MEDIA RELEASES
Holocaust Centre of New Zealand Condemns Bondi Beach Shooting:
“Never Again Is Now”
15 December 2025
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand expresses its profound shock and deep sorrow following the deadly shooting of Jewish community members and others at Bondi Beach as families around the world gathered to light the first candle of Chanukah.
“Our hearts and deepest condolences are with the families of those murdered and wounded,” said Deborah Hart, Chair of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand. “This was an attack not only on innocent people but on the belief that we can live freely and without fear. No community should ever have to endure such horror.”
A rise in antisemitism has been documented in Australia over recent years — a rise mirrored in New Zealand. Jewish communities on both sides of the Tasman, and world-wide, are facing heightened threats, requiring heavy security at places of worship and at cultural or religious events. “New Zealand Jews, like our Australian brethren, now live with increased fear and vigilance,” Ms Hart said. “I have MC’d many Chanukah in the Park events in New Zealand over the years — events just like the one in Bondi. We don’t hold them any more. We can’t.”
The Centre notes the painful symbolism of this attack occurring during Chanukah — the festival of light.
“Chanukah is a time when we celebrate resilience, hope, and the triumph of light over darkness,” Ms Hart said. “To have such violence inflicted on Jews at this moment is a devastating reminder that antisemitism continues to manifest in the most brutal ways.”
The Holocaust Centre strongly condemns this act of violence and the antisemitism that underpins it.
“Antisemitism has no place in our world,” Ms Hart said. “Hate starts small, but history shows us where it can lead — to places of unimaginable horror. That is why we must confront it wherever and whenever it appears. Never again is now.”
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand stands in solidarity with the Jewish community in Australia and worldwide, and calls on leaders, institutions, and communities across Aotearoa New Zealand to reaffirm their commitment to rejecting antisemitism.
“Moments like this must strengthen our resolve to educate, to remember, and to stand together,” Ms Hart said. “Light will always be stronger than darkness.”
For further information, please contact:
Deborah Hart
Chair, Holocaust Centre of New Zealand
021379344
Holocaust Centre of New Zealand’s Statement on the Gaza Conflict
25 August 2025
Compassion for Suffering and Destruction
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand unequivocally acknowledges the profound human cost borne by civilians during the Gaza conflict.
On October 7, 2023, Israeli communities suffered appalling violence—including the massacre of civilians and kidnapping of hostages. Some 1,200 people, mostly Israeli civilians, were killed on that day alone. Since then, Israelis have suffered missile attacks throughout the country, displacement, deaths, and have been forced into a multi-front war not of their choosing, to confront a realistic existential threat.
Since that time, civilian Palestinians in Gaza have endured high numbers of deaths, extensive devastation, destruction of homes, infrastructure, health facilities, schools, and cultural sites; widespread displacement; and an acute humanitarian crisis.
Historical memory compels us to bear witness to human suffering, wherever it occurs. We express heartfelt sorrow for all civilian lives lost and destroyed: Israeli, Palestinian, and all others caught in this tragedy.
Why the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand Does Not Call the Gaza Conflict a Genocide
Central to the legal definition of genocide is the specific intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a protected group. While there is vigorous debate among international scholars and human rights organisations—including some Israeli-based groups like B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights Israel—about whether the situation in Gaza meets this threshold, Yad Vashem and many legal authorities reject that characterisation. They affirm that while suffering is widespread, such intent has not been credibly demonstrated.
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand aligns with this cautious and historically grounded perspective. We believe it is irresponsible to apply the term “genocide” without unequivocal evidence of intent, especially when doing so may inadvertently dilute the term’s meaning and fuel polarisation, as well as undermine cognate crimes in international law such as ‘crimes against humanity’ and ‘war crimes’.
Historical Accuracy and the Misuse of Holocaust Memory
The Holocaust is a historically unique atrocity, characterised by its ideologically driven, industrialised system of genocide. Equating the Holocaust with Israel’s military operations in Gaza introduces false moral equivalence and distorts both history and public discourse.
By applying Holocaust language to describe the conflict in Gaza, the Holocaust is trivialised—and opportunities for meaningful moral reflection are lost.
Choosing the Holocaust as a point of reference for interpreting conflict in the Middle East, when their respective characteristics are so clearly different and so many more relevant contemporary examples apply, can only be justified by the Jewish identity of Holocaust victims, weaponised to criticise Israel as a majority-Jewish state. This disrespects, appropriates and abuses innocent victims, who cannot speak for themselves.
That is not to say that lessons cannot be drawn from the Holocaust where relevant and fact-driven. In particular, the history of the Holocaust teaches us the dangers of dehumanisation: we are very concerned by dehumanising language employed in the Israel-Hamas conflict, and strongly advocate never to let conflict blind us to our shared humanity.
What the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand Advocates
The Holocaust Centre reaffirms that Holocaust memory carries an enduring moral responsibility: to educate, to remember, to bear witness, and to oppose antisemitism, discrimination and apathy. While we condemn language that misuses Holocaust memory or promotes false equivalence, we acknowledge the profound suffering inflicted directly and indirectly on civilians caught in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
In July 2025, the Holocaust Centre signed the Harmony Accord between the Muslim and Jewish communities of Aotearoa New Zealand—a commitment to dialogue, mutual respect, and unity. This Accord recognises that while conflict may divide communities overseas, we must resist importing ancient hatreds here and ensure that antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of bigotry have no place in our society.
The Holocaust Centre continues to call for a just, lasting, and sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians—one that includes the cessation of hostilities, the safe return of all Israeli hostages and the disarmament of Hamas.
Guided by the lessons of the Holocaust, the Holocaust Centre advocates for moral leadership, dialogue over division, and the courage to choose reconciliation over hatred—both in the Middle East and in Aotearoa New Zealand.
On October 7, 2023, Israeli communities suffered appalling violence—including the massacre of civilians and kidnapping of hostages. Some 1,200 people, mostly Israeli civilians, were killed on that day alone. Since then, Israelis have suffered missile attacks throughout the country, displacement, deaths, and have been forced into a multi-front war not of their choosing, to confront a realistic existential threat.
Since that time, civilian Palestinians in Gaza have endured high numbers of deaths, extensive devastation, destruction of homes, infrastructure, health facilities, schools, and cultural sites; widespread displacement; and an acute humanitarian crisis.
Historical memory compels us to bear witness to human suffering, wherever it occurs. We express heartfelt sorrow for all civilian lives lost and destroyed: Israeli, Palestinian, and all others caught in this tragedy.
Why the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand Does Not Call the Gaza Conflict a Genocide
Central to the legal definition of genocide is the specific intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a protected group. While there is vigorous debate among international scholars and human rights organisations—including some Israeli-based groups like B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights Israel—about whether the situation in Gaza meets this threshold, Yad Vashem and many legal authorities reject that characterisation. They affirm that while suffering is widespread, such intent has not been credibly demonstrated.
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand aligns with this cautious and historically grounded perspective. We believe it is irresponsible to apply the term “genocide” without unequivocal evidence of intent, especially when doing so may inadvertently dilute the term’s meaning and fuel polarisation, as well as undermine cognate crimes in international law such as ‘crimes against humanity’ and ‘war crimes’.
Historical Accuracy and the Misuse of Holocaust Memory
The Holocaust is a historically unique atrocity, characterised by its ideologically driven, industrialised system of genocide. Equating the Holocaust with Israel’s military operations in Gaza introduces false moral equivalence and distorts both history and public discourse.
By applying Holocaust language to describe the conflict in Gaza, the Holocaust is trivialised—and opportunities for meaningful moral reflection are lost.
