As educators of the Holocaust and genocide from across the globe, we raise a pressing alarm: Holocaust and genocide denial is intensifying. This denial manifests through altered definitions and the spread of egregious falsehoods concerning the State of Israel and its actions in Gaza.
The core lessons of the Holocaust stress the critical importance of safeguarding every Jew, no matter where they are. It is profoundly disturbing that some educators within our field spread baseless claims about Israel, accusing it of genocide, apartheid, and ethnic cleansing.
This occurs while Hamas explicitly includes in its charter a call for the genocide against Israel. From a young age, Palestinian children are indoctrinated to hate Israelis, with the Palestinian Authority compensating terrorists, and both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad orchestrating the horrifying massacre on October 7th—a scale of atrocity unprecedented in Israel's history. Following this, there has been a marked increase in anti-Semitism globally, with Jews fearing to express their faith and facing attacks on their cultural, religious, and historical sites.
Israel is a nation that upholds the rights of all religions, including the freedom of worship. Judaism, a religion of peace, teaches us that every human is created in the divine image.
On this Holocaust Remembrance Day, we urge organizations, educational bodies, cultural institutions, and communities worldwide to take a stand:
- Condemn those who disseminate these lies.
- Preserve the memory of the Holocaust and support Israel, the Jewish people, and their allies.
- Uphold the principles of democracy, peace, and truth.
We call for action, commitment, and solidarity in combating misinformation and supporting the principles of justice and historical accuracy.
