Nearly half of Israelis (47%) fear that there will be a second Holocaust for the Jewish people, according to a special survey by the Pnima movement on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day.
The survey raises the most explosive questions regarding the preservation of memory and the existential anxiety of Israeli society, and among other things - the fear of a second beacon.
Apparently, Iran's threats to destroy Israel and its nuclear project also raise fears among many.
The survey shows that women are more afraid (55%) compared to men (42%), while young people are also more afraid: 24% of Israelis up to the age of 24 stated that they are very afraid of a second Holocaust, compared to 12% among Israelis over the age of 45. % Of those who defined themselves as ultra-Orthodox Jews stated that they were very afraid that there would be a second Holocaust, compared with 11% among the secular.
The survey also shows that most Israelis expect that Holocaust Remembrance Day in its current format will play out over time.
When asked what Holocaust Remembrance and Heroism Day will look like in Israel in 30 years, about 45% of respondents answered that Holocaust Remembrance Day will be played, and only ceremonies will be held, while 13% of Israelis say that the nature of the day will change completely and become a completely normal day.
In contrast, 16% of respondents indicated that Holocaust Remembrance Day would be celebrated in a more pious and meaningful way, and 26% believed it would remain in exactly the same format.
In this context, it should be noted that young people predict a worrying future, with 21% of Israelis aged 45-35 stating that they believe Holocaust Remembrance Day will disappear completely, compared to 12% aged 65 and over.
Hence, the younger generation, which will determine in practice what Holocaust Day will look like in about 30 years, presents an unoptimistic forecast regarding its character.
As of last January, about 165,800 Holocaust survivors and victims of antisemitic harassment lived in Israel during the Holocaust, 90% of whom are over 80 years old.
The Holocaust survivors living among us are disappearing, and every day an average of 42 Holocaust survivors die, and in the future the challenge of telling the story of the Holocaust will be greater.
Holocaust Martyrs 'and Heroes' Remembrance Day // Archive photo: Yoni Rickner, Paz Bar and Shmuel Buharis
The survey shows that 56% of Israelis believe that the public should be exposed to videotaped testimonies of Holocaust survivors so that the memory of the Holocaust will not be eroded, and another 29% claim that the state should subsidize travel to concentration and extermination camps for every Israeli.
In addition, 19% of Israelis believe that the memory of the Holocaust is inevitable.
Respondents were also asked about the darkening of television broadcasts on various channels, such as film and sports channels, on Holocaust Day: 62% of Israelis strongly support darkening screens on Holocaust Day, while 11% oppose it.
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