Choosing the Holocaust as a point of reference for interpreting conflict in the Middle East, when their respective characteristics are so clearly different and so many more relevant contemporary examples apply, can only be justified by the Jewish identity of Holocaust victims, weaponised to criticise Israel as a majority-Jewish state. This disrespects, appropriates and abuses innocent victims, who cannot speak for themselves.
That is not to say that lessons cannot be drawn from the Holocaust where relevant and fact-driven. In particular, the history of the Holocaust teaches us the dangers of dehumanisation: we are very concerned by dehumanising language employed in the Israel-Hamas conflict, and strongly advocate never to let conflict blind us to our shared humanity.
What the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand Advocates
The Holocaust Centre reaffirms that Holocaust memory carries an enduring moral responsibility: to educate, to remember, to bear witness, and to oppose antisemitism, discrimination and apathy. While we condemn language that misuses Holocaust memory or promotes false equivalence, we acknowledge the profound suffering inflicted directly and indirectly on civilians caught in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
In July 2025, the Holocaust Centre signed the Harmony Accord between the Muslim and Jewish communities of Aotearoa New Zealand—a commitment to dialogue, mutual respect, and unity. This Accord recognises that while conflict may divide communities overseas, we must resist importing ancient hatreds here and ensure that antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of bigotry have no place in our society.
The Holocaust Centre continues to call for a just, lasting, and sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians—one that includes the cessation of hostilities, the safe return of all Israeli hostages and the disarmament of Hamas.
Guided by the lessons of the Holocaust, the Holocaust Centre advocates for moral leadership, dialogue over division, and the courage to choose reconciliation over hatred—both in the Middle East and in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Holocaust Centre of New Zealand Signs Historic Accord Between Jewish and Muslim Communities
22 July 2025
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand today became a signatory to a historic accord between the Jewish and Muslim communities of Aotearoa New Zealand – the New Zealand Harmony Accord.
The signing represents a commitment to peace, mutual respect, and the rejection of all forms of hatred and extremism. In a world increasingly marked by division and intolerance, this accord is a demonstration of our determination to keep dialogue alive — even when that dialogue is difficult.
“We owe it to our communities, and to future generations, to do the hard work of listening, understanding, and standing together against all forms of hate, including antisemitism and Islamophobia,” said Deborah Hart, Chair of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand. “At a time of heightened tensions and a huge increase in antisemitism, we know that peaceful coexistence isn’t always easy, but it is always worth striving for”
The accord is a call to action — a commitment to engage across communities and support each other in the face of antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, and bigotry.
“As an organisation founded on the lessons of the Holocaust, we know where hate can lead,” Hart continued. “Our mission has always been to educate, to remember, and to act —today is another expression of that mission in action.”
The Holocaust Centre acknowledges and thanks the New Zealand Jewish Council for its leadership in bringing this accord to life, and the Muslim community leaders who contributed to its development as well, under the aegis of the Ministry for Ethnic Communities.
As ever, the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand continues to draw on the lessons of the Holocaust to challenge antisemitism and all expressions of hate, and to foster a more respectful, inclusive, and peaceful Aotearoa.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Deborah Hart, Chair
Holocaust Centre of New Zealand
Phone: 022 125 2967
Email: [email protected]
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand today became a signatory to a historic accord between the Jewish and Muslim communities of Aotearoa New Zealand – the New Zealand Harmony Accord.
The signing represents a commitment to peace, mutual respect, and the rejection of all forms of hatred and extremism. In a world increasingly marked by division and intolerance, this accord is a demonstration of our determination to keep dialogue alive — even when that dialogue is difficult.
“We owe it to our communities, and to future generations, to do the hard work of listening, understanding, and standing together against all forms of hate, including antisemitism and Islamophobia,” said Deborah Hart, Chair of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand. “At a time of heightened tensions and a huge increase in antisemitism, we know that peaceful coexistence isn’t always easy, but it is always worth striving for”
The accord is a call to action — a commitment to engage across communities and support each other in the face of antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, and bigotry.
“As an organisation founded on the lessons of the Holocaust, we know where hate can lead,” Hart continued. “Our mission has always been to educate, to remember, and to act —today is another expression of that mission in action.”
The Holocaust Centre acknowledges and thanks the New Zealand Jewish Council for its leadership in bringing this accord to life, and the Muslim community leaders who contributed to its development as well, under the aegis of the Ministry for Ethnic Communities.
As ever, the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand continues to draw on the lessons of the Holocaust to challenge antisemitism and all expressions of hate, and to foster a more respectful, inclusive, and peaceful Aotearoa.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Deborah Hart, Chair
Holocaust Centre of New Zealand
Phone: 022 125 2967
Email: [email protected]
NZ Jewish Council and Holocaust Centre of New Zealand Urge Government Action Following Australia’s Landmark Antisemitism Strategy
11 July 2025
The New Zealand Jewish Council and the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand are calling on the New Zealand Government to urgently develop and implement a comprehensive national strategy to combat antisemitism, following the bold and principled leadership demonstrated by the Australian Government today.
Australia’s plan, announced by Prime Minister Albanese, Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke, and Special Envoy on Antisemitism Jillian Segal, introduces strong, decisive measures aimed at tackling anti-Jewish hate across multiple sectors of society. Notably, institutions such as universities and arts organisations will face the loss of government funding if they fail to address antisemitism within their ranks. Standards are being introduced across education, public service, cultural sectors and media, reinforcing a zero-tolerance approach to hate and discrimination.
In contrast, New Zealand has remained largely silent in the face of a marked and disturbing rise in antisemitic incidents, particularly in our universities. Over recent months, Jewish students and academics in Aotearoa have reported a growing climate of hostility and fear, from intimidation and exclusion to open displays of antisemitic rhetoric. We have reached a point where many no longer feel safe expressing their identity on campus.
Much of this rhetoric is disguised as concern for the human rights of Palestinians or concern about Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza, both positions which the Jewish Council and Holocaust Centre have repeatedly said do not constitute antisemitism. However, explicitly or tacitly endorsing violence or discrimination against Jews, including the vast majority of Jews who believe that Jewish people have the right of self-determination, is antisemitic. Jews who believe in Israel’s right to exist, regardless of their position on the current war or actions of the Israeli Government, face discrimination.
"This is not theoretical," said Ben Kepes, spokesperson for the NZ Jewish Council. "It is Jew-hate. We are hearing from young Jewish New Zealanders who avoid wearing visible symbols of their faith, who choose to remain silent in classroom discussions, and who fear for their safety. We have Holocaust survivors being retraumatised by vile slurs reappearing in public spaces. This is a crisis."
“Antisemitism in schools is reaching epidemic proportions,” said Deborah Hart, Chair of the Holocaust Centre of NZ. “Our children are fearful and feeling victimised with troubling frequency.”
The Council and Centre support the adoption of a clear and consistent policy against antisemitism across all public institutions and call for funding mechanisms to be reviewed in line with a zero-tolerance policy toward hate. Institutions that enable or ignore antisemitic conduct should not continue to receive public support.
Antisemitism has moved from the fringes to the mainstream in many Western democracies. New Zealand is not immune. What happens next will determine whether Jewish Kiwis, students, teachers, professionals, artists, and community members continue to feel they have a place in the Aotearoa we all call home.
The Australian Government has recognised the danger and acted. We urge our leaders to do the same.
ENDS
For further information, contact:
Ben Kepes
Spokesperson
New Zealand Jewish Council
021 2384136
[email protected]
Deborah Hart
Chair
Holocaust Centre of New Zealand
022 125 2967
[email protected]
Hatred of Jews is condemned in Aotearoa New Zealand
7 May 2025
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand and the New Zealand Jewish Council condemn the vile antisemitic graffiti that appeared overnight in our capital city, Wellington.
