Israelis stand next to their vehicles as the
Israelis stand next to their vehicles as theFlash90

A Holocaust survivor who heard the memorial siren sounding fainted on Monday morning. The Ashdod resident was rushed to a nearby hospital. The victim, who lived in a hostel for the elderly, is in stable condition and is under observation, said rescue workers for Ichud Hatzalah.

Avraham Forgas, one of the rescue workers who helped the victim, said that he understood the situation all too well. “My grandparents are survivors,” he said, adding that he recognized the fragility of the psyche among many in that generation.

“Like all Israelis I was standing next to my motorcycle as the siren sounded, silently praying for the victims,” he said. “At that moment I received an emergency message saying that a man had fainted in a hostel near where I was. I apologized to those around me and told them that a life was at stake, and speeded to the hostel, as did several other rescue workers in the area,” Forgas said.

“When we got to the scene we saw an elderly man lying at the door of the hostel, unconscious. His caretaker said that he had fainted as soon as he heard the memorial siren.” The siren was sounded at 11:00 AM for two minutes, in memory of the six million. The sirens are generally loud.

“Apparently the siren set off feelings or memories of his experiences in Europe,” Forgas said. “Thank G-d he is in stable condition.”