A new survey reveals that nearly half of the Israeli public lives in fear of another Holocaust striking the Jewish people, according to The Jerusalem Post, via Israel Hayom.
The particulars of the poll, released ahead of Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day (Wednesday), included the following figures:
The fear is more acute among Israeli women; 55% are anxious about another Holocaust on the horizon, compared to 42% of Israeli men acknowledging a similar concern about imminent genocide.
Among Israelis 23 and younger, 24% of respondents said they're worried about a second Holocaust. That's substantially higher than the 12% of Israeli men ages 45 and older who are "very concerned" about another Holocaust — suggesting the concern is very much on the minds of young people.
The survey notes, perhaps not surprisingly, that religiously observant Israelis are more fearful of an ensuing Holocaust. Also, Israelis who define themselves as haredim (ultra-Orthodox) responded that they were "very concerned" about the likelihood of brutal history repeating itself — this, compared to only 11% of Israelis who identify as secular.
The latest fears have been heightened by the ongoing threats from the Iranian regime, which has repeatedly declared its desire to wipe out the Jewish state, according to the Post.
Then, too, it has been widely reported that antisemitism is surging globally. The American Jewish Committee's Jacob Blaustein Institute for thr Advancement of Human Rights reported last year that instances of dangerous rhetoric and actions have been ticking upward in 50 countries around the world since a landmark U.N. study warned of the global danger some two years before.
The rise came despite restrictions on gatherings during the pandemic, with some conspiracy theories blaming Jews for causing or profiting from the coronavirus.
The trend is mirrored in the United States. For instance, last fall the Anti-Defamation League's Audit of Antisemitic Incidents in the United States recorded more than 2,100 acts of assault, vandalism and harassment, up 12% over the previous year. The ADL website said this was the highest level of incidents since ADL’s tracking began in 1979. It also noted that the year included five fatalities directly linked to such violence, as well as 91 individuals targeted in physical assaults.
With most current Holocaust survivors now in their 80s and 90s, the coming decades will result in fewer — and ultimately no more — firsthand accounts of the attempt by Nazi Germany to purge the world of Jews.
It was with that in mind that the new survey asked Israelis how they thought future Holocaust Remembrance Days might be observed.
Of the respondents, 45% say that within 30 years, Holocaust Remembrance Day would be observed by mere events alone; 13% believe it would not be marked at all, ostensibly making it just another day.
Participants suggested increased exposure to recorded testimonies of survivors so that Holocaust Remembrance Day remains relevant, along with subsidized trips to former Nazi concentration and death camps for every Israeli.
Even with the increased awareness, 19% of respondents inevitably believe that Holocaust Remembrance Day will lose its significance over time.
Newsmax's Jeff Rubin contributed to this report.