Good morning. Key committee will come to order, and without objection, the chair is authorized to. Eclare a recess at any time worldys ago, the entire came together to mark holocaust Remembrance Day. In january of 1945, the auschwitz birkenau concentration camp was liberated from the nazis. It was one of the most infamous sites of the nazi genocide. The purpose of todays hearing is to commemorate these grave anniversaries, term member those we have lost, and to honor those who are with us. But it is not enough to simply recognize these dates but we must contemplate what led the atrocities we must combat bigotry, hate, and violence of all kinds day. I am so pleased to have our distinguished panel that have asked them to come together on helps solemn occasion to unify red, hope and inclusion. That. We can all do the best way to help remember is to hear from those who lived through it and we will do that today. Ae block from here is gripping institution dedicated to remembering the holocaust fight hate today. Im also pleased to announce that on monday, the house is evidence past bipartisan votes 393ith votes to pass a resolution i authored to give teachers Additional Resources to teach about the holocaust i hope the senate will pass the bill and send it to the president as soon as possible, because the lessons of the past must inform our attempts to fight hate today. This morning, we will hear testimony about the shooting at the tree of life synagogue in pittsburgh, the most deadly assault against the Jewish Community in american history. After that a group of Holocaust Survivors wrote to the pittsburgh Jewish Community insult 30, explaining why they dedicated their lives to sharing the horrors they experienced. Quote we seek termite people, especially young people that. Ate can never be ignored complacency is dangerous standing up and pushing back is the only way we can make a better future. Unfortunately, there has been a sinister increase in hate crimes recently. Not only against jewish communities, but African Americans, muslims, and others. Showingreleased data the highest number of reported hate crimes in the United States and 16 years the number of hate groups exploded two of thousand high and a a record 30 increase over the last three years. We watch the gruesome video footage of the attack in charlottesville, we see in excruciating detail the people that still poisons our society to this day. I want our members to know that our committee is dedicated to start fighting bigotry and this hearinginds is one in a series we are holding on these issues the 116th congress. Kevin raskin has held for hearings in the subcommittee to confront White Supremacy, religious persecution, and our government response. The subcommittee has worked with the chairman to investigate the National Security implications of these threats. Going forward, we are planning additional hearings, including one on Voter Suppression and minority communities, antimuslim discrimination, antiimmigrant actions, and issues facing the lgbtq community. I have been in touch with many of you and i hope youll come to me with any additional thoughts, ideas, or proposals. We mark this day of remembrance after a recent spate of antisemitic attacks in new york city. I hope we can Work Together with the same spirit of solidarity today. I want to recognize Ranking Member jordan, but before i do, i would like to thank him personally for his support of the Holocaust Education act. Thank you for calling this hearing today eared thank you for our witnesses for being with us today and your testimony today. I want to apologize on the frontend, i have to cross to the other side of the capital in a few minutes. On monday we recognize holocaust Remembrance Day. We pause to remember innocent lives taken by this evil. As Vice President pence said, we have the obligation to never let the memory of those who died never be forgotten. We must always condemn antisemitism in all its forms. Ould like to take moment take a moment to recognize a holocaust survivor, it is an incredible honor to have you with us today. One of the most important ways we continue to support the jewish people through our unwavering support of israel. Since 1948, the United States has had a special bond with the israeli people. Since President Trump took office, he has made it his mission to strengthen this bond. He has worked to ensure the whole world knows the United States stands firmly with israel. In just three years, here is what has happened. He has recognize the Golan Heights as part of israel, withdrawn from the failed takenn nuclear deal, and effective action to eliminate soleimani. He has imposed a sanctions movement championed by those who want to diminish israel. Yesterday, President Trump released a groundbreaking peace plan. But maybe most importantly, he fulfilled a decadesold promise to the people of israel and recognized jerusalem as the capital of the state. Routinelydents have failed to deliver on this promise. The u. S. Embassy should be moved to tel aviv, according to carter. President clinton said israel is still the capital and bush said that as soon as i take office, i will begin the process of moving the ambassador to israel. Two jerusalem. Barack obama said jerusalem will be the capital of israel. President trump fulfilled that. Romise we have shown people that they have the support of the United States of america. Should be proud of this friendship and the work the president has done to solidify the relationship. We would be wise to listen to and learn from testimony today. Thank you, madam chairwoman. I would like to recognize two of my