Fort Lauderdale, FL—Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (FL-20) released the following statement marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day:
“Today, I join the international community in reflecting on the murder of six million Jews during one of the darkest periods in human history. Between 1940 and 1945, two out of every three Jews in Europe perished in ghettos, mass shootings, forced labor camps, and extermination camps under the Nazi Regime, forever changing the face of Europe and the world.
“The world’s Jewish population has yet to recover to its numbers prior to the Holocaust, yet global Jewry has witnessed a resurgence. Today, the Jewish State of Israel thrives and Jewish life has strengthened. Yet, we must always remain vigilant against the forces of anti-Semitism, racism, and xenophobia, each of which have risen sharply in our country and across the globe. We must never allow hatred to go unchallenged, and it is incumbent upon all of us to stand with the Jewish community and others working to confront injustice.
“As we mark an international day of remembrance, we must commit to supporting Holocaust education across the globe and ensure survivors in our nation, many of whom live at or below the poverty line, have access to the lifesaving services they rely on. As a representative of South Florida, which possesses one of the largest populations of Holocaust survivors in the world, I will continue to do everything I can to ensure this community may live with dignity.”
