On Holocaust Remembrance Day, we honor the lives lost in one of humanity’s darkest chapters.
The Holocaust, a systematic genocide orchestrated by Nazi Germany, claimed the lives of six million Jews, alongside five million non-Jewish communities —including Jehovah’s Witnesses, Romani people, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ+ persons, political dissidents, and countless others persecuted for who they were, how they appeared, or what they believed. We have a collective responsibility to build a future that counters ideologies of hatred, dehumanization, and indifference toward the suffering of others.
Remembrance compels us to confront uncomfortable truths about the human capacity for cruelty and the dangers of unchecked hate. It is a call to examine societal factors that can fuel the dehumanization and discrimination that contribute to systemic violence. To remember is to equip ourselves with the tools to resist racism and bigotry – guiding future generations rooted in empathy, respectful curiosity, and community. Together, let’s raise our awareness of bias, discrimination, and hate in daily life and find opportunities to demonstrate respect and acceptance of each other.
It is imperative we continue to educate ourselves and actively work to dismantle identity-based hatred. We offer the following resources as a helpful starting point:
- Read – What Antisemitism and Anti-immigrant Hate Have in Common
- Read – Teaching the Holocaust: Why Education Fosters Empathy
- Watch – Confronting Hate: Examining Antisemitism Through Religious and Ideological Worldviews
- Watch – Why Scrutinizing Information Matters
Remembering with you,
Rev. Mark Fowler, CEO, Tanenbaum