Amid the horrific rise in Jew-hatred, the US Holocaust Museum must reexamine its role
The murders of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim in Washington and the attack on Jewish seniors, including Holocaust survivor Barbara Steinmetz, in Boulder, Colo., remind us that the lessons of the Holocaust remain unlearned.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum can help teach those lessons — if it concentrates on antisemitism as opposed to other hatreds, as it should, and goes beyond the Nazi horror.
Advertisement
Recall that the Holocaust occurred in European countries where ordinary citizens cooperated or stood indifferent to the mass murders of their neighbors.
Today, after decades of proclaiming 'never again,' antisemitism in the US has hit a frightening new peak.
The Holocaust Museum is supposed to educate about the dangers of antisemitism.
Advertisement
But as a proud member of its council, I know first-hand that it needs to do much more to fulfill that important role.
The museum's weak connection to the Jewish people stems from its design, created when antisemitism seemed a thing of the past.
Since then, it has shifted focus to combatting other forms of hate.
The museum also provides no context of Jewish history before 1930 or after 1945.
Advertisement
And a planned multimillion-dollar renovation of the main exhibit hall could make the museum even more woke and disconnected.
Frankly, the operation is in danger of becoming a liberal monument to the dangers of immigration enforcement and conservative politics.
What the museum should be doing instead is teaching Americans that antisemitism is the world's oldest hatred, dating back 4,000 years when Nimrod is said to have thrown Abraham into a fiery furnace, and gaining steam with the rise of Christianity.
More important, the museum needs to teach the story of Jewish survival; the founding of Israel in 1948, the wars of 1967 and 1973, and the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.
Advertisement
It should cover pogroms that spurred the Zionist movement, helping make the case for the existence of a Jewish state.
And it should emphasize America's cherished opportunities for Holocaust survivors and their families.
Nineteen months after the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, the museum lacks focus on the ongoing crisis.
It reaches thousands of teachers and visitors but teaches broadly about hate, and not enough about antisemitism in particular.
It fails, for example, to address antisemitism's recent surge, particularly at US universities.
A Harvard-Harris poll in April found 51% of American 18- to 24-year-olds favored Hamas over Israel.
Clearly, the museum needs to do a better job of reaching and teaching young people about Israel, Jewish history and current events.
Indeed, no metric shows the museum contributing to any reduction in antisemitism. Sadly, all signs suggest it is failing in this regard.
Advertisement
The good news: President Donald Trump has made combatting antisemitism a priority and has begun cleaning house at the museum.
Last month, he removed several Biden appointees, including Ron Klain, Doug Emhoff, Tom Perez, Susan Rice, Jon Finer and Anthony Bernal, none of whom were suited for the council.
Rice had politicized Biden's National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism by excluding anti-Zionism and including Islamophobia.
Advertisement
Finer called members of the Israeli government 'abhorrent,' slamming it at a meeting with Arab American leaders in Dearborn, Mich., last year.
Emhoff, appointed just three days before Trump took office, resisted his removal, claiming it 'dishonors the memory of 6 million Jews murdered by Nazis that this museum was created to preserve.'
That's nonsense: Replacing these partisan figures has nothing to do with the 6 million murdered Jews, the Holocaust survivors or their descendants.
On the other hand, the new council members appointed by President Trump will bring expertise from their careers as well as their skills and their important values.
Advertisement
Again, the US Holocaust Museum was created to preserve the memory of the Shoah and protect future generations from violent antisemitism.
To accomplish this at a time when Jews face their biggest threats in decades requires greater oversight by the council and a broader, bolder outlook that addresses today's emerging problems.
It's time to rethink the facility's role and what it is supposed to do to combat antisemitism.
Advertisement
It's time make the US Holocaust Museum great again.
