It was Yom Hashoah – the day for remembering the Holocaust. I woke up early and hurried across Jerusalem to Yad Vashem – the foremost Holocaust museum and research centre in the world. I had been invited to take part in the ceremony, alongside various government officials and VIPs. I felt honoured to be a part of the commemoration.
After rehearsals, I moved into position. Standing within the centre aisle, I was to carry a wreath and accompany the President of the Jewish Agency, an organization which played an integral role in building the State of Israel. I stood alongside my wreath carrying partner, fifth within the procession. The first pair accompanied the President of Israel, Shimon Peres. The second pair accompanied the Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert. The third pair walked with Dalia Itzik, Speaker of the Knesset. The fourth pair escorted the chief of Yad Vashem.
When it came time to step up to the stage, I stopped to wait for the podium to clear. I stood in position, directly next to the seated leaders of Israel, but I did not look at them. I stared straight ahead with military precision, my nervous right hand clutching half of the wreath. Everyone else in the procession was in uniform, mainly military. I was the odd man out.
When I stood listening to the sirens go off at ten in the morning, I was aware that the entire country came to a standstill to remember the systematic extermination of six million Jewish people. No other country would ever commemorate the Holocaust in such a way. I thought about my grandparents and their miraculous survival. I thought about the siblings and parents they lost to the death camps. I looked up at the honour guard standing at attention, and knew that the State of Israel would ensure that it would never happen again. Never again.
After approaching the podium and delivering the wreath, my procession partner Gabriel and I pivoted to the left in unison and walked off to the side. Gabriel made aliyah (moved to Israel) two months ago from his native Argentina. Prior to that, he had never been to Israel before. He sought to create a new life for himself in the only Jewish homeland in the world. He too felt blessed to be taking part in such a meaningful event.
As the event winded down, the government leaders departed with their entourage of bodyguards, assistants, and rooftop snipers. Gabriel and I agreed to stay in touch, and I stood a little extra tall as I walked out of Yad Vashem. I will never forget the day I got to stand alongside the leaders of Israel and commemorate those lost to the mire of man’s hatred. It was an honour and a privilege, and I wish it never had to happen.
Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan was recently in Tel-Aviv to speak and collect a $1 million prize. Read my coverage of the event here.
