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Ledger Online / January 25, 2023 / No Comment

What’s Happening… at the JEWISH FEDERATION OF CENTRAL MASS

JAN. 24, 2023

Message from Executive Director Steven Schimmel

January 21th was International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Separate from our Jewish community’s solemn day of remembrance, Yom HaShaoh, this day commemorates the liberation of Auschwitz in 1945. The systematic murder of Jews by the Nazi regime during the Holocaust was an especially heinous atrocity resulting in the extermination of six million people- including one million children. The horrible genocide of the Holocaust means remembrance is crucial.

Remembering the Holocaust is important in a sacred way, in order to honor the memory of the victims. The six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust must never be forgotten. Remembering them is a way to pay respect to those who suffered and lost their lives during this dark period of history.

Remembering the Holocaust is important in order to learn from the past. The Holocaust was not simply a random act of violence, but rather a calculated and systematic extermination carried out by the Nazi regime- which escalated in severity and ruthlessness over a period of years. By understanding how and why the Holocaust happened and why so little was done to stop it, we can learn from the past to prevent similar atrocities from happening in the future. This is the meaning of “never again”.

Remembering the Holocaust is important in order to counter Holocaust denial and distortion. There are those who deny that the Holocaust ever happened or attempt to minimize its scale. By remembering the Holocaust, we can counter these false narratives and ensure that the truth is known widely.

Remembering the Holocaust is important for fighting against rising Anti-Semitism and other forms of hatred. The Holocaust was a manifestation of the centuries-old hatred towards Jews, and it has continued to be a major problem till this day. By remembering the Holocaust, we can work towards creating a more tolerant and inclusive society where people of all backgrounds are treated with respect and dignity.

So let us continue to honor the victims of this horrific period of our history, let us fight against denial, let us fight against antisemitism, and let us make sure that the world always remembers in order that this may never happen again.Steven SchimmelExecutive DirectorJewish Federation of Central MA

Lego Menorah Building with PJ Library at Shrewsbury Library