It’s useful to periodically reflect on the most important moments in history. By chance, I selected a movie entitled “Operation Fatale” to watch on a rainy depressing afternoon.

I knew I would not be in a happy state of mind after viewing yet another story about the worst atrocity perpetrated by man. Basically, Ben Kingsley portrayed the infamous Adolf Eichmann, one of the architects of the Final Solution during the Holocaust. Eichmann was personally responsible for killing thousands of Jews during that period of time. He emigrated to Argentina after the war and took another name hoping to avoid prosecution.

The story line has a group of Israeli operatives planning to kidnap Eichmann from his adopted home in the early 60s. Assassination was not the preferred way to deal with Eichmann. The Israeli government wanted to charge the German murderer in court with all the world watching. The story is made more dramatic as each member of the group shares their war time experiences. They all lost family and friends during the Nazi regime.

The relationship between one operative and Eichmann was the crux of the story. Eichmann played a sympathetic character until his true colors manifested themselves. He was truly a despicable bigot.

Eichmann was captured and transported to Israel where he was adjudicated, convicted and hanged for crimes against humanity. The trial was witnessed by millions around the world.

The movie was excellent even knowing the ultimate outcome beforehand. But, as it is with all movies about the Holocaust, the cruelty, inhumanity and horror of the events leading to Eichmann’s demise are the real story. Unfortunately, the producers of the movie only showed a few of actual scenes from the liberation of Jewish prisoners and the equipment used to kill so many of them. A picture is worth 1,000 words, or six million words in this case.

Looking back, I feel for the Jewish people. Most of my family is Jewish, so I have a vested interest in the discrimination and racism that has tormented this group of people throughout history.

Anti-Semites have always chosen to blame their problems on the Jewish people. Whenever a country has political problems, Jews are often served up as the perpetrators.

Some say the world is jealous of the success of Jewish entrepreneurs. This is a bogus perspective. Yet, anti-Semitism is around us every day. Jews must still look back over their shoulders to protect themselves against cruelty and injustice.

I wish that discrimination directed towards Jews and every other minority group no longer plagued mankind. But, it does. Movies like the aforementioned put everything in perspective for me.