RECOGNIZING JANUARY 27TH, 2025 AS INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY.

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Ross Levin & Rep. Spiegelman & Rep. Heffernan & Rep. Phillips on behalf of all Representatives & Sen. Hansen on behalf of all Senators

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 6

RECOGNIZING JANUARY 27TH, 2025 AS INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY.

WHEREAS, January 27 of each year is the official International Holocaust Remembrance Day as designated by the United Nations; and

WHEREAS, at least 1.3 million people were deported to Auschwitz between 1940 and 1945, and at least 1.1 million people sent to Auschwitz, were exterminated; and

WHEREAS, hundreds of thousands of people belonging to other groups that the Nazis considered “undesirable”, such as individuals with disabilities and religious leaders, were also murdered at Auschwitz; and

WHEREAS, an estimated 6 million Jewish people, more than 60% of the Jewish population of Europe, were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators at Auschwitz and elsewhere in Europe; and

WHEREAS, the number of hate crimes against Jews in this Country ranges between 600 and 1,00 each year, and in 2020, the number was 683, in 2019 it was 963, and in 2018, it was 847; and

WHEREAS, there were 2,024 incidents of antisemitic incidents in 2020, including the killing of Georgette Kaufman in El Paso, Texas because she was believed to be a "Jewish Satan worshipper"; and

WHEREAS, the number of antisemitic incidents in 2019 was 2,107, including an attack at a Hanukkah party at the home of a rabbi in Monsey, New York where 5 people were injured and one person died by a machete, and in California where a man opened fire at a synagogue killing one person and injuring three others; and

WHEREAS, most recently on January 16, 2022, a gunman held four people hostage at a synagogue in Texas who were attending Shabbat services, who with the help of law-enforcement, were able to escape unharmed; and

WHEREAS, just this past year there were incidents of antisemitism across this State, and such incidents are on the rise here, nationwide, and internationally; and

WHEREAS, as a society we must educate future generations to promote an understanding of the dangers of intolerance to prevent similar injustices from happening again.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Delaware House of Representatives of the 153rd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that January 27, 2025, is hereby recognized as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

SYNOPSIS

This Concurrent Resolution recognizes January 27th, 2025 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.