JERUSALEM—Yad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev said ‘’the time has come for world leaders to speak out and condemn antisemitism in all its expressions, and immediately implement legal, moral and educational measures, both to protect the lives of their Jewish citizens, and also to fight against the outbreak of antisemitism that we have witnessed lately.’’
In a reaction condemning the shooting by a white supremacist at the Poway Chabad Synagogue, he noted that ‘’on every continent, violence against Jews, merely because they are Jews, occurs.’’
‘’In our post-Holocaust global society there is no room for antisemitism or any other kind of racism or xenophobia,” he added.
‘’Yad Vashem strongly condemns the actions of the antisemitic white supremacist at this house of worship. As we approach Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is dedicated to commemorating the memory of the six million men, women and children murdered for being Jewish, we shall gravely consider the dangers of unchecked antisemitism,’’ Shlev said.
He added: ‘’We are also troubled by various forms of incitement featured in the media – print, digital and social. The world must act to combat such forms of hate speech by leaders and laypersons alike. Yad Vashem has been creating educational tools to counter this alarming phenomenon.’’
The official opening ceremony for Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Day will take place on Wednesday at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem.
Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will both deliver remarks at the opening ceremony. Yad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev will kindle the Memorial Torch.
During the ceremony, Holocaust survivors will light six torches.