January 27 marks Holocaust Remembrance Day. It is a day established worldwide by the United Nations, and is created to commemorate liberation from the Auschwitz death camp. On this day and every day, we should remember the victims and survivors of the Holocaust and affirm our promise to never let this happen again.
Seventy-six years ago, the carnage of Holocaust concentration camps came to an end as the world discovered the full scope of the Nazi's actions against Jewish people and other minorities in Eastern Europe. During the Holocaust, one-third of the Jewish population was murdered, leaving an entire community of people divided and forever damaged. This terrifying event serves as a reminder of the dangers of hatred, bigotry, racism, and prejudice.
Violence or prejudice explicitly aimed at Jewish culture is known as Antisemitism. The leading global Jewish advocacy organization, American Jewish Committee (AJC), released the first-of-its-kind State of Antisemitism in America 2020 report, presenting data on how American Jews and the general public view antisemitism in the U.S. The study's findings reveal that American Jews are deeply concerned about antisemitism, are taking steps to hide their Jewishness, and consider anti-Zionism to be anti-Semitic. Additionally, the report highlighted that nearly 50% of the general American population is not even familiar with the term "antisemitism." From this survey, it is obvious that the issue of antisemitism is prevalent and further education is required on this subject.
In 2016, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) created a working definition to define Antisemitism. Having a universal definition affords the ability to recognize when anti-Semitic sentiment occurs. We will learn more about this universal definition in the ensuing months and how we may make use of this as an educational tool to facilitate counter-antisemitism training.
Unfortunately, we have seen a resurgence of hatred worldwide in the form of attacks on religious institutions and the proliferation of extremist groups. Additionally, there are conflicts still existing in the world that meet the definition of genocide, which further highlights the need for Holocaust education.
Take Action:
Continue your education on this subject and be involved in discussions about the topic. Please join me on January 27 for an exclusive webinar titled: The Nazi's Granddaughter - A Conversation with Silvia Foti. Additionally, please consider the following resources:
- Video: AJC Memory Project
- Bipartisan task force for combating antisemitism
- Workshops, panels, and Holocaust Remembrance Day Events
- 13 Important Books about the Holocaust
For more information, please visit The Holocaust and United Nations Outreach Program. For further education and development related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, please find additional sources located under DDEI Education and Resources on the Division of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion site and at UNC Libraries under DEI & Antiracism Resources.