Martin Oliner, a lawyer and the son of Holocaust survivors, was mayor of Lawrence village from 2010 to 2016.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump's border czar defends decision to deploy hundreds of Marines to quell LA protests
President Donald Trump's border czar Tom Homan argued Monday that it was necessary to deploy hundreds of Marines to Los Angeles to quell immigration protests that are happening in the city – despite local officials saying it's unclear why they are there or what they are doing. 'Yes, it all depends on the activities of these protesters – I mean, they make the decisions. I keep hearing reports that they're rioting because President Trump sent National Guard here, it's just ridiculous,' Homan told CNN's Kaitlan Collins. 'We don't know what's going to happen tonight – it seems like at night, the crowds get bigger, the violence peaks. So, we want to be ahead of the game. We'll be well prepared for the military here to protect government property and protect officers' lives,' he said. Homan declined to say what standard the Trump administration was using to decide if mobilizing the Marines would be necessary. 'They're not reinforcing immigration law – we're doing that, we're immigration officers,' Homan said. 'Their job is protection of property and protection of our agents and their lives and their wellbeing, along with the public's wellbeing.' Over the weekend, Trump became the first president in decades to call in the National Guard without a request from a governor – doing so without invoking the Insurrection Act, the 1807 law that allows the president to deploy American soldiers to police US streets in extreme circumstances. Trump ordered the Department of Defense to deploy an additional 2,000 California National Guard members to the Los Angeles area on Monday evening, according to the Pentagon. On Monday, the administration mobilized more than 700 Marines based out of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in California to respond to the protests in Los Angeles. Homan said that there are conversations 'every day' within the administration about deploying military domestically, but he said he has not been personally involved in conversations about invoking the Insurrection Act, which would allow for the use active-duty military to quell protests. 'No – again, I'm here running a Title 8 immigration operation, I was – I'm not involved in discussions, but I do know every day a conversation happens with the leadership of DOJ, DHS, and DOD on a decision going forward,' he said. 'I think decisions on deployment of the National Guard and any other deployment of DOD is a decision being made by the White House, along with the Department of Justice, DOD – I know those calls are happening every day.' But pressed if Americans should expect to see military deployed to other US cities where protests against ICE operations pop up, the border czar said, 'I hope not.' 'I hope it's not the new normal – I hope people go out there and protest peacefully, but to attack law enforcement officers who are simply enforcing the laws that Congress enacted,' he said. 'So, if you want to hate, you want to protest, go to Congress and protest them. ICE is just doing their job.' Homan also acknowledged that Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom has not done anything to warrant arrest after Trump said if he were Homan, he would have him arrested. 'Governor Newsom has not done anything to warrant an arrest in your view right now, correct?' Collins asked. 'Not at this time – absolutely not,' he said. Homan told CNN that Immigration and Customs Enforcement will continue operations in Los Angeles – and across the country – to enforce immigration law. 'They'll continue every day, not only in California, Los Angeles, they're gonna continue every city across the country – we have teams throughout the country that are out there looking for those in the country,' Homan said. 'We're in every city and country, and ICE is going to be out every single day and will continue to be there regardless what's happening in LA.'
