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WATCH: Survivor recounts how he held on to hope, as Knesset Speaker marks Holocaust Remembrance Day

From Jerusalem Post · (1d ago) English Positive tone

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana led Holocaust Remembrance Day events, including a session with 93-year-old survivor Yeshayahu Foyer.
  • Foyer shared his harrowing experiences of hiding and loss during the Holocaust, emphasizing the desire for freedom as his source of hope.
  • The event, pre-recorded due to security concerns, highlighted the importance of Israel as a safe haven for the Jewish people and the need for self-protection.

In a poignant observance of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Israel's parliament, the Knesset, hosted an event featuring Holocaust survivor Yeshayahu Foyer, 93, who shared his deeply personal story of resilience and survival with young people. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana presided over the gathering, underscoring the enduring significance of remembering the atrocities of the past.

What helped me maintain hope was the desire to be a free person.

— Yeshayahu FoyerHolocaust survivor, explaining his source of strength during the Holocaust.

Foyer's narrative, beginning at the age of seven in Poland, detailed the confiscation of his family's farm, their expulsion to a Jewish ghetto, and his mother's courageous decision to place him and his sister with separate families to shield them from the horrors. His subsequent two and a half years spent hiding in forests, coupled with the loss of his parents and family, painted a stark picture of isolation and the constant struggle for survival.

I am among the last Holocaust survivors you see here. In another year, I don’t know how many of us will still be alive.

— Yeshayahu FoyerHolocaust survivor, reflecting on the dwindling number of survivors.

His journey continued with his immigration to Israel in 1947, where he pursued religious studies before enlisting in the IDF's Golani Brigade. Foyer's message to younger generations resonated with a powerful call for vigilance, stating, "Our enemies never stop wanting to kill us, and we must protect ourselves." He also shared that his drive to rebuild his life and family after the war stemmed from his profound aloneness.

To this day, I do not know what became of my sister.

— Yeshayahu FoyerHolocaust survivor, recounting the separation from his sister during the war.

Knesset Speaker Ohana reflected on the historical significance of Israel's existence, particularly in the aftermath of the Holocaust. He emphasized that unlike during the Shoah, the Jewish people now possess a sovereign state and a strong army dedicated to their security. This sentiment underscores the national narrative of Israel as a sanctuary and a bulwark against existential threats, a perspective deeply rooted in the collective memory of persecution and the determination to ensure such a tragedy never befalls the Jewish people again.

I had to hide my identity and my language so they would not recognize that I was Jewish.

— Yeshayahu FoyerHolocaust survivor, describing the need to conceal his identity.
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Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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