Holocaust Centre of New Zealand, chair, Deborah Hart, said, “This graffiti is, alas, quite accurate. It would appear, once again, to be cool to hate Jews. We actually see that in a stark increase in Jew hatred, the lacklustre response of schools when Jewish children are subjected to abuse, the deplatforming of Jewish artists, hate mail, property damage and the lack of concern for Jewish people generally. The small Jewish community in New Zealand is vulnerable and has suffered ongoing hate, which shows no signs of abating.”
New Zealand Jewish Council spokesperson, Ben Kepes, says, “Under the guise of protest against Israel’s war in Gaza, classic antisemitic tropes, insults and abuse are rife. The Jewish community has been targeted, intimidated and discriminated against through physical attacks, threats of violence, boycotts of Jewish businesses and careers and harassment of students. Such actions would never be justified or tolerated against any other minority under the guise of opposition to overseas events.”
“The graffiti we saw daubed across a public space in Wellington this morning could have been once daubed across German streets in the 1930s. Then, like now, some leaders are emboldening citizens to find a scapegoat on whom to place blame for all manner of ills. For example, when New Zealand political leaders support calls to "Globalise the Intifada", they are repeating a call for an armed, violent uprising not only against Jews, but against Western society more generally. We call on all leaders to think before they parrot slogans from overseas that could target our vulnerable Jewish community here”
Ms Hart commented, “It’s chilling to recall the horrific events over 80 years ago, half a world away. The Holocaust started with hate. It ended in the Holocaust. It’s time for all to condemn antisemitism, in all its forms and to take care in their messaging.”
Mr Kepes said, “No matter what is going on internationally or politically, New Zealand Jews should be safe and secure in New Zealand. They should not wake to hateful messages in our streets”.
END
Holocaust Centre of New Zealand, chair, Deborah Hart, said, “This graffiti is, alas, quite accurate. It would appear, once again, to be cool to hate Jews. We actually see that in a stark increase in Jew hatred, the lacklustre response of schools when Jewish children are subjected to abuse, the deplatforming of Jewish artists, hate mail, property damage and the lack of concern for Jewish people generally. The small Jewish community in New Zealand is vulnerable and has suffered ongoing hate, which shows no signs of abating.”
New Zealand Jewish Council spokesperson, Ben Kepes, says, “Under the guise of protest against Israel’s war in Gaza, classic antisemitic tropes, insults and abuse are rife. The Jewish community has been targeted, intimidated and discriminated against through physical attacks, threats of violence, boycotts of Jewish businesses and careers and harassment of students. Such actions would never be justified or tolerated against any other minority under the guise of opposition to overseas events.”
“The graffiti we saw daubed across a public space in Wellington this morning could have been once daubed across German streets in the 1930s. Then, like now, some leaders are emboldening citizens to find a scapegoat on whom to place blame for all manner of ills. For example, when New Zealand political leaders support calls to "Globalise the Intifada", they are repeating a call for an armed, violent uprising not only against Jews, but against Western society more generally. We call on all leaders to think before they parrot slogans from overseas that could target our vulnerable Jewish community here”
Ms Hart commented, “It’s chilling to recall the horrific events over 80 years ago, half a world away. The Holocaust started with hate. It ended in the Holocaust. It’s time for all to condemn antisemitism, in all its forms and to take care in their messaging.”
Mr Kepes said, “No matter what is going on internationally or politically, New Zealand Jews should be safe and secure in New Zealand. They should not wake to hateful messages in our streets”.
END
Antisemitism In Amsterdam and In New Zealand
9 November 2024
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand expresses its dismay and solidarity with the victims of the brutal and orchestrated attack on Jews following the Maccabi Tel Aviv game in Amsterdam, the city of Anne Frank.
Images of gangs of people attacking Jews are a stark reminder of the persistent and current threat posed by antisemitism to our communities.
Holocaust Centre of New Zealand Chair, Deborah Hart, said, “These shocking and shameful acts took place as the Amsterdam Jewish community joined with local officials to commemorate the 86th anniversary of the pogrom of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, at the city’s synagogue, which was established by Jews who escaped the Inquisition.”
“On the anniversary of Kristallnacht, it is profoundly alarming to witness yet another act of violence targeting Jewish people. This incident underscores the alarming resurgence of antisemitism. “
“New Zealand cannot be complacent. Whilst Jews make up only 0.2% of the New Zealand population, in the past year, 13% of all hate crimes in our largest city, Auckland were against Jews. Recent attacks have included a Jewish business targeted by a lit Molotov cocktail, vandalism to Jewish homes and community facilities and threats of violence to individual Jews and Jewish organisations, as well as Jewish children assaulted at schools.”
“We know from history, that we cannot be complacent in the face of rising antisemitism. Hate starts small and ends in places that should be unimaginable. We urge people not to look away or to make excuses for antisemitism.”
For further comment: contact Deborah Hart: 022 125 2967; [email protected]
About the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand inspires and empowers action against antisemitism, discrimination, and apathy, by remembering, educating, and bearing witness to the Holocaust.
About Kristallnacht
On 9 – 10 November 1938, authorities looked on as synagogues burned throughout Nazi Germany, Austria and Sudetenland. During the November Pogrom, also called Kristallnacht or the Night of Broken Glass, rioters ransacked and damaged thousands of Jewish businesses, schools and homes. 91 Jews were murdered, with 30,000 more arrested and sent to concentration camps.
Images of gangs of people attacking Jews are a stark reminder of the persistent and current threat posed by antisemitism to our communities.
Holocaust Centre of New Zealand Chair, Deborah Hart, said, “These shocking and shameful acts took place as the Amsterdam Jewish community joined with local officials to commemorate the 86th anniversary of the pogrom of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, at the city’s synagogue, which was established by Jews who escaped the Inquisition.”
“On the anniversary of Kristallnacht, it is profoundly alarming to witness yet another act of violence targeting Jewish people. This incident underscores the alarming resurgence of antisemitism. “
“New Zealand cannot be complacent. Whilst Jews make up only 0.2% of the New Zealand population, in the past year, 13% of all hate crimes in our largest city, Auckland were against Jews. Recent attacks have included a Jewish business targeted by a lit Molotov cocktail, vandalism to Jewish homes and community facilities and threats of violence to individual Jews and Jewish organisations, as well as Jewish children assaulted at schools.”
“We know from history, that we cannot be complacent in the face of rising antisemitism. Hate starts small and ends in places that should be unimaginable. We urge people not to look away or to make excuses for antisemitism.”
For further comment: contact Deborah Hart: 022 125 2967; [email protected]
About the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand inspires and empowers action against antisemitism, discrimination, and apathy, by remembering, educating, and bearing witness to the Holocaust.
About Kristallnacht
On 9 – 10 November 1938, authorities looked on as synagogues burned throughout Nazi Germany, Austria and Sudetenland. During the November Pogrom, also called Kristallnacht or the Night of Broken Glass, rioters ransacked and damaged thousands of Jewish businesses, schools and homes. 91 Jews were murdered, with 30,000 more arrested and sent to concentration camps.
Call for the New Zealand Government to Appoint an Envoy to Combat Antisemitism
Tuesday 9 July 2024
Today, Prime Minister Albanese announced the appointment of a special envoy to combat antisemitism, saying “there is no place for violence or hatred of any kind in Australia.”
The Australian appointment joins an international coalition of special envoys to combat antisemitism in the UK, USA, Canada and numerous European nations including Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden and others*.
Holocaust Centre of New Zealand chair, Deborah Hart said, there is no place for violence or hatred of any kind in New Zealand and yet we have witnessed an exponential rise in antisemitism in the months since October 7th.”
