Gabrielle Russon
Jan. 27 could become Holocaust Remembrance Day under new legislation, as lawmakers warn that the acknowledgment is needed to fight growing antisemitism.
The bill (HB 251) would be established the day of remembrance on the anniversary of a significant moment in World War II history: the day the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated 80 years ago.
“This bill is not just a bill to be rooted in our state, but reflects our shared responsibility to ensure that history never repeats itself,” said Rep. Debra Tendrich, who is Jewish and cosponsored the legislation with another Democrat, Rep. Rita Harris. “It would be an honor to pass this bill on Israel Day.”
The bill cleared its last committee stop Wednesday and is ready to go to the House floor.
Tendrich said she researched the growing number of antisemitic incidents recorded by the Anti-Defamation League.
“I was able to narrow down those numbers here for the state of Florida, and every single member here has had antisemitic incidents happen within your districts,” Tendrich told the members of the House Education and Employment Committee, who voted 18-0 in favor of it Wednesday.
Even outside the Most Magical Place on Earth was not immune.
“We had quite a few acts of antisemitism happen in my district, from leaflets being thrown in driveways, people marching in the streets and hanging swastikas over overpasses on the way to Disney, to actual people sitting outside on a Friday evening with a portable grill asking families, ‘How many can I fit in this grill?’” said Harris, who is from Orlando and only discovered as an adult that she had Jewish heritage because her relatives hid it to protect themselves.
“I felt like the state needed a moment to take a deep breath and kind of center itself.”
Students, education advocates and others applauded their efforts.
“Hopefully this will go a long way in eliminating not only antisemitism, but just hate in general,” said Democratic Rep. Yvonne Hinson.
One comment
Michael K
March 27, 2025 at 9:58 am
Sounds very woke to me , no?
According to co-president Musk we need to get over what happened in the past.