Q:
What is the Rav’s opinion of the proliferation of Holocaust museums and memorials?
A:
Many people are interested in investing money in the institution of Holocaust memorials. However, there is a question how effective it is. They think that they can shame the gentiles into remorse and from then on they’ll be protected against a recurrence. However, there’s a possibility that the gentiles are given ideas that ordinarily they wouldn’t think about. And now they’re thinking, “Not a bad idea…” They get suggestions. Yes, it occurs to them. It never occurred before.
That money if it would be expended on institutions to teach Torah to children where it wouldn’t cost much money to register a child, it would be be money that’s better spent. Today it’s expensive. If we had more money, we could make it almost free! And then we could bring in many more children into the Torah world. That’s the biggest achievement!
It’s a pity! The millions that go for other things, when it should go for chinuch, for yeshivas, is money misspent.
And therefore, whatever you’ll say about that, there’s no question that the funds that are being utilized for those causes could certainly have been brought much more beneficial results if they were given to the Torah institutions.
TAPE # 930 (September 1993)
