San Diego Supes Council approves Holocaust exhibit

The Supervisory Board on Tuesday unanimously approved the creation of a memorial exhibition about the Holocaust in the district.

The leaders assigned Helen Robbins-Meyer, Chief Administrative Officer, to work with the Jewish Federation of San Diego to find a site for the exhibit.

They also approved the allocation of $25,000 to the Jewish Federation for the development of the annual exhibition, which is scheduled to open on April 17.

Director Nathan Fletcher said he suggested creating the exhibit because it is needed in San Diego, which does not have a museum dedicated to the Holocaust, the genocide of 6 million Jews by the Nazis during World War II.

According to the Jewish Federation of San Diego, there are approximately 400 Holocaust survivors in San Diego County.

“There are lessons we need to reaffirm and keep close to our hearts because there is a real danger,” Fletcher said.

According to a statement from Fletcher’s office, “In 2021, there were 38 incidents of anti-Semitism in the San Diego Jewish community, including 14 incidents of vandalism, 23 incidents of harassment, and one assault.”

On April 27, 2019, a man fired at Poway Synagogue, killing resident Laurie Kay and injuring several people.

During a meeting of observers on Tuesday, supporters said the memorial was especially important in light of the recent hate-motivated attacks.

“Education is the cure for anti-Semitism, racism and hatred,” said Sandra Scheller, curator of the RTH: Remember Us, the Holocaust exhibit at the Chula Vista City Center Library.

As she spoke, Scheller also held up the dress her grandmother wore in the Auschwitz concentration camp.

Michael Hopkins, CEO of Jewish Family Services, said his organization “compassionately cares for Holocaust survivors” who lived through one of the darkest periods in human history.

He added that “the lessons of recent years have taught us that it is not enough to react – if we are not active against these forces that cause pain and harm, they will continue to harm and even become deadly.”

Sam Landau of Generation Holocaust in San Diego said his mother was one of 11 children in a small town in Poland (now Ukraine), but only she and two siblings survived the Holocaust. Landau said that his father and brother were the only survivors in their family.

“Sayings like ‘never forget’ and ‘learn from the past’ are just slogans unless steps are taken to make them a reality,” Landau said.

Earlier in Tuesday’s gathering – in honor of Friday’s Holocaust Remembrance Day – survivor and San Diego resident Ben Midler received a standing ovation from the gallery.

A Polish native who has written a book about his experiences and escape from concentration camps, Midler said many US citizens are still unaware of what happened, including those who live in his independent home.

“Could you imagine people in their 70s and 80s not knowing (about) the Holocaust?” he asked. “We must never forget. Never”.

In addition, before the meeting began, Chairman Nora Vargas asked for a moment of silence to honor those killed in the weekend mass shootings in Half Moon Bay and Monterey Park.