Consul General Sidenote 29/1/2016

Being a Source of Light in an Age of Darkness

  • 1/29/2016
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    This week marked the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, held every year on January 27th, the day of the liberation of Auschwitz. Coinciding with that day, the Embassy of Israel in Washington, DC, posthumously honored four “Righteous Among the Nations,” Roddie Edmonds, Lois Gunden, and Walery and Maryla Zbijewski. The historic event included remarks by President Barack Obama. 
    This is the first time that a sitting President has ever spoken in the Embassy in Washington. President Obama's presence on International Holocaust Remembrance Day is both a powerful tribute to the memory of the victims, as well as a testament to the unique relationship between Israel and the United States.
    “Righteous Among the Nations” is the highest honor the State of Israel bestows on non-Jews in the name of the Jewish People, expressing the gratitude of the State of Israel and the Jewish people to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.
    The remarkable heroism of these four righteous souls should inspire all of us to live our lives as they did – to be conscientious and to act in the face of indifference, and to be a source of light in an age of darkness. We must follow their example in order to build a better future for humanity.