Teaching Holocaust history vital to thwarting anti-Semitism
The Anti-Defamation League of New England rightly called for an investigation into the recent antiSemitic incident at Duxbury High School. The flippant use of words related to the human tragedy that was the Holocaust illustrates to us the urgent need to consider how we can address the disrespect that the incident reveals. We recognize the importance of being vigilant in calling out anti-Semitism when it occurs. We, the Consuls General of Israel and Germany in New England, are united in this belief. The improbable but deep friendship that binds our two nations demonstrates how people can work together to confront wrong.
It has been 76 years since the liberation of Auschwitz by Soviet forces, which marked the conclusion of years of genocide in which 6 million Jews, or two-thirds of the Jewish population of Europe were murdered as well as hundreds of thousands of Roma.
Germany and Israel both require Holocaust education in their public schools. Germany is committed to never forget the horrific actions planned and carried out by Germans and will do everything in its power to make sure that it never happens again. Germany just handed over its yearlong presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance,
where combating Holocaust distortion and denial was a central theme.
We believe that to combat the problem of anti-Semitism, one must first define it. The IHRA has a working definition of anti-Semitism that 29 countries and numerous institutions of civil society worldwide have adopted. Only days ago, the Town of Sharon was the first municipality in Massachusetts to recognize the IHRA definition. We hope to see others follow suit.
As the generation that experienced the horrors of the Holocaust firsthand slowly leaves us, we must pass on the lessons we learned to the younger generation. Holocaust survivor and former Boston University professor the late Elie Wiesel stated, “To forget (the Holocaust) would be not only dangerous but offensive; to forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time.” It is vital for the rest of us to preserve their legacy and lessons of the Holocaust.
We work closely with our local partners and friends at the ADL, the American Jewish Committee and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston to promote the culture of remembrance that every German and Israeli knows is so essential. We support non-profit organizations like Facing History and Ourselves, which provides curriculum content to teachers to foster students’ historical understanding, critical thinking and empathy. We believe that such education is transformative.
Both the German and Israeli consulates maintain close and strong ties to the Jewish communities in New England. We note the dramatic rise in global antiSemitism, including the Duxbury High School incident. Both of our countries are particularly aware of how hard the fight against the pervasive nature of antiSemitism can be. But we can’t give up because we shall never forget. The Holocaust did not start with Auschwitz or Babyn Yar. The Holocaust started with anti-Semitic prejudice then escalated to discrimination, deprival of rights and deportation to ghettos with too little intervention.
John F. Kennedy stated, “We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light the candle that can guide us through that darkness to a safe and sane future.” We believe that education is that light with which to navigate our present and secure our future. On this Yom HaShoah (Israeli Holocaust Remembrance Day), may we light a candle not only in our hearts for those who perished, but also in our minds so that no more people will suffer a similar fate.