[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6474]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 26, 2006

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Yom Hashoah, 
Holocaust Remembrance Day. I join the Jewish people in the State of 
Israel, the United States, and across the globe in remembering and 
honoring the 6 million Jews who were brutally murdered by the Nazi 
regime during the Holocaust.
  April 25, 2006 is a day for all people to reflect upon that most 
horrific period of history. The Holocaust demonstrated that even a 
supposedly cultured society could tolerate the most senseless 
atrocities. We must keep in mind that the Nazi genocide against the 
Jews was not perpetrated solely by a lone crazed individual. It was the 
carefully considered plan, years in the works, of a group of genocidal 
fanatics, which won the support of an entire nation. The Holocaust 
reflected the worst potential inherent in human nature for hatred of an 
entire religion simply for existing.
  I am privileged to represent diverse cultures in Brooklyn. In my 
district lives a large but dwindling population of Holocaust survivors. 
Many of these survivors rebuilt their lives with nothing more than the 
shirt on their back. Today, based on the strong foundations of those 
Holocaust survivors, sits the beautiful Jewish communities in my 
district, including Williamsburg, Midwood and Canarsie. These 
communities represent the best of Jewish life and have successfully 
resurrected the Jewish community's wonderful religious heritage from 
the ashes of the Holocaust. Their synagogues, yeshivas, kollels, and 
social service organizations, which serve all people of all 
backgrounds, would make their ancestors proud.
  On this day, we celebrate their remarkable achievements in bringing 
up a generation of Jews who have learned from their parents' 
resoluteness the importance of preserving as much of their tradition as 
they possibly can. We acknowledge their commitment in the face of 
unspeakable adversity and their sacrifices so that another generation 
might carry on their values.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the 
efforts of organizations in my district that have taken extraordinary 
steps in servicing and caring for the Holocaust survivor population: 
The Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty; The United Jewish 
Organizations of Williamsburg; The Council of Jewish Organizations of 
Flatbush; The Jewish Community Council of Canarsie; The Conference of 
Jewish Material Claims Against Germany; Peasch Tikvah and all the 
Bikkur Cholim organizations. Their selfless work for Holocaust 
survivors continues to serve as an inspiration to me and it is a great 
honor to recognize their hard work.
  Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues here today in remembering the 
Holocaust. Regrettably, there are still Holocaust deniers today and it 
is imperative that we never forget and continue to learn from this 
unforgettable chapter of history.

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