HOLOCAUST
deeply hurtful and demeaning to Jewish people,” explains
Kluk. “Comparisons between Israel and the Nazi regime
are obscene, not only because they are so grossly
defamatory towards the Jewish State but because they
belittle the unspeakable crimes of Nazism itself.
It is self-evident that casualties resulting from a
necessary and unavoidable military operation – casualties
that Israel goes to considerable lengths to minimise cannot be remotely equated with the systematic mass
murder of millions solely on account of their being Jewish.”
PROTECTING THE HOLOCAUST MEMORY
In 2014 Israel drafted a law that would criminalise the use
of the word Nazi. The bill would impose a fine of 100 000
shekels and six months in jail for anybody using the word
or symbols from Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich in a “wrong or
inappropriate way”. Educational settings would be exempt,
as would certain artistic performances, explains Shimon
Ohayon, the bill’s sponsor.
concentration camps need to remain in the lexicon of
suffering and not become colloquial adjectives utilised by
hate-filled individuals trying to make a point,” says Kahn.
Recently, an animal rights activist was taken to task
for likening the treatment of pigs awaiting slaughter to
death camp victims. “Such sensationalist shock tactics
are deeply insensitive, and must be condemned in the
strongest terms,” says Mark Kluk, chairman of the
SAJBD. “It is a misuse of our history, and serves in the
end to undermine the work of those who seek to convey
the truth of what occurred during the Holocaust and
what humanity at large should learn from this.”
ISRAEL AND HOLOCAUST COMPARISONS
Kluk writes, “One of the most objectionable recurring
themes in the flood of anti-Israel invective provoked by
the Gaza conflict, was the ready comparisons made
between Israel’s actions and the crimes of the Nazis. It
goes without saying that those resorting to such
terminology were not attempting to present a reasoned,
fact-based argument; rather, the aim was to demonise
Israel as much as possible, depicting it as being so
beyond the pale of basic human values as to render
impossible any kind of defence on its behalf.
Not only does such language seek to bludgeon people
into dismissing out of hand any attempt at defending
Israel, but results in those who do so being tarred with
the Nazi brush and as apologists for genocide.”
In its battle to counter this kind of ugly discourse, the
SAJBD has time and again appealed to the public not to
be swayed by such politically and emotionally charged
hyperbole. “We have pointed out the inappropriateness
of misusing the Holocaust analogy when it comes to
Israel, both because it is grossly untrue and because it is
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Ohayon, from the Yisrael Beitenu party, says “We want to
prevent disrespect of the Holocaust,” said Ohayon. “We
allow too many freedoms, which are taking over in a way
that is harming us.”
“Comparisons
between
Israel and
the Nazi
regime are
obscene…
they belittle
the
unspeakable
crimes of
Nazism
itself.” –
Mark Kluk,
Chairman
SABJD
In South Africa the Johannesburg Holocaust and
Genocide Centre (JHGC), together with its sister centres
in Cape Town and Durban, aims to halt the misuse
through education. The centres aim to raise awareness
of the evils of genocide with a particular focus on the
Holocaust and the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, to serve as
memorials and to teach about the consequences of prejudice, racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia and xenophobia
and the dangers of indifference, apathy, and silence.
Over the past year alone, more than 6 000 learners and
600 educators have attended the programmes that are
currently being run by the JHGC. In addition, a number of
temporary exhibitions, lectures, film screenings and other
special events are held, all of which attract a large and
varied audience.
The JHGC commenced the building of an iconic new
museum and educational centre in March 2012 in Forest
Town. “We aim to complete the building of the new centre
in September 2015 and open to the public in early 2016,”
says Tali Nates, director of the JHGC. “With its completion, the JHGC will be able to reach many thousand more
learners, educators and community members each year.”
Education is key to the prevention of Holocaust narrative
abuse. Much of the misuse stems from a sheer lack of
comprehension of the events that occurred during the
Holocaust. The more people understand, the more inclined
they will be to contain their lexicon to that period of time
and not get caught-up in the hyperbole of the ignorant. ■
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