Ms Hart said, “It is time that, like many countries around the world, New Zealand gets serious about battling the world’s oldest hatred – antisemitism. We call on the government to appoint a special envoy to combat antisemitism and work with envoys internationally to rout out this scourge in Aotearoa New Zealand”.
In June this year the Centre surveyed Jewish parents of school-aged children. A staggering 80% of respondents said their children had suffered antisemitic episodes in their schools. This was an increase in the survey results last year when just over 50% of the parents who completed the survey said their children had been subjected to antisemitism in school since October 7th 2023. The age range of children affected was 9 -18 years of age.
“The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand has been dealing with an influx of complaints about antisemitism in schools. Usually, we might deal with two complaints a year. We are dealing with that amount on a weekly basis.”
President of the New Zealand Jewish Council, Juliet Moses said, “antisemitism is rife with Jewish institutions and individuals targeted.”
Ms Moses commented, “No matter what is going on internationally or politically, all people should be safe in New Zealand, including Jewish people.“
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand and the New Zealand Jewish Council are calling for the government to appoint an envoy to combat antisemitism, joining those nations who are already confronting the threat of antisemitism.
Interviews can be arranged by calling: Deb Hart, Chair, 022 125 2967
*Special Envoys and Coordinators Combatting Antisemitism.
Chryssoula ALIFERI
Ambassador, Special Envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Combatting Anti-Semitism and for the Protection of Holocaust Remembrance, Greece
Andrew BAKER
Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Anti-Semitism
Luiz BARREIROS
Head of Delegation to IHRA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Portugal
Delphine BORIONE
Ambassador at Large for Human Rights responsible for international issues relating to the Holocaust, looted property and remembrance, France
Michal COTLER-WUNSH
Israel’s Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism
Arvydas DAUNORAVIČIUS
Lithuania’s Ambassador-at-Large for the Holocaust remembrance issues
Irena DIMITROVA
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and National Coordinator on combating antisemitism
David FERNANDEZ PUYANA
Ambassador, Permanent Observer of the UN University for Peace to the UN Office & intl. organizations in Geneva & Permanent Delegate of UPEACE to UNESCO
Simon GEISSBÜHLER
Ambassador, Head of Peace and Human Rights Division,
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland
Alexandre GUESSEL
Special Representative of the Secretary General on antisemitic, anti-Muslim and other forms of religious intolerance and hate crimes, Council of Europe
Michel HEINTZ
Interministerial Delegate in charge of the coordination of policies to combat racism, anti-Semitism and anti-LGBTIQ+ hatred, Luxembourg
Felix KLEIN
Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Antisemitism
Olivier KLEIN
Former Minister, French national Delegate against racism, antisemitism and LGBTI-phobia
Robert KLINKE
Ambassador, Special Representative for Relations with Jewish Organisations, Issues relating to Antisemitism, International Sinti and Roma Affairs, Holocaust Remembrance
Deborah LIPSTADT
Ambassador, US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism
Maria Fabiana LOGUZZO
Ambassador, Argentina’s Special Representative for the fight against Antisemitism and Head of Delegation to IHRA
Fernando K. LOTTENBERG
Commissioner to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, Organization of American States
Sara LUSTIG
Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Croatia for Holocaust Issues and Combating Antisemitism
Øystein LYNGROTH
Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion and Belief, and head of the IHRA delegation, Norway
Deborah LYONS
Ambassador, Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism
Lord John MANN
UK Government Advisor on Antisemitism
Antonio MARTINO
Director, Department for Fostering Austrian-Jewish Cultural Heritage and Combating Antisemitism, Federal Chancellery, Austria
Bogdan MAZURU
Ambassador, Special Representative of the Government of Romania for the remembrance policies and for the fight against antisemitism and xenophobia
Ulf MELGAARD
Director, International law and Human rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark
Jaime MORENO
Coordinator of the Spanish National Plan against Antisemitism and Head of Delegation to IHRA
Giuseppe PECORARO
Italian Coordinator on Combating antisemitism, Italian Government
Rt Hon the Lord Eric PICKLES
UK Special Envoy on Post Holocaust Issues
Robert ŘEHÁK
Czech Republic’s Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues, Interfaith Dialogue and FoRB
Ringo RINGVEE
Estonia’s National coordinator of measures against anti-Semitism
Jillian SEGAL AO
Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Australia
Vince SZALAY-BOBROVNICZKY
Deputy State Secretary, Civil and Social Affairs. Prime Minister’s Office, Hungary
Ulrika SUNDBERG
Special Envoy to the OIC, Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue of Sweden
Eddo VERDONER
National Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism, The Netherlands
Katharina VON SCHNURBEIN
European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life
Child Holocaust Survivor Urges ‘Never Again’ as Hate Against New Zealand Jews Grows
A New Zealand Holocaust survivor who witnessed growing hate towards Jewish people in Europe as a child – and is now seeing it again here – is calling on New Zealanders to remember the world promised “Never Again”.
Bob Narev was only six-years-old in 1942 when he and his family were sent to Theresienstadt concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. All his immediate family died there except his mother, who was forced to work in an armaments factory.
“As a small child in Germany, I understood what it felt like to fear being Jewish. I saw firsthand how hatred can strip people of their humanity,” he says.
Since the Hamas-led October 7 terror attack on Israel, New Zealanders with Jewish heritage – including children – have been the target of widespread antisemitism which has included physical assault, name calling, online abuse and the vandalism of Jewish property.
On Sunday 28 January New Zealand marks United Nations International Holocaust Remembrance Day* and Bob Narev says rising racism towards Jews in New Zealand shows that Holocaust remembrance is more important than ever.
“Reports that Jewish children are hiding their identity here in New Zealand today for fear of persecution are heartbreaking,” he says. “The world promised ‘Never Again’ after the Nazis murdered six million Jewish people, and persecuted and killed millions of others including Romani, Sinti, black, gay and disabled people.”
“The Holocaust didn’t happen in a vacuum, nor did it just begin with the rise of Hitler. It followed hundreds of years of hate speech towards Jews and other minorities, often including physical attacks on Jewish people and their property,” Bob Narev says.
Holocaust Centre of New Zealand chair, and New Zealand expert delegate to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, Deborah Hart says the Hamas-led massacre in Israel which killed more than 1200 people was the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust.
“It was a tragedy, as is the subsequent death of innocent Palestinians.”
There has been a five-fold increase in the number of complaints the Holocaust Centre has received about antisemitic incidents since October 7.
“Forty percent of these involve dehumanising or demonising allegations about Jewish people including being called a ‘dirty Jew’, being told ‘Jews control the world’ and play-acting that involved gassing a Jewish student,” she says.
“Concerns from the Jewish community for their safety has sadly resulted in there being no New Zealand events this year to commemorate United Nations International Holocaust Remembrance Day being open to the public, the first time in 16 years,” Deborah Hart says.
Almost 80 years since the end of the Holocaust, the only firsthand witness accounts that remain are from the youngest survivors who were children or young teenagers.
“Such eyewitness accounts are undeniable and the strongest antidote to the rise worldwide in Holocaust distortion and denial. To ensure we protect their stories, and to combat racism against all New Zealand’s minority communities, the Holocaust Centre calls on the Government to make New Zealand a full member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).
“New Zealand became an Observer member in 2022. The rise of antisemitism shows the need for New Zealand to follow Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and most European nations and seek full membership as soon as possible,” Deborah Hart says.
“We know that learning about the Holocaust teaches our young people and future leaders to look at one another with humanity. The Holocaust shows us how hate can start small and that we all have a responsibility to counter it,” she says.
ENDS
* United Nations International Holocaust Remembrance Day is held annually on 27 January but this year falls on the Jewish holy day of Saturday or Shabbat so is being commemorated on Sunday 28 January.
