Yom Hashoah

YOM HASHOAH -- (Extensions of Remarks - April 27, 2006)

* Ms. SCHWARTZ of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Martyrs and Heroes Remembrance Day.

* On this day of remembrance, we mourn--as a community, as a nation, and as a world--the 6 million Jews who lost their lives during one of the darkest periods of our history. We pray that those still pained and anguished by the unimaginable suffering may find peace and comfort. And we reflect on what can happen when the world fails to confront evil, hatred, and bigotry.

* Yom Hashoah is also a time to remember the individual acts of martyrdom and heroism committed during the Holocaust. We recall those brave Jewish martyrs in the Warsaw ghetto armed only with pistols and Molotov cocktails who repulsed the sophisticated weaponry of the Nazis for one month. We recall those righteous gentiles who risked their lives to shelter and protect Jews. And, we recall those who were forced to leave their homeland in search of new lives in unfamiliar lands.

* My mother, Renee Perl, was one of the many who had to flee their homeland. Forced to start anew at the mere age of 14, she left Austria--alone--spending time in Holland and England before arriving in Philadelphia at 16.

* Once arriving at the shores of America, my mother--like so many Jews--was hesitant to tell her story--hoping that by trying to forget about the war she could move on. But, little by little, we came to know her story and the enduring pain it caused for her and so many others.

* As we move further and further away from this period of history, those who witnessed such acts and those of us--who have heard first-hand accounts become fewer. It is our duty to pass their stories along so that future generations can reflect on their courage, valor, and heroism. And, it is our obligation to tell their stories so all of us Jews and non-Jews--can heed the lessons of the Holocaust.

* Mr. Speaker, I am tremendously grateful for being able to share my family's experience. I know my mother would be proud to know that we are not only paying tribute to those who suffered tremendous pain and hardship, but recalling the Jewish people's great spirit to survive, our continued faith in God, and our unwavering belief in freedom and democracy.

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