In a footnote in his new book “Saving Israel” author Daniel Gordis notes why he uses the word “Shoah” as opposed to the more common “Holocaust.”

In Hebrew “Shoah” means “calamity”. “Holocaust” is an English word that means “burnt offering” or “sacrifice of God”. The Jews of Europe were not sacrificed, they were murdered; there is big difference.

It seems Jews take their words seriously.

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