Rampant Antisemitism in New Zealand’s Schools
14 December 2023
In an ongoing survey of Jewish parents being undertaken by the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand since 22 November 2023, there is concerning evidence of high levels of antisemitism in New Zealand’s schools.
50% of the parents who have completed the survey said their children had been subjected to antisemitism in schools since 7 October 2023. The age range of children affected was 9 -18 years of age. Only 40% of parents reported incidents to schools, one commenting that the school in question had handled incidents badly previously. Other respondents reported that they find it preferable to go directly to the parents of the bullying child and another saying their school was ill-equipped to deal with antisemitism.
40% of the incidents reported concerned dehumanizing or demonizing allegations about Jews including allegations of an international Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions.
Some of the antisemitic episodes described by parents included a physical assault on a Jewish student, students giving Nazi salutes to Jewish students, and various name-calling including “dirty Jew”. Also reported were allegations that Jews control the world. Another incident involved a student taking a Jewish student’s school shirt and drawing a swastika and a Star of David side by side on it. Yet another student play-acted gassing a Jewish student. And in a further incident a Jewish child, when talking about not celebrating Christmas, was told by a fellow student that Jews chop off babies' heads.
Not all incidents involved students. On one occasion a teacher was stood down and has since resigned over their display of antisemitism.
In a comment that has resonance for many Jewish parents, one parent commented that their child did not feel safe to claim their Jewish identity at school.
“The survey results are entirely in keeping with what we are hearing. The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand has been dealing with a recent influx of complaints about antisemitism in schools,” said Deborah Hart, chair of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand. “Usually we might deal with two formal complaints a year. In the two months since the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, we have dealt with five times that many formal complaints and there are many, many more that may, in time, turn into formal complaints.”
Lisa Ben Haim, a parent of one of the affected Jewish students, said her son had been followed home by a group of children, yelling “Free Palestine - six million Jews were killed by Hitler. Why don’t you die?” He was later barricaded into a room with students on the outside yelling, “Free Palestine” and when the door was opened, one student attempted to assault him with a broom. Lisa says, “I have been distraught about the ongoing episodes and I’m now pretty angry that the school seems unable to provide a safe environment for my 13-year-old son.”
Ms Hart commented, “No matter what is going on internationally or politically, schools should be a place of learning and safety for all children. Teachers and schools need to ensure that Jewish children are protected and that schools are places of tolerance and understanding.“
“As schools prepare for the summer close-down, there is an opportunity for them to consider what they need to do to protect Jewish children and ensure their school is a safe and nurturing place for all when students return to the classroom. The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand has programmes and tools to assist them in that task.”
ENDS
Image: Holocaust Centre of New Zealand
50% of the parents who have completed the survey said their children had been subjected to antisemitism in schools since 7 October 2023. The age range of children affected was 9 -18 years of age. Only 40% of parents reported incidents to schools, one commenting that the school in question had handled incidents badly previously. Other respondents reported that they find it preferable to go directly to the parents of the bullying child and another saying their school was ill-equipped to deal with antisemitism.
40% of the incidents reported concerned dehumanizing or demonizing allegations about Jews including allegations of an international Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions.
Some of the antisemitic episodes described by parents included a physical assault on a Jewish student, students giving Nazi salutes to Jewish students, and various name-calling including “dirty Jew”. Also reported were allegations that Jews control the world. Another incident involved a student taking a Jewish student’s school shirt and drawing a swastika and a Star of David side by side on it. Yet another student play-acted gassing a Jewish student. And in a further incident a Jewish child, when talking about not celebrating Christmas, was told by a fellow student that Jews chop off babies' heads.
Not all incidents involved students. On one occasion a teacher was stood down and has since resigned over their display of antisemitism.
In a comment that has resonance for many Jewish parents, one parent commented that their child did not feel safe to claim their Jewish identity at school.
“The survey results are entirely in keeping with what we are hearing. The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand has been dealing with a recent influx of complaints about antisemitism in schools,” said Deborah Hart, chair of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand. “Usually we might deal with two formal complaints a year. In the two months since the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, we have dealt with five times that many formal complaints and there are many, many more that may, in time, turn into formal complaints.”
Lisa Ben Haim, a parent of one of the affected Jewish students, said her son had been followed home by a group of children, yelling “Free Palestine - six million Jews were killed by Hitler. Why don’t you die?” He was later barricaded into a room with students on the outside yelling, “Free Palestine” and when the door was opened, one student attempted to assault him with a broom. Lisa says, “I have been distraught about the ongoing episodes and I’m now pretty angry that the school seems unable to provide a safe environment for my 13-year-old son.”
Ms Hart commented, “No matter what is going on internationally or politically, schools should be a place of learning and safety for all children. Teachers and schools need to ensure that Jewish children are protected and that schools are places of tolerance and understanding.“
“As schools prepare for the summer close-down, there is an opportunity for them to consider what they need to do to protect Jewish children and ensure their school is a safe and nurturing place for all when students return to the classroom. The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand has programmes and tools to assist them in that task.”
ENDS
Image: Holocaust Centre of New Zealand
New Zealand Jewish Council & the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand Statement
On Language Used In Parliament
8 December 2023
The New Zealand Jewish Council and the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand are dismayed at the use of inflammatory and Holocaust-related language in the political arena in New Zealand.
At the first sitting of the new Parliament, we witnessed multiple examples labelling the Israeli response to the October 7th terrorist attacks as a “genocide.” In addition, we saw the use of the term “ethnic cleansing” as well as suggestions that Israel’s 75-year sovereignty is an “occupation.”
The Jewish community in New Zealand is made up in part by Holocaust survivors and their descendants and at a time of heightened antisemitism in this country, this language inflames tensions in New Zealand and adds to the trauma the Jewish community already feels after the terrorist attacks. Labelling Israel’s existence as an occupation denies Jews self-determination and a right to a sovereign homeland.
The misuse of the Holocaust for political ends is a form of Holocaust denial as it belittles what occurred in the Holocaust. What is occurring in Israel and Gaza is horrific, but it cannot be correctly compared to the Holocaust. “Words matter and it is a time that all, but especially political leaders, should choose their words carefully, to ensure they do not inflame tensions in New Zealand,” said Deborah Hart, chair of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand. “The misuse of the Holocaust, and the terms “ethnic cleansing” and “genocide” have specific meanings and should not be bandied about.”
These statements are counter-productive and, rather than furthering peace between Israelis and Palestinians, it causes the two sides to be further apart. “Accusing Israel of not learning from the Holocaust and becoming Nazi-like perpetrators is a malicious trick, aimed to inflict hurt on Jewish people.”
Associate Professor Giacomo Lichtner, Deputy Chair of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand commented that: “These are false and dangerous equivalences that rest both on partial narratives of a decades-old conflict and on selective historical analyses. Such analyses are misleading and harmful: they feed anti-Jewish conspiracies and effectively justify Hamas’s unspeakable and openly antisemitic brutality.”
“When some of our political leaders in New Zealand continue to use these terms, it directly incites antisemitic behaviour and we call on all leaders to consider their words carefully,” said Ben Kepes, Spokesperson for the New Zealand Jewish Council (NZJC).
The NZJC and Holocaust Centre noted with dismay the marked escalation of antisemitic abuse on social media, at protest rallies and in person, since the 7 October terrorist attacks by Hamas.
New Zealand Jewish Council & the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand Statement On Bomb And Death Threats In New Zealand
24 November 2023
The New Zealand Jewish Council, along with the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand, is dismayed that Jewish Synagogues, Temples and centres in New Zealand have been the target of bomb and death threats. The organisations call on all parties to de-escalate the antisemitic rhetoric that is growing in New Zealand.
