls of parchments! imagine being instructed to make items out of the Holy Bible. heartbreaking.
there were large displays of items that were stolen from synagogues in Europe. before burning down the building, SS officers would gather all of the booty to sell or melt down for gold.
within the camps, Jews traded bread rations for handmade brooches and metal gifts for loved ones. it was such a great sacrifice to celebrate a loved one's birthday by giving up one's only possession, let alone, only chance to further life.
a section of the museum was transformed into a street from the Warsaw Ghetto. on the floor was laid original cobblestone, with tram tracks down the middle of the street. above was an original lamppost guiding the travelers. as one walked down the street, above one could hear the noise of the area when the Jews were evacuated from their homes.
an exhibit was dedicated to the Righteous Among the Nations, the non-Jews who worked to save the persecuted Jews in Europe. a row of trees outside of the museum commemorates their efforts.
many faithful people risked much to extended a hand to the oppressed Jews. among the honored were Oscar Schindler, who is buried in Jerusalem, and Corrie Ten Boom, who my little sister is named after.
within the Righteous exhibit was this quote from a non-Jew: "I know that when I stand before God on Judgment Day, I shall not be asked the question posed to Cain- where were you when your brother's blood was crying out to God?"
the latter part of the museum documented how Jews coped with the end of the war and the living transition afterwards. an elderly couple's video testimony described how many people once free got married to other fellow camp mates. they said their wedding was the first of 21 in one day! they were the typical older couple as well: the woman told most of their story while the man just sat, looking at the camera. he would interject with comments like "I didn't know that" or "why didn't you tell me that?" so funny! and the woman just ignored him! she told her story of how she dealt with her first pregnancy after the war. at first she did not believe she was with child: "my body did not have any fat on it. how could I develop a body to have a baby?" she did not have money for an abortion, so she tried many different methods at home to abort her child. nothing worked; her son was born just the same. recalling the moment of his birth: "I looked at this beautiful baby, a healthy son that I created, and I could only think of was how I previously wanted to kill him."
on top of the hill of the museum, there stands a Children's Memorial building dedicated to the one and a half million Jewish children who perished in the Holocaust. in the middle of the room was a single lit candle surround by a wall foggy mirrors, giving the illusion of millions of candles floating in the air. as one walked through the room, the name, age, and location of each perished child was read aloud. so moving. the building was completely funded by a couple who lost a son in Auschwitz in 1944.
the most impressive room in the museum is the Hall of Names. the room is filled 27 columns wide, 20 shelves high with 16 binders resting on each shelf. the hall contains the archive of the names of the Jews who perished in the Holocaust. within the binders are pages of testimony containing names and biographical details of the victims. there was also available computer terminals for conducting searches of victims names and adding names that are still missing.
the exit of the museum opens out to an incredible view of Jerusalem. in remembering the Holocaust, there must also be a look into the future. this view is a reminder that the state of Israel, while thriving through oppression, is still in need of creating a democratic state, creating peace with all neighbors.
the LORD promised in Ezekiel 37.14: "I will put My spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I will place you in your own land; and ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken."
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