Holocaust Survivors Warn Israeli Society Against Deepening Internal Divisions

Three Holocaust survivors who participated in the March of the Living reflected on the growing internal divisions within Israeli society ahead of Tisha B'Av, expressing concern that this discord poses a greater threat to the Jewish people than external dangers. Abraham Beloy, 85, born in wartime Hungary and a former educator and author, recalled witnessing antisemitism and the hardships of the Budapest ghetto as a child. Now living in Bnei Brak, he emphasized the need to "increase unconditional love" and warned that hatred among Jews transcends borders, recalling an incident abroad where an elderly Jew rejected his help due to religious differences.

Deborah Weinstein, born in 1936 in Serbia-Bukovina, survived a brutal march and the destruction of her hometown’s Jewish community. After immigrating to Israel in 1948, she stressed that the internal division is the greatest danger facing Israel today, lamenting the loss of mutual responsibility that once united diverse immigrant communities. She urged younger generations not to take Israel for granted, warning that it remains the only safe homeland for Jews.

Rina Czeckas Axelrad, born in Poland in 1933 and a survivor of ghettos and hiding, expressed deep concern about both internal divisions and rising international antisemitism. She highlighted the importance of unity and the responsibility of leadership to overcome societal rifts. She called on Israelis to cherish the state and fulfill the commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself."

Dr. Shmuel Rozman, chairman of the March of the Living, underscored the importance of heeding survivors’ warnings. He recalled the early days of Israel when religious and political differences were secondary to a shared destiny. Their message for Tisha B'Av serves as a reminder that Israel’s survival depends on the mutual responsibility that founded the nation.