The partner of a holocaust survivor has slammed Musk after he allegedly did a Nazi salute while addressing Trump supporters
\nPromoted Content<\/p>\n
Elon Musk\u2019s Visit to Auschwitz: A Survivor\u2019s Partner Speaks Out on the Billionaire\u2019s Behavior<\/p>\n
Auschwitz stands as a haunting reminder of one of the darkest chapters in human history\u2014the genocide of millions of Jewish people and others during the Holocaust. Today, it serves as a historical site and an important destination for reflection and education. For Gidon Lev, a Holocaust survivor, visiting Auschwitz is deeply personal; it is where his father, Ernst Lev, perished during a death march.<\/p>\n
Last year, Lev, originally from Czechoslovakia and now an Israeli dairy farmer, visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp as a \u201cspecial guest.\u201d He was accompanied by his partner, Julie Gray, a California native who moved to Israel in 2012 and met Lev five years later. Joining them was billionaire Elon Musk, whose presence at the site, and subsequent behavior, has become a topic of controversy.<\/p>\n
Julie Gray Speaks Out
\nJulie Gray took to Facebook recently to reflect on Musk\u2019s visit to Auschwitz, where he joined Lev for what Gray described as a \u201cphoto-op event.\u201d In her post, she accused Musk of being \u201cunmoved by the experience\u201d and criticized his lack of engagement with the historical significance of the site.<\/p>\n
\u201cI see people posting that Elon was at Auschwitz this time last year\u2014therefore, his recent \u2018gesture\u2019 is not antisemitic. I was there, too. Last year. With Elon,\u201d Gray began in her post, dated January 22.<\/p>\n
Gray explained that when the opportunity to include Musk in the visit arose, she and Lev initially believed it would bring attention to the importance of remembering the Holocaust. However, she now regrets that decision. \u201cI am embarrassed that I have photos of this on my phone,\u201d she wrote. \u201cMy love, Gidon Lev, was the \u2018special guest\u2019 of this photo-op event. We thought, at the time, that it would be good publicity. But I would not share the photo today.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Visit Lacking Empathy
\nGray recounted the visit in vivid detail, describing Musk\u2019s apparent detachment as they walked through the Auschwitz site. \u201cI chatted with Elon Musk. I spent hours with him and walked with him through Auschwitz,\u201d she wrote. \u201cI stood with him, looking at the nauseating heaps of hair, luggage, and shoes flooded with violet light meant to preserve it.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Lev, the visit was profoundly emotional. Standing in the place where his father died was a moment of immense significance. \u201cFor Gidon, to be in the place where his father, Ernst, died on a death march\u2014whether shot by the side of the road or having simply collapsed\u2014was a huge deal,\u201d Gray explained.<\/p>\n
In contrast, Musk\u2019s behavior left Gray disillusioned. \u201cElon did not care,\u201d she said bluntly. \u201cHe was about his press junket and his bodyguards. I was ten feet from him as he posed for the cameras of his entourage. He was utterly detached. He cared about how he looked.\u201d<\/p>\n
Controversial Gestures and Statements
\nMusk\u2019s visit to Auschwitz has resurfaced amid ongoing debates about his recent public actions and comments, some of which have drawn criticism for being tone-deaf or offensive. Just days before Gray\u2019s post, Musk was accused of making a \u201cNazi salute\u201d on two occasions during Donald Trump\u2019s inauguration on January 20. Musk\u2019s defenders argued that the gesture was either a Roman salute or an innocent expression of gratitude to the crowd.<\/p>\n
Adding to the controversy, Musk recently tweeted a series of Holocaust-related puns that many found distasteful. In one post, he joked, \u201cDon\u2019t say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down! Stop G\u0151ring your enemies! His pronouns would\u2019ve been He\/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which initially dismissed Musk\u2019s alleged Nazi salute as an \u201cawkward gesture,\u201d later issued a stronger condemnation. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said, \u201cThe Holocaust was a singularly evil event, and it is inappropriate and offensive to make light of it. The Holocaust is not a joke.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gray\u2019s Harsh Critique
\nIn her Facebook post, Gray expressed her disappointment not just with Musk\u2019s behavior during the visit but with the broader implications of his actions. She described Musk as a \u201csociopath\u201d who failed to grasp the emotional weight of the experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen he placed a wreath at Auschwitz and Gidon was overlooked, he walked away with the cameras whirring,\u201d Gray wrote. \u201cThis is Elon Musk. A sociopath, if ever there was one. To deduce, from this visit, that he is a friend of the Jews is desperately naive.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Gray, the visit served as a stark contrast between Musk\u2019s indifference and Lev\u2019s deeply personal connection to the site.<\/p>\n
Musk\u2019s Participation in Holocaust Education
\nIt\u2019s worth noting that Musk\u2019s visit to Auschwitz coincided with his participation in a symposium on antisemitism during the European Jewish Association\u2019s conference in Krakow, Poland, in January 2024. At the time, Musk\u2019s involvement in such initiatives was seen by some as an effort to combat rising antisemitism online, a significant issue in today\u2019s digital age.<\/p>\n
However, Gray\u2019s post suggests that Musk\u2019s actions during the Auschwitz visit lacked the sincerity needed to genuinely support Holocaust education and remembrance.<\/p>\n
A Missed Opportunity
\nMusk\u2019s visit to Auschwitz could have been a powerful moment to highlight the importance of Holocaust education and to honor the memories of those who suffered and died. Instead, Gray\u2019s account paints a picture of detachment and missed opportunities for empathy.<\/p>\n
As Holocaust survivors like Gidon Lev grow fewer in number, the responsibility to preserve and honor their stories becomes even more critical. Public figures like Elon Musk have a unique platform to amplify these narratives, but as Gray\u2019s post indicates, such efforts must be accompanied by genuine care and respect.<\/p>\n
UNILAD has reached out to Elon Musk for comment regarding these allegations.<\/p>\n
Sophia Rivers
\nSophia Rivers is an experienced News Content Editor with a sharp eye for detail and a passion for delivering accurate and engaging news stories. At TheArchivists, she specializes in curating, editing, and presenting news content that informs and resonates with a global audience.<\/p>\n
Sophia holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Toronto, where she developed her skills in news reporting, media ethics, and digital journalism. Her expertise lies in identifying key stories, crafting compelling narratives, and ensuring journalistic integrity in every piece she edits.<\/p>\n
Known for her precision and dedication to the truth, Sophia thrives in the fast-paced world of news editing. At TheArchivists, she focuses on producing high-quality news content that keeps readers informed while maintaining a balanced and insightful perspective.<\/p>\n
With a commitment to delivering impactful journalism, Sophia is passionate about bringing clarity to complex issues and amplifying voices that matter. Her work reflects her belief in the power of news to shape conversations and inspire change.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The partner of a holocaust survivor has slammed Musk after he allegedly did a Nazi salute while addressing Trump supporters Promoted Content Elon Musk\u2019s Visit to Auschwitz: A Survivor\u2019s Partner Speaks Out on the Billionaire\u2019s Behavior Auschwitz stands as a haunting reminder of one of the darkest chapters in human history\u2014the genocide of millions of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1511","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1511","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1511"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1511\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1512,"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1511\/revisions\/1512"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1511"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1511"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fnews06.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1511"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}