Dutch aided the Nazis, euthanized a baby, and now sanction Jewish settlements

(Thoughts in the Sukah)

When the story spread about the Dutch saving Jews in WW2, that’s what we thought happened. And it did happen. Except that wasn’t the whole story. We later heard that many Dutch were paid by the Nazis, to inform them where Jews were hiding. 

Fast forward to nowadays. A report just surfaced, that a baby was euthanized in the Netherlands last year. Reportedly doctors felt that the baby’s condition could be managed. So the parents sought the opinion of another doctor, who gave a more pessimistic prognosis. And the Netherlands sanctioned euthanizing a baby.

Netherlands mean lowlands. How low can you go? Turning in Jews in WW2. Euthanizing a baby.

Now the Dutch are campaigning against Jewish settlements, checking the luggage of people coming from Israel, to make sure that they are not bringing in items from Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

(Indeed a number of governments in Europe and Canada, are imposing sanctions against Jewish settlements. These governments probably want to win the votes of Muslims and antisemites, so that they can stay in power.)

There is one common denominator in all this. When people decide what to do, based solely on their own rationalization, then side factors can mix in. Nazi collaborators make money turning in Jews. Parents relieve their own suffering by euthanizing a baby. And Governments think they can gain votes and stay in power by turning on Jews.

But when people are subservient to G-d Almighty, then they accept that at Mount Sinai, G-d declared: do not murder. This includes collaborating with Nazis, and euthanizing.

And they accept that G-d gave the land of Israel to the Jews. So going against Jewish settlements means going against G-d.

It’s time for the Netherlands to acknowledge their wrongdoings. It’s time for Dutch in these low-lands to rise up higher. It’s time for the Dutch, and all nations, to do what G-d wants.