Spanish-Catalonian journalist Pilar Rahola, the most vocal and well-known proponent of Israel in the Spanish-speaking world, gave a standing-room-only talk about her work and her political views at the Herzliya Center for the Performing Arts on April 20.
Sponsored by KKL-JNF and the OLEI organization for olim from Latin American countries, Spain and Portugal, the event was the culmination of Rahola’s participation in the March of the Living in Auschwitz, Holocaust Remembrance Day, and Memorial Day and Israel’s 70th Independence Day as a guest of KKL-JNF.
Pilar Rahola is a Spanish-Catalonian politician, journalist and activist. Her articles are published in Spain and in prominent media outlets in Latin America.
Rahola, for those who are not acquainted with her work, is one of the most passionate and most important commentators in Spanish public discourse. Her top priority is the cause for Israel, which, as far as she is concerned, is a cause for the entire world.
Rahola has always struggled for the sake of truth, common sense, and especially to protect human rights and the rights of the Jewish people. As she always says: "I do not defend the Jews, I side with the Jews in our joint struggle against prejudice."
Pilar Rahola. Photo: KKL-JNF
“Pilar is the most important non-Jewish voice in Spanish in support of Israel,” said Hernán Felman, Vice Chairman of KKL-JNF as he presented Rahola. “She is a defender of liberty and justice. We thank you for your friendship, love and love towards all.”
Ariel Goldgewicht, Director of the KKL-JNF Latin American Department, welcomed Rahola as a supporter of Israel and the Jewish people.
Baruch Adler, International Vice President of March of the Living, greeted Rahola, noting that her participation in the March of Living was done “with dignity, friendship and love for what is just and in support of the Jewish people and Israel.”
“Pilar is a partner in helping to show truth and justice and maintain the memory of the innocent people who died in the Holocaust,” said Adler.
Together with Avi Dickstein, former Executive Director of the KKL-JNF Resource Development and Public Relations Division and currently with March of the Living, Adler presented Felman with a certificate of appreciation for all his cooperation with the March of the Living educational program.
Rahola said that this trip - her second visit to Auschwitz - was much different than the first time she went with her daughter 20 years ago.
“I was afraid going back to Auschwitz. But it is an honor to be invited to participate in the March of the Living, so I went,” she said. “Of course there were painful moments when that evil and the memory of so many millions of people with dreams and lives who were murdered penetrates, but at the same time there were the thousands of people with the Israeli flag, all saying that Auschwitz was not the death of the Jewish people. They were not defeated by Auschwitz.”
In Israel during the 70th anniversary celebrations, she said that while watching the young people dancing away, she thought “this is unstoppable”.
In her fiery, indomitable style, Rahola captivated the audience with her analysis of the current political situation as well as Israel’s achievements over the past 70 years of its existence, in comparison with the accomplishments of Europe and the Arab world.
She noted that Israel is a small country but has in its 70 years produced 12 Noble prize winners.
“I think your neighboring countries have had much less even when they have so much more financial resources. Maybe they should put that into research, instead of in other places,” she said. “Israel has moved from being a country of the persecuted to one who is feared by its enemies.”
But the most impressive thing about Israel, she said, is that people are happy.
“Your neighbors finance terrorism and are led by a totalitarian ideology which aims to destroy other societies, especially Israel,” she said. “So how is it possible to live so happily and to have created a society which is so normal here? While for 2000 years you have been persecuted and hated and have enemies who have tried to annihilate you, in addition to creating a secure, free and healthy society in the 70 years of the creation of Israel, you have created a normal society which helps defend fundamental human rights.”
Rahola noted that she has received numerous awards for her work, and she appreciates them all, but the one which is the most significant for her is the forest planted in her honor in the KKL-JNF Yatir Forest in the Negev.
“That little forest in Yatir is a great honor for me,” she said. “Planting is something for the future and changing the region.”