By Barbara Boxer
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In 1980, Congress established Holocaust Remembrance Day to educate Americans about the history of the Holocaust and commemorate its victims.
On this day, we honor the memories of the 6 million Jews and millions of other innocents murdered by the Nazis before and during World War II.
We also honor those brave survivors who lived to bear witness to the unimaginable horrors of the Holocaust. And we remember the righteous heroes who sheltered their neighbors and courageously resisted the hatred and violence around them during this darkest chapter in human history.
The children of my generation heard the Holocaust story first hand from the survivors. Around my kitchen table, I heard about Anne Frank and cried for her stolen youth and her stolen life.
Now, more than seven decades after this unspeakable genocide, we must work doubly hard to keep its history unquestioned and alive in the world’s memory. In doing so, we not only honor the Holocaust’s victims – we also rededicate ourselves to preventing the evil of genocide anywhere on earth and making real the solemn vow: Never Forget. Never Again.
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In other Yom Hashoah statements:
Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-New York), the senior Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said: “Approximately six million Jewish men, women, and children perished during the darkest chapter of human history. Today, we pause to remember and pay tribute to the millions of innocent victims who were persecuted during the Holocaust.
“By remembering their struggle against intolerance and injustice, we recommit ourselves to reversing and eradicating human brutality. While the world community has made some notable progress during the last seventy years, the horrific reports from Syria, South Sudan, the Central Africa Republic, among many other places, tragically prove there is still immense evil in the world. Therefore on this year’s Yom Hashoah, let us rededicate ourselves to fighting all forms of religious prejudice and discrimination. When we say never again, let us mean never again for any of God’s children.
“With this in mind, let’s make every day an opportunity to work together to champion the causes of equality, freedom, and peace for peoples of all faiths around the world.”
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Preceding provided by U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer and Congresswoman Nita Lowey…. San Diego Jewish World seeks sponsorships to be placed, as this notice is, just below articles that appear on our site. To inquire, call editor Donald H. Harrison at (619) 265-0808 or contact him via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com