Miami Herald
42 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Scott Galloway has bold prediction on Social Security, US economy
As workers in the United States approach retirement, it's natural for them to worry about Social Security and how it will support their financial well-being in their post-career lives. Notable entrepreneur Scott Galloway, the popular podcaster and New York University professor, offers his views on the future of Social Security - and another looming threat that serves as a growing problem for the U.S. economy. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Recent reductions in staffing appear to have caused inefficiencies in the federal program, leading to issues such as extended wait times for phone assistance, raising concerns among both current and future Social Security beneficiaries. An even greater worry is long-term financial stability. Without intervention from lawmakers, Social Security's trust funds are projected to be depleted by 2033. If this happens, monthly payments may be cut to roughly 80% of what recipients currently anticipate. Related: Scott Galloway sends blunt message to Elon Musk The Social Security Administration reports that the average monthly payment stands at $1,976 - amounting to around $23,712 per year - which falls short of the financial security many retirees seek. Adjustments for the cost of living (COLA), designed to increase Social Security payments, do not always keep pace with inflation. Additionally, economic uncertainty - especially during market downturns or recessions - can heighten concerns that individuals may rely on Social Security more than they originally planned. Galloway discusses Social Security solvency and increasing worries about the U.S. national debt - particularly regarding the political stalemate that fuels inaction on solving the problem. As we discussed, action from Congress is needed to avoid Social Security recipients losing out on about 20% of the expected value of their monthly paychecks. But in his book, "The Algebra of Wealth," Galloway explains that he does not believe that is likely to happen. That is because he believes politicians on Capitol Hill are very well aware of the fact that people nearing retirement or already receiving Social Security benefits are more likely to participate in elections than those of other age ranges. "Old people keep living longer, and they vote, so we're more likely to get rid of schools, the space program, and half the Navy before we fail to fund Social Security," he wrote. More on retirement: Dave Ramsey sounds alarm for Americans on Social SecurityScott Galloway warns Americans on 401(k), US economy threatShark Tank's Kevin O'Leary has message on Social Security, 401(k)s Galloway also addressed another looming crisis for the U.S. economy: the national debt. And the future of this growing concern is in the hands of legislators right now. Related: Dave Ramsey sounds alarm for Americans on Social Security The ambitious "Big, Beautiful Bill" currently working its way through Congress faces pushback from multiple fronts. After narrowly clearing the House, the debate in the Senate is becoming increasingly tense, driven by opposition from Republicans, influential tech figures, and policy experts. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the bill would add $2.4 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade. Beyond fiscal concerns, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Yale have cautioned that reductions in Medicaid and nursing home funding proposed in the bill could result in an additional 51,000 deaths annually, according to Galloway's Prof G Markets newsletter. The bill's threat to the national debt is not surprising, Galloway explained, citing his understanding that it increased by $8 trillion during President Donald Trump's first term. Galloway credits Elon Musk with drawing attention to the conversation about the deficit. "Still, no one in this so-called deficit debate is talking about raising revenues," Galloway wrote. "If we want to reduce the deficit in any meaningful way, we have to be honest about the trade-offs. That means raising taxes on the wealthy, or cutting back on large-scale programs like defense and Social Security." "But no one wants to say that out loud," Galloway continued. "So, instead, we get this sideshow - rage tweets, personal feuds, and performative austerity - instead of a serious conversation about how we fund the government." Related: Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary sends strong message on Social Security The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Collins calls Kennedy's firing of vaccine experts ‘excessive'
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) on Monday called Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s firing of all 17 experts on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) vaccine panel 'excessive,' but she cautioned she needs to learn more about the decision. Kennedy announced the decision in an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, catching many GOP lawmakers by surprise. 'I did not know that that had happened,' Collins, a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, said. 'It seems to me to be excessive to ask for everybody's resignations, but I can't judge because I don't know who he's replacing them with.' The Maine senator said the CDC's vaccine advisory committee 'provided helpful guidance to the public on what they should do.' Collins said that Kennedy didn't promise members of the HELP Committee that he would keep the vaccine experts in place. 'I'm just learning about it for the first time,' she said. 'I don't know what the basis was.' Kennedy said in his Wall Street Journal column that he removed the experts so that President Trump could shape the membership of the committee. 'Without removing the current members, the current Trump administration would not have been able to appoint a majority of new members until 2028,' he wrote. Kennedy argued that vaccines have become 'a divisive issue in American politics' and that public confidence is waning' in health agencies, pharmaceutical companies and vaccines themselves. 'That is why, under my direction, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is putting the restoration of public trust above any pro- or antivaccine agenda. The public must know that unbiased science guides the recommendations from our health agencies. This will ensure the American people receive the safest vaccines possible,' he wrote. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) in a statement blasted Kennedy's move as 'reckless.' 'RFK Jr. and the Trump administration are taking a wrecking ball to the programs that keep Americans safe and healthy. Firing experts that have spent their entire lives protecting kids from deadly disease is not reform — it's reckless, radical, and rooted in conspiracy, not science,' Schumer said in a statement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
