The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) released a groundbreaking video collaboration between social media influencer Montana Tucker and former neo-Nazi skinhead Arno Michaelis at Santa Monica Pier, highlighting their efforts to educate about the Holocaust and combat antisemitism.

A recent CAM study revealed that 61% of American Jews have experienced antisemitism since the events of Oct. 7, 2023, underscoring the urgency of their initiative. The video, released on International Holocaust Remembrance Day – marking 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz – features candid conversations with passersby about Holocaust history and antisemitism.

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"As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, I feel a deep responsibility to share their stories and ensure the lessons of the Holocaust are never forgotten," Tucker said in a CAM statement. "Standing alongside someone like Arno, who represents the power of transformation and redemption, shows that even in the darkest places, there's hope for change. Together, we're proving that education and honest conversations can break down barriers and create a path toward understanding and unity."

Michaelis, who renounced his neo-Nazi ideology three decades ago, now works as a public speaker, filmmaker, and author, as well as an interventionist at Parents 4 Peace, dedicating his life to combating extremism.

The initiative comes at a critical time, as CAM – a global coalition engaging more than 850 partner organizations and five million people from diverse religious, political, and cultural backgrounds – continues its mission to fight antisemitism through collaborative action and education.

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The European Union Delegation to Israel in partnership with Yad Vashem held a profound commemoration at Beit Juliana Nursing Home in Herzliya, central Israel, on January 21. This poignant ceremony marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, bringing together Holocaust survivors, EU ambassadors, and local high school students in a powerful testament to memory and resilience.

Beit Juliana, a residential complex established in 1979 by Dutch immigrants, houses around 200 residents, many of whom are Holocaust survivors. The location added layers of significance to the event, particularly in light of a recent Hezbollah drone attack on the eve of Yom Kippur 2024, that damaged the building but left residents unharmed.

EU Ambassador Dimiter Tzantchev delivered a stirring address, emphasizing the urgent need to combat rising antisemitism. "We Europeans consider it a sacred duty to condemn and repudiate the factories of death that the Nazis and their local collaborators set up on our continent and beyond with the sole goal to annihilate every single Jew they could find," he declared. Tzantchev highlighted a disturbing statistic from a recent EU survey: 96% of Jews in Europe encounter antisemitism either online or offline. "That is totally unacceptable," he stated, "and we are determined to fight these odious developments to make sure Jews can live and thrive – in Europe, Israel, and around the globe."

The ceremony featured powerful testimonies from Holocaust survivors, including Romuald Jakub Weksler-Waszkinel, whose extraordinary life story captivated the audience. Born in the Švenčionys Ghetto in 1943, Weksler-Waszkinel was entrusted to a Polish couple as an infant. Unaware of his Jewish heritage until adulthood, his journey of self-discovery led him from the Catholic priesthood back to his Jewish roots. "The only reason I cannot say no to my Polish parents is their love for me," Weksler-Waszkinel shared. "The only reason that, for the rest of my days, I am going to shout that I am Jewish, is my love for my Jewish parents."

Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan emphasized the enduring impact of the Holocaust on survivors. "The scars of the Holocaust did not simply fade with time, and would ultimately shape the rest of their lives," he noted. "As we reflect on this milestone anniversary, let us honor not only the memory of the victims but also the extraordinary efforts of survivors who would go on to mold the future of our world."

The event also highlighted the stories of Beit Juliana residents. Rachel Fisch, whose apartment bore the brunt of the recent drone attack, recounted her experiences during World War II. Other residents, painted a vivid picture of survival against overwhelming odds.

Beit Juliana Director Iris Friedman Sade reflected on the lessons learned from the residents. "Especially in these complex times, I learn from Beit Juliana's residents about the power of faith and overcoming impossible obstacles. They teach us that even from the depths of hell, one can rise and build a new life," she said.

The ceremony underscored the EU's ongoing commitment to combating antisemitism and preserving Holocaust memory. Ambassador Tzantchev detailed the EU's Comprehensive Strategy on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life, launched in 2021. This landmark framework aims to address antisemitism through education, security measures, and cultural initiatives. Tzantchev announced a commitment of millions of Euros for Holocaust education and remembrance in 2025, emphasizing the importance of these efforts in light of current global challenges. Following the ceremony, Ambassador Tzantchev visited Rachel Fisch's apartment, which had been damaged in the drone attack. This personal gesture symbolized the EU's solidarity with Holocaust survivors and their ongoing struggles.

Students from the local Rishonim High School played a crucial role in the event, participating in meaningful intergenerational dialogues with survivors. These interactions emphasized the vital role of youth in carrying forward Holocaust remembrance and combating hatred in all its forms.

The event, part of broader commemorations including additional events scheduled at Yad Vashem on January 23-24, stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of survivors and the commitment of institutions like the EU and Yad Vashem to ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust are never forgotten.

In the words of Beit Juliana's director, inspired by the poet Rachel Shapira: "Slowly, we learned once again to discern the wonderful power of life." This sentiment encapsulates the spirit of the commemoration – a celebration of resilience, a call to vigilance, and a commitment to building a future free from the shadows of the past.

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A Torah scroll from Kielce in Poland survived the Holocaust and its owner fell victim to an anti-Jewish Polish pogrom. Now, it will be entrusted to Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, with the aim of memorializing the family and the Jewish community.

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Mordechai (Motel) Kanner was born in 1910 in Kielce in Poland to Sender (Alexander) and Sara-Rachel, nee Redlich. Mordechai had three sisters: Esther, Hela-Handel and Luba. Mordechai was a watchmaker and traded in Zieger watches.

With the outbreak of World War II and the German invasion of Poland, Kanner fled to the Soviet Union. Along the way, he passed through a village where an elderly Jewish woman gave him a Torah scroll. Kenner carried on his journey with the scroll, but its size weighed him down in his escape, so he decided to bury it in the ground and come back to retrieve it if he ever managed to survive the war.

Kanner joined the partisans and finally arrived in the city of Lviv, currently in Ukraine, where he met Rebecca, a young widow with two small children. Mordechai and Rebecca fell in love and married in 1945. After the liberation, he decided to return to Kielce, his hometown. Rebecca and the rest of the family waited for him in Krakow, and after a delay in his return, Rebecca went to look for him in Kielce.

During her search, Rebecca discovered that Mordechai was severely beaten by the Poles in a pogrom that took place there in July 1946. During the pogrom, dozens of Jews were brutally murdered and many were injured. Kanner was thrown into a ditch together with the bodies of those murdered in the pogrom. Rebecca found him alive among the bodies and managed to get him to a hospital.

After he was discharged, the two moved to a displaced persons camp in Germany. Kanner was able to fulfill the request of the elderly woman in the Polish village. He found the Torah scroll where he buried it and protected it. In 1949, the family immigrated to Israel and settled in Holon.

In 1950, the Torah scroll was donated to the Great Synagogue in Holon and was dedicated in memory of Kanner's parents who perished in the Holocaust. Mordechai's daughter, Sarah Megidish, and his grandson Avi Kanner have recently decided to donate the scroll to the collection at Yad Vashem, as a memorial and testimony. "This is a unique object," Sarah said, "It symbolizes not only the difficult events but also the determination and desire to preserve Jewish identity. By granting this Torah scroll to Yad Vashem, it will become part of the memory of the Holocaust for future generations."

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