Watch – Jewish MP’s emotional speech: Holocaust memories are ‘seared into me’
Labour politician Alex Sobel spoke of the 'dark spectre' over his family during a parliamentary session ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day
An MP has spoken of the Holocaust memories “seared” into him after the Nazis experimented on a relative.
Labour’s Alex Sobel (Leeds North West) said the Holocaust casts a “dark spectre” over his family with “all the relatives I never met, that never survived, the children they never had”.
His voiced cracked as he recalled asking his Tel Aviv-born father why his great aunt had numbers tattooed on her arm.
Mr Sobel’s remarks came during a debate focused on Holocaust Memorial Day, in which Conservative former minister Andrew Percy also urged politicians to call out hatred “whenever and wherever” it exists.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Sobel said the most poignant film about life in the concentration camps was Roberto Benigni’s Life Is Beautiful.
He became emotional trying to describe the film, noting it shows what the “horror of the Holocaust” means.
Mr Sobel added: “I remember as a young child sitting in my great aunt’s kitchen in Tel Aviv, seeing the numbers tattooed on her arm and asking my father why – she was in the camps.
“She didn’t have her own children or grandchildren, I had no aunts and uncles or cousins to play with, because the Nazis experimented on her and she couldn’t have children.
“This hollow shell casts a dark spectre over my family – all the relatives I never met, that never survived, the children they never had.
“This is my own living memory of what happened and this is seared into me, when I make my own judgments politically, when genocide comes now to the Rohingya, to the Yazidi, round the world.
“But not just that, but when thinking about decisions more locally.”
Shadow communities minister Yvonne Fovargue and Communities minster Rishi Sunak came together to pay tribute to Mr Sobel for his contribution to the debate.
Mr Sunak said: “It has been a privilege to hear honourable members from all sides of this House this afternoon make powerful speeches and especially in the case of the member for Leeds North West, often very personal contributions to this debate.”
Opening the debate Mr Percy spoke about a campaign which called for Labour Party members who have been expelled or suspended in connection with anti-Semitism to be reinstated.
He urged MPs across the Commons to “call out” such campaigns.
The Brigg and Goole MP, who described himself as a “full member of the Jewish community”, said: “We have a new threat as well which is this new smear that anti-Semitism is in some ways being used as a cover for other things or is being used as part of a witch hunt.”
Labour former minister Joan Ryan also said: “Despite the horrors of the Holocaust anti-Semitism has not disappeared, we have even seen its rise in British society recently, including I am ashamed to say in my own party.
“We must condemn unequivocally and come back relentless and this despicable trend.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
