Thread by @SruliFruchter

I don’t remember the first time I heard the word “Holocaust.” As the grandson of two survivors, I suppose I must have been considerably young.

But I remember the first time I entered a German death camp. March 2019 with my father and @YeshivatOrayta. 1/6
blogs.timesofisrael.com/reflections-fr…

There’s something about seeing a location where hundreds of thousands of Jews were murdered that is inconceivable. What can I possible understand about 900,000 Jewish souls stolen in Treblinka? I don’t even know what that means. I can never know what that means. 2/6

To Hitler and the Nazis, I had difficulty saying, “We won.” Six million Jews perished, millions of lives were eternally scarred, and countless families were eliminated. For such a hefty price, it is too easy to simply say, “we won.” This is what I will say: 3/6

Departing from Poland, I returned to the Old City of Jerusalem where I am studying at Yeshivat Orayta for the year. Arriving at the Kotel, I met the other students that did not attend our Poland trip. 4/6

In the Jewish state, over sixty Jews, all of whom are engaged in rigorous Judaic studies for the year, danced at one of the holiest sites of the Jewish people. Our mere existence is the greatest form of resistance. 5/6

To Hitler and the Nazis, I say, “I am Sruli Fruchter, I am the grandson of two Holocaust survivors, I am a Jew, and I am thriving.” #YomHashoah 6/6