“When some of our political leaders in New Zealand scream Hamas terrorist chants, or use inflammatory terms, this directly incites antisemitic behaviour and we call on all leaders to consider their words carefully,” said Ben Kepes, spokesperson for the New Zealand Jewish Council (NZJC).
The NZJC has noted with dismay the escalation of abuse on social media and at protest rallies since the 7 October terrorist attacks by Hamas. The council considers that holding Jews in New Zealand collectively responsible for the actions of the State of Israel is patently antisemitic.
Responding to the bomb threats, Deb Hart, Chair of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand commented that “the incendiary language of some protesting against Israel at the moment is inflaming tensions and has real-world consequences for the New Zealand Jewish community. Kiwis have a right to protest but should choose their words carefully and not be part of inciting violence or calling for genocide against Jewish people.”
For 180 years, Jews have been part of New Zealand society and have participated actively in all facets of public and private life. The Jewish community is feeling increasingly marginalised and calls on all New Zealanders to embrace social cohesion rather than fuelling further division.
The New Zealand Jewish Council, along with the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand, is dismayed that Jewish Synagogues, Temples and centres in New Zealand have been the target of bomb and death threats. The organisations call on all parties to de-escalate the antisemitic rhetoric that is growing in New Zealand.
“When some of our political leaders in New Zealand scream Hamas terrorist chants, or use inflammatory terms, this directly incites antisemitic behaviour and we call on all leaders to consider their words carefully,” said Ben Kepes, spokesperson for the New Zealand Jewish Council (NZJC).
The NZJC has noted with dismay the escalation of abuse on social media and at protest rallies since the 7 October terrorist attacks by Hamas. The council considers that holding Jews in New Zealand collectively responsible for the actions of the State of Israel is patently antisemitic.
Responding to the bomb threats, Deb Hart, Chair of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand commented that “the incendiary language of some protesting against Israel at the moment is inflaming tensions and has real-world consequences for the New Zealand Jewish community. Kiwis have a right to protest but should choose their words carefully and not be part of inciting violence or calling for genocide against Jewish people.”
For 180 years, Jews have been part of New Zealand society and have participated actively in all facets of public and private life. The Jewish community is feeling increasingly marginalised and calls on all New Zealanders to embrace social cohesion rather than fuelling further division.
Call to the Government to Designate Hamas a Terrorist Organisation
24 October 2023
The New Zealand Government must immediately designate Hamas a terrorist organisation to protect Jews in New Zealand and worldwide from a grave threat, the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand says.
Hamas, in its 1988 founding charter specifically directs the killing of Jews. It repeats conspiracy theories about Jews including that they “were behind World War II, through which they made huge financial gains by trading in armaments…”
It explicitly references age-old antisemitic stereotypes and conspiratorial texts such as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and accuses Jews of forming “…secret societies, such as Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, the Lions and others … for the purpose of sabotaging societies and achieving Zionist interests”.
Whilst Hamas released “A Document of General Principles & Policies” in 2017 which toned down some of the more openly anti-Jewish rhetoric, it has never repealed its charter.
Holocaust Centre of New Zealand chair Deborah Hart says: “The barbaric recent events in Israel by Hamas in targeting and murdering civilians – men, women and children, and taking hostages, including babies and children, shows Hamas has not moderated at all.
“The ongoing harassment of Jewish communities outside Israel, at the direction of Hamas, demonstrates that their antisemitic charter remains in practice despite the much-publicised 2017 declaration.”
The mission of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand is to inspire and empower action against antisemitism, discrimination, and apathy by remembering, educating, and bearing witness to the Holocaust.
“We have once again witnessed a hate-filled pogrom with the largest number of Jews killed in any one day since the Holocaust,” Deborah Hart says.
“Whilst New Zealand has designated the Hamas military wing as a terrorist organisation, through its charter, Hamas itself makes no such distinction.
“The Holocaust Centre calls on the Government to join others including the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States to cease aiding hate and to recognise Hamas, in its entirety as a terrorist organisation. Such a designation would make the Jewish community in New Zealand safer by criminalising support for Hamas.”
The Holocaust Centre is devastated by the events of 7 October when Hamas murdered over 1,300 innocent Israeli men, women and children, Deborah Hart says.
"We condemn without reservation its heinous acts of terror including rape and the taking hostage of innocent civilians. And we stand with compassion for all those innocent casualties of the war initiated by Hamas,” Deborah Hart says.
For media enquiries: Holocaust Centre of New Zealand: 022 125 2967
Hamas, in its 1988 founding charter specifically directs the killing of Jews. It repeats conspiracy theories about Jews including that they “were behind World War II, through which they made huge financial gains by trading in armaments…”
It explicitly references age-old antisemitic stereotypes and conspiratorial texts such as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and accuses Jews of forming “…secret societies, such as Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, the Lions and others … for the purpose of sabotaging societies and achieving Zionist interests”.
Whilst Hamas released “A Document of General Principles & Policies” in 2017 which toned down some of the more openly anti-Jewish rhetoric, it has never repealed its charter.
Holocaust Centre of New Zealand chair Deborah Hart says: “The barbaric recent events in Israel by Hamas in targeting and murdering civilians – men, women and children, and taking hostages, including babies and children, shows Hamas has not moderated at all.
“The ongoing harassment of Jewish communities outside Israel, at the direction of Hamas, demonstrates that their antisemitic charter remains in practice despite the much-publicised 2017 declaration.”
The mission of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand is to inspire and empower action against antisemitism, discrimination, and apathy by remembering, educating, and bearing witness to the Holocaust.
“We have once again witnessed a hate-filled pogrom with the largest number of Jews killed in any one day since the Holocaust,” Deborah Hart says.
“Whilst New Zealand has designated the Hamas military wing as a terrorist organisation, through its charter, Hamas itself makes no such distinction.
“The Holocaust Centre calls on the Government to join others including the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States to cease aiding hate and to recognise Hamas, in its entirety as a terrorist organisation. Such a designation would make the Jewish community in New Zealand safer by criminalising support for Hamas.”
The Holocaust Centre is devastated by the events of 7 October when Hamas murdered over 1,300 innocent Israeli men, women and children, Deborah Hart says.
"We condemn without reservation its heinous acts of terror including rape and the taking hostage of innocent civilians. And we stand with compassion for all those innocent casualties of the war initiated by Hamas,” Deborah Hart says.
For media enquiries: Holocaust Centre of New Zealand: 022 125 2967
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising shows young people can lead the fight against racism in Aotearoa New Zealand
26 January 2023
Eighty years after Jewish youths fought for their lives on the streets of the Warsaw Ghetto, the family of an Auckland Holocaust survivor is calling on New Zealanders to reject hatred and treat everyone with dignity, no matter their background.
Alicja Newman was only 10 when her mother forced her to walk out of a Warsaw Ghetto gate while a complicit guard turned his back, saving her from certain death. She never saw her immediate family again and was forced to hide in war-torn Poland before working as slave labour until the end of the war. After years in Displaced Persons camps, she came to New Zealand with other Polish refugees in 1950.
The story of Alicja, who is now in her 90s, will be told on her behalf by her daughter, Lisa Newman, at the Auckland War Memorial Museum tomorrow as part of the United Nations International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Alicja – whose real name is Sala – will be at the museum, along with some of the original cobblestones from the Warsaw Ghetto where Jewish families like hers were forced to live in squalid conditions from 1940 onwards. The cobblestones were gifted by the United States Holocaust Museum to the Auckland Hebrew Congregation.
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand chair Deborah Hart says more than 400,000 Jews were forced to live in the Warsaw Ghetto, but by 1943 only about 50,000 remained; tens of thousands had died of starvation and disease, and the rest had already been sent to the Treblinka death camp.
