蜜芽传媒

Imagine for a moment that you鈥檙e walking down a crowded street and someone calls out in deep distress. There are plenty of others present, but no-one seems to be helping. Do you cross the road to try and assist or do you just continue on your way?

Remarkably, in such a situation, social psychologists identify the 鈥榖ystander effect鈥�, a proven phenomenon where the probability of help is inversely related to the number of bystanders. The greater the number of onlookers, the less likely it is that any one of them will help. So, it is quite possible that you would not intervene.

The Bible introduces Moses to us as a great leader, by describing how he witnessed an Egyptian task master beating a defenceless Hebrew slave. The Book of Exodus teaches that after he 鈥渢urned this way and that and saw that there was no man鈥�, Moses struck the Egyptian and saved the slave鈥檚 life. The following day, Moses discovered that his intervention was now common knowledge and Pharaoh wanted him killed. How is that possible?

Our Sages teach, 鈥渋n a place where there is no man, strive to be a man鈥�. When Moses, 鈥渢urned this way and that鈥� he actually saw many people, but no-one was willing to take responsibility, so he did so himself.

As an outstanding role-model for all time, Moses demonstrated how we should stand up to be counted in defence of others, regardless of their faith or nationality. When there are people suffering, the failure of those around us to act is no justification for our own inaction.

Seventy one years ago today, as Auschwitz-Birkenau was being liberated by Allied forces, the survivors might well have asked why so many people stood by while this great tragedy unfolded.

On this Holocaust Memorial Day, we must recognise that the Holocaust was not only perpetrated by those who pulled the triggers, opened the gas canisters and tortured the prisoners. It was equally perpetrated by those who were totally aware of what was taking place, but stood by and remained silent as millions were herded like cattle to their death.

The theme for this year鈥檚 Holocaust Memorial Day is 鈥淒on鈥檛 stand by.鈥�

Intolerance, scapegoating and hatred still plague every part of our society, and as Elie Wiesel once said, 鈥淣eutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented鈥�.

Therefore, the crucial question for each one of us is: can we find the strength not to be a bystander?

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