Today,
on Yom HaShoah, we solemnly remember the six million Jews and the
millions of others murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust.
On
this day, we honor the memory of the millions of individuals – the
mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, friends and neighbors – who
lost their lives during a time
of unparalleled depravity and inhumanity. We reaffirm our ongoing
responsibility as citizens and as a nation to live out the admonition,
“Never forget. Never again.” And we commit ourselves to preserving the
memories of those who lived through the horrors
of the Shoah, so that their experiences are not forgotten by our
generation or by our children or grandchildren.
We
also honor those who survived the Holocaust, many of them spared from
death because of the righteous individuals who risked their lives to
save Jews and other victims
from Nazi persecution. The stories of these survivors and their
protectors remind us to confront persecution wherever it arises, and
that silence can be an accomplice to evil. They remind us of our duty
to counter the rising tide of anti-Semitism, bigotry
and hatred that threaten the values we hold dear—pluralism, diversity,
and the freedoms of religion and expression.
Today,
and every day, we stand in solidarity with the Jewish community both at
home and abroad. We stand with those who are leaving the European
cities where they have
lived for generations because they no longer feel safe, with the
members of institutions that have been attacked because of their Jewish
affiliations, and with the college students forced to confront swastikas
appearing on their campuses. And we call upon
all people of good will to be vigilant and vocal against every form of
bigotry.
When
we recognize our interconnectedness and the fundamental dignity and
equality of every human being, we help to build a world that is more
accepting, secure and free.
This is the best way to honor the legacy we recognize on Yom HaShoah
and to fulfill our responsibilities to repair our world from generation
to generation.
Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary
FTG Spotlight Feature: Preserving the History of the Holocaust: Rabbi Marvin Hier Discuss Treblinka's Legacy
No comments:
Post a Comment