Today, Elizabeth Hanny of the U.S. Embassy visited the Yama memorial in Minsk to pay respect to the hundreds of thousands of victims who lost their lives during the Holocaust. The memorial marks the site of the Minsk Ghetto, which was completely destroyed in October 1943 – leaving only 13 survivors. She was heartened to see the well-maintained obelisk surrounded by an alley of trees honoring the “righteous among nations,” those who risked their lives to protect their Jewish neighbors. This reminds us that making the right decision despite great personal risk has enduring value that lives on through all those who survive.