colleagues. Founding members of the congressional caucus on ajewish relations. On africanamericanjewish relations. Thank you for holding this hearing and bringing attention to the alarming rise of hate crimes. Im glad to see our committee will be using our Oversight Authority to find innovative ways for our government to combat the rise in White Supremacy. Formed thei congressional caucus on blackjewish relations to discuss the relations between africanamerican and the Jewish Community, also to highlight our shared history of combating racism and how the two groups can Work Together to combat hate crimes going forward. A shared history of slavery and the holocaust has given us a hatredned sensitivity to and racism. The two cochairs of the caucus includes myan and colleagues on this committee. Unfortunately, antisemitic acts have become far too prevalent in our society. Already there have been incidents reported in my home state and more than 25 across the United States. Last two years have seen a disturbing spike in antisemitic attacks of more than 1800 reported in 2018 alone. According to the defamation Antidefamation League , a 57 increase. Communities experience a substantial rise in hate crimes, the federal government must assist state and local government and Law Enforcement entities to develop ways to combat a rise in identitybased hate crimes. This pattern of hate illustrates a disturbing trend in our country that must be reversed. Actsfilled antisemitic will not be tolerated and i will predatorsby idly as of these antisemitic attacks continue across our country. All americans have the right to freedom and religion and we will not allow that right hindered by a small fraction who use their awful agenda to spread hate and crime. I look forward to working with committeeship of this , members of the caucus on black and jewish relations, and all members of this congress. In the words of Martin Luther king, a threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Thank you, madam chair. The firstroudly as jewish woman to represent florida in the United States congress and i have just with ad from israel Bipartisan Coalition led by nancy pelosi. Over one million women and children lost their lives in auschwitz alone. Visiting this historic monument only reaffirmed to me that we cannot reaffirm the resurgence in hate we see now. Deliver this moral imperative of never again, we must have hearings like this and sharon shine a light on bigotry and racist ideology. Oris important to understand underscore that this is more about support for israel. We must be clear that the systematic mass extinction did not happen overnight it began with hate speech, harassment, and attacks on vulnerable communities. As these symptoms reemerge, we must speak out and act, and today, we will do that. We must also educate the American People by highlighting the amazing compliments of persecuted communities during Upcoming Events like black History Month or jewish heritage month in may. Educating one another and so many across the country are unfamiliar with minority achievements and traditions. It,ach of us thinks about there are many of us who have populations of communities in our own districts that are either tiny or minuscule and the first time members of congress interact with the community is when they join the United States congress. That is why it is important to hold hearings like this one and i appreciate our ability to make sure we can rid our nation of every denial of one anothers humanity. The panelistsk for being here and in the fight every day to make sure that we continue to shine a spotlight on bigotry and hate. I particularly want to thank my colleague and dear friend Brenda Lawrence for her leadership and vision to establish this caucus. Im proud to join her as a cochair and i look forward to our work. I would like to welcome our witnesses. I recognize representative raskin to introduce our first distinguished witness. Chair forou, madam giving me the opportunity to introduce a remarkable constituent. Romania little boy in when a policeman arrived to arrest him, his sisters, and his parents to take them to a ghetto for the crime of being jewish. Astonishingly, they survived the holocaust but he lost 32 other family members to the genocidal war waged upon the Jewish Community of europe. Since the holocaust ended, the civilized world has come together with one refrain, never again, and yet we live in a time of resurgent propaganda, conspiracies, psychological relation, human rights fanaticism, and violence. The Civil Rights Committee held a hearing on limiting global persecution taking place under the blasphemy laws and ological against the rohingya in burma. , Vladimir Putin is injecting poison into social media and helping to activate the most dangerous and unstable elements of our society, crating a wave of white supremacist care against black churches, hispanics shopping at walmart, and anybody deemed to be an outsider. Get a hold on rising white supremacist violence and gun violence. We must continue to pressure the federal government, as we have been doing, and create a plan to battle White Supremacy and domestic terrorism. Safirwe can focus on mr. West dear, that 82 years old, he became the only holocaust survivor known ever to skilled mount kilimanjaro. The feet he accomplished by keeping the words in mind of his father that he spoke to him, never give up. But you back to you. Honored you and we are to have you. Congratulations on your recent achievement. We look forward to your testimony. We are also fortunate to have , he is former director of Community Security for the Jewish