Conference taveng::bagels

    
    One of my clearest memories of the year I spent in Israel is of
    Yom HaShoah when, at exactly 10 a.m., traffic came to a standstill,
    pedestrians stopped in their tracks, and the entire country froze
    for two minutes of silence in memory of those who died
    in the Holocaust.

Hoping this is an appropriate question here,

  Does anyone know if a copy of SHOAH, the documentary, is available anywhere?

  And please excuse my ignorance, what is the translation of the word, SHOAH?

                                 Thanks, steve.

    "Shoah" has the following meanings in my dictionary:
    
    	destruction, ruin;
    	catastrophe, holocaust, cataclysm, disaster;
    	darkness;
    	pit, abyss
    
    Videotapes of the film are available at any well-stocked video rental
    store.  You can also purchase the tapes, but it's quite expensive
    since there are 5 tapes.
    
    		David

    Today must be the darkest day on your calendars. What do you in
    remembrance of all those who died? Do you go to temple? 
    

    Re: .2
    
    Try Video Signals in Acton/Boxborough/Stow. If the clerks don't know
    about Shoah, ask for the owner. I know when they opened the store
    he had it.

    Re: .5
    
    It is not really the darkest day on our calendars.  I think that
    is because it is relatively new, and also because it was a day selected
    for commemoration of an atrocity which went on for quite some time.
    Also, it is not as far as I know a rabinically sanctioned Jewish
    holiday, so there are no special prayers for it.
    
    The synagogue I belong to will have special readings at the service
    tonight.  The service will be conducted by a group of students,
    I think in the seventh grade, who have been studying the holocost
    at religious school.
    
    A couple years ago we were fortunate to have a couple who survived
    one of the camps speak at our service.  You can read about their
    experience; they are the Engels and their story is in the book
    "Escape from Sobibor".  Their son Fred is a member of our congregation
    (and some people may remember him as he used to work for DEC). 
    It was probably the most moving service I have ever attended.
    
    				Paul Young
    

re : .5 

>    Today must be the darkest day on your calendars. What do you in
>    remembrance of all those who died? Do you go to temple? 

	Not the darkest day...

	We remembered by learning mishnayot for several hours last
	evening.

/don feinberg

    One of the ways we have remembered is by lighting a special "Yahrzeit"
    candle, supplied by the brotherhood of our synogogue.. This is a
    special yellow wax candle that burns for 24 hours, and is typically
    used in Judaism as a remembrance of the anniversary of the death of a
    close relative. The special yellow candle symbolizes the yellow star
    Jews were made to wear during the Holocaust. 
    
    The program was started about two years ago by a man in the Boston
    area as a remembrance for his father, and family members who perished
    in the Holocaust. He started by giving out about 200 candles to
    the members of his congregation. The program was picked up by the
    Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs, and this year spread to about 120,000
    candles, distributed all over the USA and Israel.
    
    I believe it is a very appropriate way for all Jews to remember the
    victims, many of which do not have families left to remember them
    with a Yahrzeit. The program is expanding very rapidly, and anyone
    wanting to have their organization participate is encouraged to
    do so. If you need some more info, let me know.
    
    Jack

A little further on Note 451.8 (mine...).

>                 -< We think _learning_ is most appropriate! >-
>	We remembered by learning mishnayot for several hours last
>	evening.

	The full name of this day in Hebrew is "Yom HaShoah v'Gavurot".
	(Literally, in English, "Day of The Holocaust and Strength".)

	You would think that a paradox at first (only the first of
	a couple ... e. g., why would Yom HaShoah be set up in Nissan, and
	then why one week before Yom HaAtzma'ut, among others?).

	Perhaps if you reflect for a moment, you will see that one "gavurot" 
	which is being spoken of is the "gavurot" of the survivors, of 
	the resistors, of those who went to their deaths, and, 
	inevitably, us -- today.

	Our strength as Jews today -- and the ONLY chance for unity among 
	Jews, in the end -- lies in the Torah.  Paring things down to the 
	very bones, that's all that we have to give the world, and to each 
	other as Jews.

	That's why I believe, and the Torah points out, that the 
	most appropriate possible observance would be to learn Torah. It
	is the single thing that an individual can do to strengthen
	the Jewish People.

	I believe that ceremonies are fine!  I think there's nothing wrong 
	with them, inherently or otherwise. Many of them are truly moving and
	beautiful. But they do not, and will not, inherently help one to 
	grow as a Jew, which I think is the point of the observance in the
	first place.

/don feinberg

.10>    ...why would Yom HaShoah be set up in Nissan, and then why one week 
.10>    before Yom HaAtzma'ut, among others?). 

    	That's an easy one:  The date was chosen to mark the anniversary
    of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising.  Using Don's words, it takes note
    of "the 'gavurot' ... of the resistors."

	I would agree with the argument for "learning Torah" as long
    as that phrase is taken in the broadest possible way.  For some,
    learning mishnayot might be most appropriate.  For others, giving
    tzedakah ["charity", but the translation is not exact] might be
    most meaningful.  For yet others, debating the current situation
    in Israel (e.g., using 406.135 as a starting point) might be a
    meaningful step to uniting Jews and strengthening Israel.  Any of
    these actions is in the spirit of the Torah, in its guidance for
    how Jews should live their lives.
    
    		David

    I agree learning Torah is a good starting point. But I do prefer
    to keep an alert eye on those who have not learnt the lessons of
    the past.
    
    I love everyone reflecting, praising and learning. But I also love
    being alert and gathering as most information as I can.
    
    Rub�n.