Bridging Generations on Holocaust Memorial Day

What do you think about when you hear about the Holocaust? Is it what you were taught at school, the industrial murder of 6 million Jews across Europe. Remember when you were taught about it? 

You may have heard the inspiring stories of Kindertransport, children saved by their parents putting them on trains to live with strangers, including in the UK. Kindertransport, because their parents were not allowed to seek refugee status. Adults were left to die. 

I, like many British Jewish people, never had to be taught. Yes, we need to know about how it started, how hate developed in Western Europe, how local populations joined with Nazi forces to send Jewish people to their deaths and steal their belongings, of the Evian Conference in 1938 where 32 countries rejected plans to accept Jewish refugees when Hitler’s plans were well documented. 

My learning came through those with tattoos on their arms who came to live in my community as Survivors of the Camps, or as Refugees, my British Jewish community, when I grew up in the 80s in Leeds. They were my family, friends, my schoolteachers and those I met at my local synagogue. We did not need to have lessons. We knew. 

When my grandparents told me to be sure we knew which of our friends would hide us and which would shop us, they were speaking from their own experiences, with the intergenerational trauma that often drives the Jewish experiences through the millennia 

We are seeing antisemitism rise to frightening levels internationally. It has made me much more aware of these parts of my identity.  Last year, two Jewish people were killed at their synagogue in Manchester on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of our year. Killed because they were Jewish. In Bondi Beach at Chanukah, 15 people were killed - because they attended or were passing by a Jewish celebration. We wonder what to expect at Passover this year. We were shocked, yes, – but we were not surprised. 

Today, the locations of Jewish events are only disclosed to attendees on the day for security. Our synagogues and schools have guards. We know, each of us, as British Jews, what could happen to any one of us. 

Antisemitism can look different to other forms of racism so it needs to be best understood. Jews (and Israel) are defined by webs of power, murky finances, sneaky behaviours - these are all damaging tropes that cause active harm. All comments I have heard from other social workers. 

We are living in times where Jewish identity and existence is a challenge to some. Where everyone seems to feel they are able to define what antisemitism is, especially if they want to exclude themselves from that definition - without asking those whom it impacts. 

We cannot afford to be silent anymore. I will not be silent anymore. 

Social Workers should seek to learn about people, their interests, goals, desires and advocate for and enable people.  In the same way learn about us, speak up for us, and challenge antisemitism directed towards us.

Social Work values embrace respecting diversity and challenging hate. 

There are fewer Jews in the world today than there were pre-1939. 2/3 of all European Jews were murdered. 

We, the British Jewish community, are here and all know people affected by antisemitism every day. For us, the Holocaust isn’t only our history; it remains our present. 

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BASW's UK Jewish Social Workers Group aims to connect Jewish social workers and Jewish people working in the social care sector to discuss antisemitism issues, as well as promote Jewish culture and develop resources for working with Jewish people and communities. It is not necessary to be a BASW member to join. However, membership in BASW is encouraged to help strengthen collective action.

Help be the positive change to combat antisemitism and promote Jewish culture. Contact the group at jewishsocialwork@gmail.com to join.