Federation and writer pittsburgh. Resident ank representative doyle and we look forward to his testimony. He may be able to join us later. Edna. O welcome dr. Jonathan green plant is the chief executive officer for the Antidefamation League and Hilary Shelton is the director and senior Vice President for advocacy and policy for the National Association for the advancement of colored people. We also welcome ambassador formergold and the israeli ambassador to the United Nations andy former director general of the Israel Ministry of foreign affairs, so if you would all rise and raise your right hand, i will begin by swearing u. N. In. Wearing you do you swear the testimony you are about to give is the whole truth celtic got . So hope you got god . Thank you and be seated. The microphones are very sensitive, so please speak directly into them. With that, you are now recognized for five minutes for your opening statement. Thank you. I am honored to share with you a little bit about the personal experience. Pull the microphone a little closer to you. Thank you. Honored to be here and share a little bit of my personal experience. Father established a farm and for 18 years, he and my mother worked the farm. My two sisters and myself were born there. I went to kindergarten and i started first grade. Everything was ok. One of our neighbors was a priest. We used to come by once a week to ask my father for donation to the church and for dairy products. One day, the same priest showed up and however, this time showed up with a armed Police Officer and two armed guard soldiers come also armed. We did not know why that happened this time, so we went down to find out what was going on. As we get close to the priest, he is looking at the police , sayingpointing to us this is the jews, so we were turned into authorities by a priest. The Police Officer said we had four hours to vacate because he was going to relocate us to a different part of the city. At this point, my mother and father tried to convince him that he could forget the border to relocate us. It did not help. 1941, it was established to your earlier. We came into the house, packed what other whatever bibles we had in police told us it was time for us to leave and we were escorted to the ghetto. Once we arrived, we were turned over to the Ghetto Police where we received our orientation of what we can and cannot do. Longerpeople could no her to dissipate in public prayers and we were given ration given five yellow starts stars with the word jew that we had to wear on our lapel. Was to be going to work on a daily basis. My fathers job was to sweep the streets in the summertime and shoveled the snow in the wintertime. Hospital. Was in the at this point, we did not know what we could do to survive because there was a certain mode of survival that we try to constantly focus on. In 1943, a big sign was posted in the ghetto area that said any individual mail between the ages of 18 and 50 yard of thee at the main ghetto square and bring extra clothing if you had it. Wasnight before, my father we cried at night and the next morning, we also cried, but did not know when. Left,st minute before he i asked my father if it is ok for me to walk with him. He agreed. We walked handinhand because i got to the area that he was supposed to be and at that point we did not say anything to each other, we just held on tight. My father said it is time for you to go back and he turned to and saidoth his hands five words to me. They will remain with me for the rest of my life. He said matt, take care of the girls. At this point, i am seven years old. You cannot imagine the pressure. I told him i would try and do my i didnt. I said i would take care of the girls. I cannot give up because i promised my father i would take care of the girls. Same day, my father was shipped away at a forced labor camp and we did not hear from him for many months. While he was away, i tried to do my best to get our family to survive, so one of the things you would see was the ration cards. They allowed us to receive a quarter loaf of bread and five leaders of kerosene. We had to walk out of the ghetto and since my sister was two years older, my father would send out my sister to get these rations and so one day he found out some of the hooligans were picking on jewish girls and he started sending me out to get these rations. Home,imes, i would come beat up the bloody face, but that never hurt so much as it did when they took away my bread. Happened realized what and she realized this would happen again. From that point on, she started rationing and try to save a little bit. While. Nt on for a all of our family left back in these theot nazis invaded hungary in 1944 april, 440,000 jews were taken to auschwitz. Young ones were put to death in the gas chambers and those able to work were sent to different camps. My grandfather died of starvation a month before he was liberated. Two of my uncles survived. One was 21 years old and one was 22 years old. Someone, thiso individual looked like a skeleton or skin and bones, that is pretty much what they look like. When the red cross came in, they immediately put them on ships to recuperate. One of the two brothers did not make it to sweden. He died and was buried at sea. One did die and was in the hospital for four years to gain his weight. We were liberated by the russians in 1945. We still never heard from a father. We do not know if he was alive or dead. The antisemitism was very 1947, finally, my father was able to come back and in 1947, he realized there was no longer a future between jewish people and romania. The only country that would acc