Holocaust Remembrance Day events at the Knesset began this evening (Wednesday) with a Zikaron BaSalon gathering. Knesset Speaker MK Amir Ohana hosted 94-year-old Holocaust survivor Avigdor Neuman in Chagall Hall at the Knesset. Neuman spoke before an audience of 250 teenagers from high schools and pre-military academies across Israel, sharing his story from the Holocaust and his journey to the Land of Israel.
“I fought in all of Israel’s wars”
With deep emotion, Avigdor shared how he survived multiple selections by Josef Mengele. “The first time, I was 13 years old, and I lied and said I was 15. He asked what I could do, and I said I was a technician—even though I didn’t even know how to change a screw.”
“I came out of Auschwitz, but Auschwitz never left me. Back then, there were no trained professionals to help with trauma or depression. But the first time I put on an IDF uniform—and again when I walked through the gates of the Knesset and was hosted in the office of the speaker of the Jewish parliament—that was a moment of uplift. Indescribable. I fought in all of Israel’s wars. I’m proud to be one of those who built this country, strengthened it, and defended it.”
Neuman then addressed the youth in the hall: “Don’t let sadness take over. No enemy will defeat us. The people of Israel live.”
“Avigdor and his grandson—and his grandson’s grandson—are the image of victory”
At the opening of the event, the Knesset Speaker said: “At this gathering we remember the Holocaust, during which a third of our people—six million Jewish men, women, and children—were lost. We remember the death sentence that was cast over every Jew, and in that sense, we are all Holocaust survivors. We must ask ourselves questions about our lives today, and about what we are fighting for.”
“It is a great honor and personal privilege to introduce Avigdor Neuman, who will share his remarkable life story. Avigdor, his grandson, and his grandson’s grandson—they are the image of victory over the Nazis.”
Watch the full event from the Knesset here:
