President Reuven Rivlin this afternoon addressed ambassadors to Israel from around the world at a special ceremony to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, held in the shul at Yad VaShem Holocaust Memorial and Museum in Yerushalayim.
“Seventy-three years have passed since the fires of the Auschwitz crematoria were put out. Auschwitz has become a symbol of the Holocaust,” the President said. “The UN decided that the day the Red Army liberated Auschwitz should be an international day of remembrance for the Holocaust, for the Shoah. That decision recognized how important it is to remember the Holocaust. How important it is to teach future generations about the Holocaust, and to carry on the commitment: Never Again.”
He stressed, “However, remembrance alone is not enough. We have all recently seen a rise in the spread of anti-Semitic, racist and Neo-Nazi ideas. We are seeing many more acts of anti-Semitic violence around the world. Groups that, in the past, were always kept out of the mainstream by the major political systems are now seeking to be accepted. In this environment, Jewish people are feeling less safe in their countries. Some even feel they need to hide their Jewishness. All these things are happening right now in Europe and elsewhere. We must not give in to anti-Semitism. We must fight against anti-Semitism, even when it looks like anti-Israel. We have to draw a very clear red line between us and between those who represent hate, Neo-Nazism, and anti-Semitism. It is our duty – the official representatives of Israel and representatives of all countries – to stand strong and to fight against all expressions of racism and hatred.”
Mark Neiman (GPO)
{Matzav.com}
