[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 62 (Tuesday, April 29, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     IN RECOGNITION OF YOM HA'SHOAH--THE HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY

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                         HON. E. CLAY SHAW, JR.

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 29, 2003

  Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Holocaust 
Remembrance Day. More than fifty years have elapsed since world 
experienced the horrors of the Holocaust. Year-round, we actively 
battle against ignorance and disbelief through educating and informing 
others about the causes, realities, and legacies of the Holocaust. But 
there is one day during the year when we make a special effort to 
commemorate the Holocaust. Although no singular day stands out as 
representative of the destruction and suffering that spanned the years 
of the Holocaust, we set aside the day of Yom Ha'Shoah, which 
corresponds to the 27th of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar, to memorialize 
the tragedy and pay tribute to all who suffered.
  Today, we remember those who endured, those who fought, and those who 
died during World War II. We recognize not only the loss of more than 
six million Jewish lives, but also the loss of human potential. Entire 
families were decimated during the terror that marked this dark time in 
history. We call to mind the descendants of victims of the Holocaust 
who never had the opportunity to make their contributions to mankind. 
And we recall the heroes who risked and surrendered their lives in the 
greatest fight for freedom and democracy the modern world has ever 
known.
  Our greatest tribute to those millions who suffered at the hands of 
the Nazis will be to ensure that their memory will forever endure in 
our hearts. It is through our reflections on Holocaust Remembrance Day 
that we acknowledge our loss, and it is through our actions that we 
educate future generations and build a new world for them. The fires of 
hatred, which blazed so brightly in Europe from 1939 through 1945, have 
not yet burned out. They continue to smolder in the hearts of 
terrorists worldwide. Today we join in a solemn bond with the victims 
of the Holocaust to extinguish the fires of hatred and to ensure that 
the world will never suffer such a horrific tragedy again.
  With contemporary illustrations of antagonism fresh in our minds, we 
marvel at the strength and character of the Jewish people. Their 
steadfast determination to rebuild their lives following the Holocaust 
has given the world a remarkable model of resolve. Through their 
example, we can glimpse the extraordinary human spirit that rises above 
the fruitlessness of anger and resentment. With this special day and 
with our deeds we honor that spirit. Mr. Speaker, we observe Holocaust 
Remembrance Day to always remember and never forget. I am proud to 
recognize Yom Ha'Shoa and urge all Americans to do the same.

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