Holocaust Survivors Finally Get Bar Mitzvahs 70 Years After WWII

MENAHEM KAHANA VIA GETTY IMAGES

Dozens of Jewish holocaust survivors read from the Torah scrolls during the ceremony.

A missing rite of passage — now made right.

On May 2, 50 Holocaust survivors who never got to experience a traditional coming-of-age ceremony had their bar and bat mitzvahs during an emotional event at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

The event, organized by the Israeli government, included 13 men and 37 women who had missed their ceremonies due to the war and its complex after effects.

“I am not embarrassed to say that I was moved to tears,” Solomon Moshe, a 79-year-old Jewish man who fled Greece during World War II, told CNN. “Soldiers were saluting us like we were heroes.”

ILIA YEFIMOVICH VIA GETTY IMAGES

The survivors are applaud. 

Gal Moshe, an 80-year-old survivor, was 9 when World War II ended and could have had one in Poland, which is where his family immigrated after the war, but it never occurred.

“The economic situation was so difficult for us that we didn’t even think about doing the bar mitzvah,” he told The Times of Israel.

MENAHEM KAHANA VIA GETTY IMAGES

Dozens of Jewish holocaust survivors wear the Tefilin or the Phylacteries and the Tallit prayer shawl.

Yitzhak Rezink, who was a child during the Holocaust, had an entirely different reason why he never had a bar mitzvah. After the war, he ended up in the Soviet Union, which suppressed religion.

“The Russians took over at the end of the war and we couldn’t leave until 1970,” he told Times of Israel.

According to a 2015 study published by the Foundation for the Benefit of Holocaust Victims in Israel, nearly one-third of Holocaust survivors still alive are poor.  A report put out by Center For Research and Aging also noted that researchers in 2003 found that 40 percent of the survivors in Israel were living below the poverty line.

MENAHEM KAHANA VIA GETTY IMAGES

A Jew carries the Torah scroll.

Yet, for the 50 Jews who participated in the ceremony at the Western Wall on Monday, it was a particularly moving experience. A funeral prayer to commemorate those lost during the Holocaust was sung by European Jews, moving many to tears.

“After we finished, everyone had a spirit of harmony. Here we are, we have done it,” Solomon Moshe told CNN. “We are here today more complete, and we feel that we got back what was missing.”

MENAHEM KAHANA VIA GETTY IMAGES

Jews who participated in the ceremony pose for a photo

Response: The Holocaust was one of the most evil events in human history. Jews were treated as less than human and extreme measures were taken to eradicate the entire Jewish race. Fortunately, there were some survivors from this horrific calculated genocide. This article highlights the fact that a majority of Holocaust survivors live below the poverty line; thus they would not be able to afford a bar mitzvah. Since, a bar mitzvah is deeply rooted in the Jewish culture, the ceremony in the article above held enormous weight on these survivors. The different stories of the survivors are told. Some did not have any money and an extravagant party was definitely out of the question. Others were living in areas that suppressed religion. Nonetheless, the reasons for a missed bar mitzah were plenty. However, the appreciation for the ceremony was seen not only in the participants but also the community. First, the old men cherished the moment because it was a way to celebrate their culture and survival. Also, the soldiers applauded the men for their bravery. The ceremony did not end without a moment to honor those who died in the Holocaust. Finally, this article was well written but did contain a little bias. It focused more on the stories of the participants and did not mention any other view points to the matter. 

Citation: Wanshel, Elyse. "Holocaust Survivors Finally Get Bar Mitzvahs 70 Years After WWII." The World Post. 2016 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc, 05 May 2016. Web. 09 May 2016