By Montana Tucker and Sacha Roytman
TEL AVIV, Israel — As third-generation Holocaust survivors, we carry a sacred duty: to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and ensure its lessons resonate through time, touching the hearts and minds of future generations.
Our families’ histories are testament to both humanity’s darkest moments and its remarkable resilience. Through their survival of unimaginable horrors, our grandparents taught us that human rights are precious and fragile – requiring constant vigilance and protection.
On this International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we reflect not only on our personal legacies but on our collective responsibility to transform “Never Again” from a promise into an unwavering reality.
This year’s observance carries profound significance as we mark 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. As we honor the six million Jews and countless others who perished, we confront a troubling reality: the rise of antisemitism and Holocaust denial threatens to erode the very foundations of remembrance.
“For me, Sacha, this year’s commemoration strikes an especially deep chord. My grandfather, who survived the Holocaust, demonstrated extraordinary resilience throughout his life – overcoming five cancers and even COVID-19 at age 90. Yet when he left this world, his heart was heavy with worry. He feared that we – all of humanity – were failing to honor our promise to him, to Montana’s grandparents, to every survivor, and to the six million who perished. His hope of “Never Again” was being challenged by the very hatred he had survived.”
“For me, Montana, this mission is equally personal and profound. My grandparents emerged from the horrors of Auschwitz as living testimonies to human resilience. Their passing left us with not only their stories but their deep concern that the lessons of their survival were slipping away. Through my docuseries reaching Generation Z and my ongoing educational work, I strive to keep their legacy alive, ensuring that their experiences continue to touch hearts and open minds for generations to come.”
Our grandparents may have departed with these worries, but their concerns have strengthened our resolve. Together, we stand determined to transform “Never Again” from a memory into a movement – from a phrase of remembrance into a call for action. Never Again is now.
It pains us deeply to witness the widespread lack of basic Holocaust knowledge. Having grown up with firsthand accounts of Jewish life during World War II, we understand the profound disrespect that denial and ignorance show to our grandparents and all who suffered.
The October 7 massacre and the disturbing attempts to deny its horrors serve as stark reminders of humanity’s capacity to lose its moral compass. The current surge of antisemitism, manifesting in ways our grandparents would tragically recognize, fills us with both grief and determination. We cannot – we must not – remain silent as the shadows of the past threaten to darken our present.
We reach out today not merely to commemorate but to catalyze action. Every effort to educate, every voice raised against hatred, every bridge built between communities matters. Through sharing survivor testimonies, fostering meaningful dialogue, and standing resolutely against prejudice, we can honor the past while safeguarding the future.
Together, we can transform remembrance into a powerful force for change. Let us honor the past by creating a future illuminated by empathy, courage, and our shared humanity.
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Sacha Roytman is the chief executive director of the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement. Montana Tucker is a singer, songwriter, and organizer of the HolaChallenge on Tik Tok.