From the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. I had 3 great-grandparents who were from Kiev. They came to the US before WWII but I believe some of their family stayed in Kiev. Any relatives of mine who were killed in the Holocaust, were likely murdered at Babi Yar - the ravine outside Kiev. It is believed that about 100,000 people were buried in this mass grave. It still blows my mind to think of the sheer numbers of Jews that were murdered for being born a Jew.
Tonight is the first night of passover, where many of us (Jews) complain about the food we have to eat. I know that I will be thankful that we are able to celebrate this holiday openly without fear of persecution or death. It seems inconceivable that the holocaust even took place, let alone in such a recent past, but we must remember that it did take place. As a new father, I'm wondering how I will explain this to my daughter. I still can't wrap my head around it as an adult. Sorry for being a downer in this post. If you have a chance to visit any holocaust memorial museum, please do. It's not happy, but it's important.
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