“When the Nazis came to round up the remaining Jews, a group of youth leaders, roughly 2,000 men, women, and teenagers, refused to go quietly to their death. For a month they fought the Nazis street by street with few weapons.
“Their courage showed the Nazis and their collaborators that they were willing to choose their own deaths and fight for the Jewish people. At least 7,000 Jews in the Ghetto died fighting or in hiding and another 7,000 were captured by the SS and deported to the Treblinka death camp where they were murdered. But their heroism and sacrifice inspired other uprisings in ghettos and in camps around German-occupied Europe.
“These brave young people show us that we all have to stand up to antisemitism, racism and hatred. The next generation has the power to change the society they are inheriting from their parents.
“Sadly it is our young people today who are most exposed to hatred, rising antisemitism and Holocaust denial largely through social media by influencers such as US rapper Kanye West.
“That is why it is so important to hear stories such as Alicja Newman’s. We must teach future generations that allowing hate to grow can normalise racism. When communities stop standing up to ethnic hatred, atrocities such as the Holocaust and other genocides can occur again,” Deborah Hart says.
Lisa Newman says her mother has never forgotten the heroic people who hid her and helped her after she escaped the ghetto. “They were ordinary people who acted on their own principles rather than being bystanders.
“My mother can’t bear seeing people rejected or treated as less than others, particularly children. She related very strongly to the Auckland street kids in the 1970s. She often says wryly that so many people walk past and ignore a beggar with their hand out, but would eagerly reach for that same hand to pull them from a building after an earthquake.
“We all bear a moral responsibility to reject hatred and act decently to others, particularly the vulnerable and marginalised. The Holocaust teaches us what can happen; we have no excuse to behave otherwise,” Lisa Newman says.
Cobblestones from the Warsaw Ghetto will be at United Nations International Holocaust Remembrance Day events throughout New Zealand.
Alicja Newman was only 10 when her mother forced her to walk out of a Warsaw Ghetto gate while a complicit guard turned his back, saving her from certain death. She never saw her immediate family again and was forced to hide in war-torn Poland before working as slave labour until the end of the war. After years in Displaced Persons camps, she came to New Zealand with other Polish refugees in 1950.
The story of Alicja, who is now in her 90s, will be told on her behalf by her daughter, Lisa Newman, at the Auckland War Memorial Museum tomorrow as part of the United Nations International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Alicja – whose real name is Sala – will be at the museum, along with some of the original cobblestones from the Warsaw Ghetto where Jewish families like hers were forced to live in squalid conditions from 1940 onwards. The cobblestones were gifted by the United States Holocaust Museum to the Auckland Hebrew Congregation.
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand chair Deborah Hart says more than 400,000 Jews were forced to live in the Warsaw Ghetto, but by 1943 only about 50,000 remained; tens of thousands had died of starvation and disease, and the rest had already been sent to the Treblinka death camp.
“When the Nazis came to round up the remaining Jews, a group of youth leaders, roughly 2,000 men, women, and teenagers, refused to go quietly to their death. For a month they fought the Nazis street by street with few weapons.
“Their courage showed the Nazis and their collaborators that they were willing to choose their own deaths and fight for the Jewish people. At least 7,000 Jews in the Ghetto died fighting or in hiding and another 7,000 were captured by the SS and deported to the Treblinka death camp where they were murdered. But their heroism and sacrifice inspired other uprisings in ghettos and in camps around German-occupied Europe.
“These brave young people show us that we all have to stand up to antisemitism, racism and hatred. The next generation has the power to change the society they are inheriting from their parents.
“Sadly it is our young people today who are most exposed to hatred, rising antisemitism and Holocaust denial largely through social media by influencers such as US rapper Kanye West.
“That is why it is so important to hear stories such as Alicja Newman’s. We must teach future generations that allowing hate to grow can normalise racism. When communities stop standing up to ethnic hatred, atrocities such as the Holocaust and other genocides can occur again,” Deborah Hart says.
Lisa Newman says her mother has never forgotten the heroic people who hid her and helped her after she escaped the ghetto. “They were ordinary people who acted on their own principles rather than being bystanders.
“My mother can’t bear seeing people rejected or treated as less than others, particularly children. She related very strongly to the Auckland street kids in the 1970s. She often says wryly that so many people walk past and ignore a beggar with their hand out, but would eagerly reach for that same hand to pull them from a building after an earthquake.
“We all bear a moral responsibility to reject hatred and act decently to others, particularly the vulnerable and marginalised. The Holocaust teaches us what can happen; we have no excuse to behave otherwise,” Lisa Newman says.
Cobblestones from the Warsaw Ghetto will be at United Nations International Holocaust Remembrance Day events throughout New Zealand.
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Alijca Newman returned to the site of the former Warsaw Ghetto in 2010
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Media contacts:
Media are invited to attend the commemorations in Auckland, Wellington at Parliament and Makara Cemetery, Hamilton, Nelson, Christchurch and for the first time this year, in Dunedin.
For information about the events email Danya Levy at [email protected]
Background:
· In historical terms, the Holocaust refers to the genocide of six million Jews carried out by Nazi Germany and its allies between 1933 and 1945. The
term encompasses the disenfranchisement, discrimination and persecution that culminated in the Final Solution and extermination, leading to the
establishment of unprecedented Death Camps, such as Chelmno, Sobibor,Treblinka and Auschwitz.
· The Holocaust was the deliberate attempt to exterminate the Jews, defined by antisemitic ideology, propaganda, legislation, and the systematic
implementation of unprecedented extermination techniques.
· The Holocaust did not happen in isolation, and many other people were also persecuted with dedicated measures. Some – such as the Roma people
and the disabled – were targeted for extermination alongside the Jews, while many others were also oppressed by the Nazis on the basis of their
ethnicity, political ideas, religious beliefs or sexual orientation.
· The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand is the country’s national Holocaust education and remembrance centre. It inspires and empowers
action against antisemitism, discrimination, and apathy by remembering, educating, and bearing witness to the Holocaust.
· January 27 was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2005 as the International Holocaust Remembrance Day because it was the
day in 1945 the Red Army liberated the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp.
· Commemorative events are held around the world and in New Zealand this year seven locations throughout the country (please see list above).
Media are invited to attend the commemorations in Auckland, Wellington at Parliament and Makara Cemetery, Hamilton, Nelson, Christchurch and for the first time this year, in Dunedin.
For information about the events email Danya Levy at [email protected]
Background:
· In historical terms, the Holocaust refers to the genocide of six million Jews carried out by Nazi Germany and its allies between 1933 and 1945. The
term encompasses the disenfranchisement, discrimination and persecution that culminated in the Final Solution and extermination, leading to the
establishment of unprecedented Death Camps, such as Chelmno, Sobibor,Treblinka and Auschwitz.
· The Holocaust was the deliberate attempt to exterminate the Jews, defined by antisemitic ideology, propaganda, legislation, and the systematic
implementation of unprecedented extermination techniques.
· The Holocaust did not happen in isolation, and many other people were also persecuted with dedicated measures. Some – such as the Roma people
and the disabled – were targeted for extermination alongside the Jews, while many others were also oppressed by the Nazis on the basis of their
ethnicity, political ideas, religious beliefs or sexual orientation.
· The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand is the country’s national Holocaust education and remembrance centre. It inspires and empowers
action against antisemitism, discrimination, and apathy by remembering, educating, and bearing witness to the Holocaust.
· January 27 was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2005 as the International Holocaust Remembrance Day because it was the
day in 1945 the Red Army liberated the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp.
· Commemorative events are held around the world and in New Zealand this year seven locations throughout the country (please see list above).
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand Elects a New Board
22 September 2022
For the first time in its history, the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand had to hold an election, following the nomination of more candidates than places on the Centre board.
