Hitler & Me

This document is a collection of poems, dialogs, and reflections relating to Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust. It explores how Hitler's actions still influence Judaism and Israel today through memorialization of the Holocaust. It also considers how one might discuss or conceal the truth about Hitler from a young child. Later sections reflect on how the conflict in Israel may not exist without Hitler, and how some politicians there still invoke Nazi rhetoric against opponents. The document examines Gandhi's attempts to reason with Hitler through letters and nonviolent resistance. It closes by inviting the reader to consider their own relationship to Hitler.

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Hitler & Me

Uploaded by

Ori Alon

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Hitler & Me

Ori Alon
“Sorry”
Perhaps no other person influenced Judaism and Israel in
the last century more than Adolf Hitler. His actions and
words are behind every book and in the background of
every shul. They are the soundtrack in invisible speakers
on the beach of Tel Aviv, at the Western wall in
Jerusalem and in the checkpoint at the West Bank. I want
to have a dialog with the guy.

“Shma Yisrael”, Listen, oh Israel,

the most important Jewish
prayer, stating the unity of God.
Flower Girl

My older one
She's not even six yet
I can tell her that Hitler
Was a flower girl,
A famous one.
She'll believe me,
She wouldn't question my authority.
I'd be her own personal
holocaust denier.
I'll protect her from knowing
I'll keep the gas chambers away
From her precious little soul.

Flowers! Flowers for Shabbat!

Freud: And then what, Adolf?
Hitler: He was, like, with the belt...

Adolf Hitler was heavily beaten by his alcoholic father,

Alois. Freud escaped Austria after the Nazi annexation
and four of his sisters died in the holocaust. A meeting
between Freud and Hitler could have saved the lives of
approximately fifty million human beings.
“Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain”
(the
third commandment, Exodus 20:6).

According to 2013 Pew landmark survey, 73% of

American Jews consider “remembering the holocaust” as
an essential part of their own sense of Jewishness. 19%
cite “observing Jewish law” as essential and 42% see
"having a good sense of humor" as an essential part of
their Jewishness.
In 2014 the Israeli Ministerial Committee for Legislation
approved a new bill making the use of Nazi symbols and
any illegitimate use of the word “Nazi” punishable. This
legislation would be the most farreaching hate crime law
yet introduced in Israel, carrying a sixmonth prison
sentence and NIS 100,000 ($28,000) fine for offenders.
Arab, Israeli and American leaders compare one another
to Hitler on a regular basis.
Without Hitler, my grandparents wouldn't have
immigrated to Israel and my parents wouldn't have met.
Without Hitler there would be no Israel and no Israeli
Palestine conflict, and I wouldn't have done a mandatory
army service. Without the army service I wouldn't have
become a writer and artist. I wouldn't visit the US with a
Jewish Arab theatre group, wouldn't meet Ana there and
wouldn't have Maayan, Sasha and Zakai. Thank you,
Adolf.
“Traitor!”

In 1997 Benjamin Netanyahu told a famous Rabbi that

the Israeli left forgot what it is to be Jewish. In 2008, a
short time before I left Israel I saw a big red sign in
Jerusalem that said “Leftists are Traitors”. It affected me
deeply. In the past few years there were numerous cases
of verbal and online life threats towards leftists, including
calls to send them to the gas chambers. Recently
participants in an antiwar rally were beaten in Tel Aviv.
“Death to Arabs!, Death to Arabs!, Death to Arabs!”, a common
call in Kahane and other right wing groups demonstrations in
Israel.
Gott ist der größte
“The wolf will live with the lamb” (Isaiah 11:6)

Gandhi wrote two letters to Hitler, urging him to

reconsider his actions. in the second letter (Dec. 24,
1940) he discuss the possibility of switching the British
heel for a German one. Gandhi describe to Hitler the
Indian nonviolent resistance that “can without doubt
match itself against a combination of all the most violent
forces in the world.” He signed both letters “your sincere
friend, M.K. Gandhi.”
Hitler and you
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