This is Holocaust Education Week and it comes during a disturbing political and social time in our history. In recent years we have seen a sharp rise in hate crimes and neo-Nazi sentiment.
This week, an alleged white supremacist was arrested for plotting to blow up a Colorado synagogue. He allegedly told an FBI agent over social media that he wished that “the Holocaust really did happen…”
That there are still people who not only have anti-Semitic views, but who also flat-out deny that the Holocaust even happened shows how important it is to educate people about the Holocaust and to speak out and take a stand against hate.
This is the 39th annual Holocaust Education Week and this year’s theme is “The Holocaust and Now.”
We are in a time where Holocaust survivors are passing on and we are losing opportunities to learn from people who experienced first-hand the most terrible atrocities. At the same time, global turmoil is churning up anti-Semitism and racism. It’s a dangerous combination which can cause the lessons from the Holocaust to fall through the cracks.
It’s commonly said that those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. We cannot allow another Holocaust to ever happen again. We can’t change the horrors of the past, but learning from them is the only way we can move forward into a future where our differences are celebrated and love trumps hate.
In solidarity,
Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President
Eduardo (Eddy) Almeida, First Vice-President/Treasurer