SWAMPSCOTT — The Select Board voted unanimously to proclaim Jan. 27 as Holocaust Memorial Day at its latest meeting.
“It’s incredible that we’re sitting here in 2024 and we’re still talking about and dealing with antisemitism, and antisemitism in our town,” Select Board Chair David Grishman said. “There’s no place for hate and no place for antisemitism in the Town of Swampscott.”
Jan. 27 will mark the 79th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, when Soviet soldiers entered the camp in Nazi-occupied Poland and freed more than 7,000 people who were facing certain death.
“Honoring the victims and survivors begins with a new recognition of the value and dignity of each person,” Board member Peter Spellios read from the Town’s proclamation.
Grishman added that he hopes all faith-based organizations, businesses, public institutions, and residents in town acknowledge and celebrate the historic and contemporary contributions of the Jewish community on Jan. 27.
“Antisemitism comes from a lack of knowledge and love,” Board member Doug Thompson said at the Wednesday meeting. “I encourage everyone to take the opportunity this Holocaust Memorial Day to increase your understanding.”
In December, a pro-Israel sign outside a home near the water tower off Paradise Road was vandalized with an antisemitic symbol. Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald emphasized how important it is for the Town to take a firm stance on hateful incidents.
“We all have a responsibility not to be indifferent,” Fitzgerald said. “The hottest place in hell is reserved for those who are indifferent.”
He added that the Town is planning some programming for Holocaust Memorial Day when it arrives. The Town plans on working with the school district to ensure teachers are educating students about the Holocaust, and it hopes to honor and hear from a Holocaust survivor.
Rabbi Michael Ragozin of Congregation Shirat Hayam expressed his gratitude to the Town and its leadership for their dedication and focus on fighting antisemitism.
“The Town’s actions are very meaningful to the Jewish community,” Ragozin said. “In this very difficult time with rising antisemitism, it makes everybody feel just a little bit more like we belong here in Swampscott.”
