Gabrielle Russon
Jewish lawmakers are leading the charge to declare Jan. 27 as Holocaust Remembrance Day, with the Legislature agreeing to pass a measure to fight against antisemitism and honor the victims who died in World War II.
The House has voted 114-0 to approve the legislation (SB 356) after the Senate passed the bill with a 38-0 vote last month.
Many governments and organizations, including the United Nations General Assembly, already acknowledge the Jan. 27 date, which carries historical significance. It marks the date when the Auschwitz concentration camp, one of the most infamous facilities run by the Nazis, was liberated in Poland 80 years ago.
“Over the past few years, Florida has actually seen over 1,200 reported incidents of antisemitic harassment, propaganda, vandalism, assaults, extremist events, terroristic plots and even murders right here in our Sunshine State,” said Democratic Rep. Debra Tendrich.
“This bill is personal to me, but it should be personal to every single person in this room, because there’s not a member here in this chamber where antisemitism hasn’t touched their constituents in one form or another.”
Recent media reports described a small number of neo-Nazi protesters rallying outside Disney World and a University of Central Florida fraternity being suspended for using a swastika symbol during a hazing incident.
Tendrich, who is Jewish, quoted some of the bigoted words hurled at her personally as she presented the bill on the House floor.
“’Hitler didn’t do enough. Go crash and die. Jews belong in the gas. Why don’t you go to Israel and be a politician there?’” Tendrich recounted.
Lawmakers said they hope the day will combat growing antisemitism in Florida and around the world, as well as become an important education tool in schools.
Democratic Rep. Mitch Rosenwald said it was important for the state to recognize remembrance day since some young people aren’t even aware the Holocaust happened.
“As a relative of two family members myself who perished in the Holocaust … and as a proud Jewish member, I strongly support this bill,” he said. “By encapsulating and, frankly, memorializing Holocaust Remembrance Day into our state calendar, I think this will make a huge difference.”
