Representing the Union for Reform Judaism as a member of the North American delegation was an exciting and eye-opening experience. As we all know, Hiroshima is the city on which the United States dropped the atomic bomb just 61 years ago. While the atomic bomb and the devastation it caused is certainly something I had learned about as a child, the horrors of this tragedy are not something I fully recognized until being there and seeing it first hand. Walking through the Peace Memorial Museum, dedicated to educating about the atomic bomb and its victims, I couldn’t help but conjure up images of the Holocaust. While there are certainly clear distinctions between these two events, the completely inhumane and unimaginable devastation they both caused bare certain similarities. Men, women, and children wandering through the streets looking for family members, hoping they are not among the hundreds of thousands killed. The lunch box of a nine-year-old child filled with the charred ashes of the lunch he never had the chance to eat. Clothing burnt so badly that you can barely see the form it used to take. And the psychological and physical problems of the survivors continue to affect their lives today.

The city itself has been completely rebuilt. Upon my arrival I was surprised to see a bustling metropolitan area complete with a baseball stadium and shopping district. But the structures are not the only thing that was rebuilt over the last 60 years – its spirit has been revitalized as well. Hiroshima has come to represent a city of hope and peace. It has worked to show the horrors of nuclear war and petitions governments to end nuclear proliferation. The stories of the people of Hiroshima are an inspiration showing the importance of ending all forms of violence. The survivor we heard from spoke of the hatred he once felt towards the United States for the damage the atomic bomb has caused his life (in addition to the physical disabilities he suffered from the burns caused by the blast, he also deals with long term medical problems caused by the radiation). Instead of holding on to this desire for revenge, however, he has since come to realize that “hatred never destroys hatred.” He shares his story with others as a way make people aware of the horrors of nuclear war and as a call to never let such warfare take place again.

We have much to learn from this sprit of forgiveness and reconciliation. Violence is not necessarily the answer to violence. Sometimes it is necessary to put the past behind us, to learn from our mistakes so we can move forward and prevent a future calamity. Hiroshima, and the whole of Japan for that matter, are a model for us. In addressing the VIII World Assembly of Religions for Peace, Junichiro Koizumi, the Prime Minister of Japan, spoke of his country’s commitment to maintaining a policy of not becoming a military power regardless of its status as an economic power, and of solving all problems peacefully without resorting to the use of force. Even if we were to take just a piece of this lesson and use all possible means necessary before resorting to violence, all of humanity would be that much more safe and secure.