At the Annual General Meeting held on 18 September 2022, the election results were announced. Three new members will join five re-elected Board members, offering a wide range of skills and experience to support the Holocaust Centre’s mission to inspire and empower action against antisemitism, discrimination, and apathy, by remembering, educating, and bearing witness to the Holocaust.
The re-elected Board members are: The newly-elected Board members are:
Deborah Hart – Chair John Goddard
Miriam Bookman – Deputy Chair Nicole Greensides
Jeremy Smith – Treasurer Rachel Korpus
Marcus Blomquist
Rivkah Nathan
John Goddard is a Wellington barrister and had previously assisted the Centre voluntarily. Nicole Greensides is a history and social studies teacher in Marton, Whanganui. She is also a graduate of the Inge Woolf Memorial Seminar for NZ Educators at Yad Vashem. Aucklander, Rachel Korpus is a business person and has previously worked on the Hope Project and March of the Living.
Board Chair Deborah Hart welcomed the new Board as the organisation begins another active term of delivering across the nation.
“It is a sign of the increasingly high profile and vibrancy of our organisation that sees good people putting their hands up to steer the organisation", says Deborah Hart.
“The new board will be challenged as the Centre strives to raise more funds to support its increasing workload, looks to open a new centre in Auckland and reinvigorate the centre base in Wellington.
“We are seeing growth in all areas of the work we do with teachers and schools, government engagement, civil society partnerships and civic commemorative events.
“Holocaust education and remembrance are important for Aotearoa New Zealand society, and our materials and resources are increasingly used. Our visitor centre, events and touring exhibitions are well received. We are a trusted source of information for the media as we work to combat Holocaust misinformation and antisemitism. In the last year, we are particularly proud of helping to ensure New Zealand’s observer membership of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).
“The Centre is grateful to the organisations and individuals who support by donating, making bequests and grants, volunteering and attending events.
Ends
Click to read Board Member Bios
Contact: Deborah Hart: [email protected]
At the Annual General Meeting held on 18 September 2022, the election results were announced. Three new members will join five re-elected Board members, offering a wide range of skills and experience to support the Holocaust Centre’s mission to inspire and empower action against antisemitism, discrimination, and apathy, by remembering, educating, and bearing witness to the Holocaust.
The re-elected Board members are: The newly-elected Board members are:
Deborah Hart – Chair John Goddard
Miriam Bookman – Deputy Chair Nicole Greensides
Jeremy Smith – Treasurer Rachel Korpus
Marcus Blomquist
Rivkah Nathan
John Goddard is a Wellington barrister and had previously assisted the Centre voluntarily. Nicole Greensides is a history and social studies teacher in Marton, Whanganui. She is also a graduate of the Inge Woolf Memorial Seminar for NZ Educators at Yad Vashem. Aucklander, Rachel Korpus is a business person and has previously worked on the Hope Project and March of the Living.
Board Chair Deborah Hart welcomed the new Board as the organisation begins another active term of delivering across the nation.
“It is a sign of the increasingly high profile and vibrancy of our organisation that sees good people putting their hands up to steer the organisation", says Deborah Hart.
“The new board will be challenged as the Centre strives to raise more funds to support its increasing workload, looks to open a new centre in Auckland and reinvigorate the centre base in Wellington.
“We are seeing growth in all areas of the work we do with teachers and schools, government engagement, civil society partnerships and civic commemorative events.
“Holocaust education and remembrance are important for Aotearoa New Zealand society, and our materials and resources are increasingly used. Our visitor centre, events and touring exhibitions are well received. We are a trusted source of information for the media as we work to combat Holocaust misinformation and antisemitism. In the last year, we are particularly proud of helping to ensure New Zealand’s observer membership of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).
“The Centre is grateful to the organisations and individuals who support by donating, making bequests and grants, volunteering and attending events.
Ends
Click to read Board Member Bios
Contact: Deborah Hart: [email protected]
Antisemitism Survey Underlines Need for Holocaust Education
30 March 2022
New Zealanders Who Stood Up to the Nazis Recognised for UN Holocaust Remembrance Day 2022
27 January 2022
Scoop.co.nz
UN General Assembly Votes on Holocaust Denial
21 January 2022
Scoop.co.nz
A historic vote in the United Nations General Assembly urges the 193 member states “to reject without any reservation any denial of the Holocaust as a historical event, in either full or in part, or any activities to this end.” The General Assembly adopted the resolution overnight by consensus — meaning it was approved without a country-by-country vote. Only Iran, objected.
“We welcome this support for the fight against those who want to falsify history by saying that the Nazi German Holocaust against Jews and other groups didn’t happen,” said chairperson of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand, Deborah Hart. “It comes on a significant day: the 80th anniversary of the Wannsee Conference on 20 January 1942 when Nazi leaders approved the ‘Final Solution to the Jewish Question’ – the extermination of 11 million Jews,” she said.
“Antisemitism, including Holocaust denial and distortion, has been increasing around the world, including in this country,” Deborah Hart added.
The resolution asks member states and, significantly, social media companies to take active measures to combat antisemitism and Holocaust denial through information and communication technologies. “This UN resolution will help delivery of the recommendation of the Royal Commission on the Christchurch mosques massacre: that the government increase efforts against racism and for greater social cohesion,” she concluded.
The resolution urges all U.N. members “to develop educational programs that will inculcate future generations with the lessons of the Holocaust in order to help to prevent future acts of genocide” In New Zealand that education is offered through our nation’s Holocaust centre – the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand.
Contact:
For further information, contact Deborah Hart, [email protected].
Notes:
The resolution set out a definition of Holocaust denial that includes attempts to distort the historical facts:
· Intentional efforts to excuse or minimize the impact of the Holocaust or its principal elements, including collaborators and allies of Nazi Germany.
· Gross minimization of the number of the victims of the Holocaust in contradiction to reliable sources.
· Attempts to blame the Jews for causing their own genocide.
· Statements that cast the Holocaust as a positive historical event.
· Attempts to blur the responsibility for the establishment of concentration and death camps devised and operated by Nazi Germany by putting blame on other nations or ethnic groups.
“We welcome this support for the fight against those who want to falsify history by saying that the Nazi German Holocaust against Jews and other groups didn’t happen,” said chairperson of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand, Deborah Hart. “It comes on a significant day: the 80th anniversary of the Wannsee Conference on 20 January 1942 when Nazi leaders approved the ‘Final Solution to the Jewish Question’ – the extermination of 11 million Jews,” she said.
“Antisemitism, including Holocaust denial and distortion, has been increasing around the world, including in this country,” Deborah Hart added.
The resolution asks member states and, significantly, social media companies to take active measures to combat antisemitism and Holocaust denial through information and communication technologies. “This UN resolution will help delivery of the recommendation of the Royal Commission on the Christchurch mosques massacre: that the government increase efforts against racism and for greater social cohesion,” she concluded.
The resolution urges all U.N. members “to develop educational programs that will inculcate future generations with the lessons of the Holocaust in order to help to prevent future acts of genocide” In New Zealand that education is offered through our nation’s Holocaust centre – the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand.
Contact:
For further information, contact Deborah Hart, [email protected].
Notes:
The resolution set out a definition of Holocaust denial that includes attempts to distort the historical facts:
· Intentional efforts to excuse or minimize the impact of the Holocaust or its principal elements, including collaborators and allies of Nazi Germany.
· Gross minimization of the number of the victims of the Holocaust in contradiction to reliable sources.
· Attempts to blame the Jews for causing their own genocide.
· Statements that cast the Holocaust as a positive historical event.
· Attempts to blur the responsibility for the establishment of concentration and death camps devised and operated by Nazi Germany by putting blame on other nations or ethnic groups.
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