Authorities are questioning how exactly the grave of Oskar Schindler is permitted to remain in its current state, totally ignored and neglected.
Schindler, who was declared a “Righteous Gentile” by the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, during WWII save some 1,200 Jews by finding work for them in his factory. He risked his life endless times in his quest to save as many Jewish lives as possible.
As per his will, after his death in October 1974 he was interred in the Catholic Cemetery on Mount Zion in Yerushalayim. Today, some officials blame the Latin Patriarch for the deplorable state of the cemetery, particularly Schindler’s grave.
While there is agreement that something must be done, no government ministry has stepped forward to volunteer to undertake the project.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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11 Responses
The officials who blame the Latin Patriarch are wasting their time. Why should the church authorities care about Schindler’s grave anymore than other graves in that cemetery that are also in deplorable condition?
I think if someone “passed the hat” to take care of his kever, we could raise enough money for perpetual care in an hour. We owe him at least that kovod!
Let Steven Spielberg create a fund to support it. He certainly made enough money off of Schindler’s good deeds.
Let Steven Spielberg create a fund to support it. He certainly made enough money off of Schindler’s good deeds.
What a mean-spirited typical knee-jerk yeshivish type comment. Sure, he made money off of his production. But he also brought the Holocaust home to millions of Americans to whom it was something they vaguely remember from a class at high school. He made it real, gave it emotion. Not mention his Shoah Foundation and the work they do to record firsthand accounts of survivors before they are all gone for good. You owe the man an apology, although I don’t really expect you to see why.
I saw his grave several yrs ago, and I don’t remember it looked ignored/ neglected: compare this to the many, many k’variem on Har ha Zeisiem!!
Oh please.
Firstly, you don’t know me to be yeshivish or otherwise. If you have a problem with what I wrote, then why stereotype all Yeshivish people? Aren’t you guilty of the same knee-jerk reaction? You have used your words to paint a swathe and tar all yeshivish people as mean spirited.
Secondly, on to the issue at hand. I am sure that Steven Spielberg would love to have his foundation support such a noble cause. I am not being sarcastic. Here is a man who has “gazillions” of dollars – and a man with a conscience to boot (e.g. his recent criticism of China vis-a-vis Tibet/Human Rights in the Olympics.)
At the end of the day, he did make loads of money of Schindler, and it would be great for him if he could at least have someone take care of Schindler’s grave.
Hi Sammy,
As a secret admirer of your many posts – most of which are right on the money, I think you are being overly harsh yourself here.
Notwithstanding the fact that I did not have any close relatives involved in the Holocaust, baruch hashem, I DO have UTMOST respect and gratitude for the Schindlers and anyone else who was involved in saving fellow Jews.
My only point was that we all have so many financial obligations, be it family, be it our local communities and be it the Jewish Communities at large. This kind of support unfortunately falls beneath my means.
However, Steven Spielberg, who actually has a real connection to the story, and is mega wealthy, may actually want to support this cause. (I have no idea why you mention “the Reichmans, the Bronfmans, and the Lauders”; I certainly did not suggest they get involved.)
sammygol,
while I do not know any of the Lauders, and only know one bronfman through a sports league that we played in, I do know many of the Reichmanns rather well. Now, would you like to explain to me what kind of “trashy progeny” they have produced? Considering the amount of tzedakah (charity, just in case you don’t know) that the Reichmanns have given, and the fact that I highly doubt that you know them at all, do you have any right to call them trashy? (oh, and by the way, I am not a reichmann, nor am i related to any of them)
Ah, a Mitzva, a great Mitzva! A wonderful idea and way the honor Oskar Schindler. A mitzva to be performed yearly by those living near Schindler’s grave. Is there a better mitzva from which to teach our children selfles service to others than by spending a little time to perform upkeep of Schindler’s grave and those graves with which his exists?
Sammygol,
sorry buddy, I must have made a mistake and misunderstood your post. could you please explain to me what you meant by “Had those who hid them known what kind of trashy progeny those they had rescued will have?”
thanks and hope to correct this misunderstanding.
btw, there was no sarcasm at all involved in this post
Firstly, you don’t know me to be yeshivish or otherwise. If you have a problem with what I wrote, then why stereotype all Yeshivish people? Aren’t you guilty of the same knee-jerk reaction? You have used your words to paint a swathe and tar all yeshivish people as mean spirited.
I never said you were yeshivish, I obviously can’t know that. It was a reference the reactionary type of comment that is made quickly without thinking into it, and which, yes, can frequently be mean-spirited. And that’s based on my own personal experiences. You can feel free to disagree.
Secondly, on to the issue at hand. I am sure that Steven Spielberg would love to have his foundation support such a noble cause. I am not being sarcastic. Here is a man who has “gazillions” of dollars – and a man with a conscience to boot (e.g. his recent criticism of China vis-a-vis Tibet/Human Rights in the Olympics.)
At the end of the day, he did make loads of money of Schindler, and it would be great for him if he could at least have someone take care of Schindler’s grave.
Come on man. I applaud you backing down from you original comment, but please, don’t make us into fools by explaining it away as a serious point. It’s fairly obvious what you were saying.
sammygol … are you still on this forum?
or have you left it, so it is pointless for me to check for responses?