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The Congressional Holocaust Survivors Resolution and Memorial Day

[additional-authors]
May 29, 2016

At the end of May, many Americans look forward to a three-day holiday weekend. Memorial Day began as a somber day of remembrance and has evolved for many to a first sign of summer and time for a barbecue. Over one million soldiers gave their lives in service of  the United States of America. Many remember the sacrifice of soldiers by placing flags in front of their home or in cemeteries.

In the Jewish tradition, we remember those we have lost with a yearly yahrzeit (memorial) and as a community we remember the six million who were killed by the Nazis in the Holocaust on Yom Hashoah which was on May 4 this year.

] I was fortunate to meet On May 18, the House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously approved a resolution co-introduced by Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) which calls on the German Government to satisfy its moral responsibility to fully provide for the medical, mental health, and long-term care needs of Holocaust Survivors so they may live their remaining days in dignity.    comprehensively address needs of vulnerable Holocaust victims.

Jessie Kornberg, President and CEO of   other essential resources. There is still much work to be done and we are committed to making sure no survivor is without access to these services.” Holocaust survivors need our support with this resolution introduced by Congressman Deutch.

After the unanimous approval the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Deutch said; “I thank my colleagues on the Committee for recognizing the imperative nature of this bipartisan resolution and moving swiftly and unanimously to send it to the floor of the House of Representatives. There is no time to waste. Right now, the German Government is negotiating how to meet the needs of Holocaust Survivors for the rest of their lives. This resolution will send a strong message that Congress is closely watching these negotiations and expects an agreement that meets the growing needs of this most vulnerable population in full.” I appreciate Deutch’s commitment to the survivors of the Holocaust. Through his efforts, this important resolution was introduced with bi-partisan and bicameral support and there is a concurrent resolution in the Senate.

]   told me “Our tradition asks: “If not now, when – ואם לא עכשיו אימתי?” The message is clear: now is the time for righteous action. Now is the time to fulfill our obligations, whatever they might be. With the Shoah now more than 70 years behind us, the imperative to do right by survivors is more urgent than ever. Our elected officials and, more importantly, those who were responsible for the atrocities, must act now to ensure that survivors live out their remaining years in dignity.” I agree with Rabbi Zweiback that we all must stand up to support those who have been harmed and we must work for peace and understanding in our world so that genocide does not keep happening.

“>Victims of Nazi Terror in the Darnitsa concentration camp, Kiev, Ukraine In Israel on Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, at 10 a.m. a countrywide air-raid siren wails. The entire country stops and remembers. This weekend for Memorial Day, I hope you will pause and remember the soldiers that gave their lives in service of our country and think about what we can do for survivors of all wars.

What can you do to make a difference? Please encourage your Congressional Representative in the House and Senate to join as a co-sponsor in support this resolution, H. Con. Res. 129, for Holocaust Survivors. The concurrent resolution in the Senate is Hear Congressman Deutch’s address to the committee:

video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJiSXJho0L4