Thought For The Day – Friday 27^th January 2023

Today is  Holocaust Memorial Day.

We remember the Jewish people who were bullied, isolated, persecuted, tortured, terrorised, imprisoned and murdered in The Holocaust.

We remember the many millions who suffered beyond words,  like the family of Hannah Lewis MBE, a Jewish family. Hannah, pictured below,  regularly visits TBSHS and describes her visits to TBSHS as “like coming home”. Hannah’s mum, Chaya Szczuryk, pictured in the second picture below,  gave up and sacrificed her life by going out and meeting the Nazi guards outside where the family were living, whilst Hannah was hidden with her older brother inside.    Hannah, 8, looking out of the window. saw her mother shot by the Nazis. Hannah came to the UK after The Second World War, not knowing any English Language or having any friends.  She made a wonderful new life for herself and has children and grandchildren. She was welcomed and looked after.  Hannah flourished and still flourishes. Hannah, for whom sharing her personal and emotional story is never, ever routine,  says she “has learnt to live alongside the pain”.

We also remember;  the women, children, the black community and different races, LGBT+ people,  the traveller community,  the mentally ill, the disabled, the elderly, Jehovah’s witnesses and political and religious opponents who were also  hated, abused, bullied, isolated, persecuted, tortured, terrorised, imprisoned and murdered  by the Nazis.

We also equally remember the victims of all genocides throughout history and today,  in Cambodia and Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur, for example.

We stand up to all prejudice, discrimination and hate at every level, locally, nationally and internationally.

We remember to never, ever, ever forget.

We remember to always, always, always  act in the present and future.