I will never forget how I was overcome with shock the first time I heard of the atrocities committed against the Jewish people in the Holocaust.
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I will never forget the first night after meeting with Holocaust survivors, head bowed, my ears listening intently to every word uttered.
And alongside all these – the anger over the distortion and injustice that stems from a lack of Holocaust discourse among significant sections of the Arab sector in Israel.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day is a good opportunity to remind of that which many have begun to deny or distort, marching through cities with Nazi flags and shouting "Death to the Jews."
This day is a sad and disturbing reminder of the reality in which we live, while antisemites long to complete the Final Solution.
I was first invited to speak at a Holocaust memorial service a decade ago by a friend of mine, the son of Holocaust survivors. He managed to bring to Israel the 12-246 wagon from the Auschwitz camp in which Jews were transported to their deaths.
My wife and children – who came to the event with me – got into the wagon together with me, and the difficult feelings overwhelmed us all. My friend told the story of his parents, and my heart refused to accept such a cruel reality. We stepped out of the wagon dumbfounded by the intensity of the inconceivable moment.
As I stepped on the stage to give my address, I was unable to speak, looking at all the survivors, whose countenances concealed stories of heroism, loss, anguish, and endless pain. I promised never again and got off the stage walking toward them, the true heroes.
That same evening, I made an unequivocal decision to establish thorough Holocaust education training for teachers at the school that I oversee, with Holocaust memorial services held every year and meetings with survivors to instill such values as the sanctity of human life, dignity, freedom, justice, equality, tolerance, and human rights.
Antisemitism is rearing its ugly head across the world. This year alone, attacks on Jews have tripled. World leaders must stop the fire of Jew-hatred in their respective countries, which has never fully extinguished.
As a proud Arab Israeli, I call on the national and educational leaderships to significantly increase Holocaust studies in Arab schools across Israel, as well as visits to museums and meetings between Arab Israeli youngsters and survivors.
On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, I bow my head before the survivors and reverberate the promise of never again.
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