SAN ANTONIO – Antisemitism forced Nammie Ichilov away from his home in the United Kingdom.
“I moved to the United States because of the rise of antisemitism where I was born and was raised,” Nammie Ichilov, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio President said.
Ichilov saw genuine hatred while living in the U.K.
“A friend of mine’s father was murdered on the way home from synagogue, and a swastika was left on the sidewalk,” Ichilov said.
Those formative memories led him to become the director of San Antonio’s Holocaust Memorial Museum and now the President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio.
They are positions close to his heart, as his great-grandparents and extended family on his mother’s side died in the Holocaust.
Now, those fears of persecution are returning.
In October 2023, following the Hamas attacks in Israel, the Anti-Defamation League reported a 400 percent increase in antisemitic incidents in the U.S.
“We are local Jews, neighbors (and) friends,” Ichilov said. “To be somehow blamed for what is taking place on the other side of the world? That has nothing to do with Israel and everything to do with antisemitism.”
That’s why he got involved in the 12th annual “Holocaust Learn and Remember” series, a partnership between the San Antonio Public Library (SAPL) system and the Holocaust Memorial Museum.
A specially curated book selection is being displayed at 17 different libraries, along with a series of speakers and events. This year’s theme is Upstanders, meaning people who stand up for those being attacked.
The kick-off event Monday displayed two signs with the faces of non-Jewish men who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews.
Leaders who spoke at the event said those actions of bravery and empathy can translate perfectly to modern times.
State Senator Jose Menendez has fought for years for that to be instilled in the youth of Texas.
In 2019, he authored and helped pass a bill establishing Holocaust Remembrance Week in public schools across Texas.
“Obviously, it is age appropriate. So at the end of the day, the lessons need to be character, integrity, and standing up when you see something is wrong,” Menendez said.
While the legislature stopped short of making Holocaust education mandatory, the bill prompted the formation of a free, set Holocaust education curriculum for Texas schools.
Last month, an Economist poll of young adults 18-39 found 1 in 5 believe the Holocaust is a myth. One in 10 could not recall ever hearing the word “Holocaust,” and over half believed the death toll was below 2 million.
“The Holocaust not only killed 6 million Jews, but the millions of gypsies, Catholic priests, the disabled, the people who were mentally impaired, anyone who didn’t fit the right mold of what they thought their society should be,” Menendez said.
Menendez said learning about our painful history is crucial so that people learn the consequences of being bystanders.
“So that they can discern between good and evil and not be afraid to say something and speak up,” he said.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg is calling for that same action in our city.
When asked why people should think of this as a broader issue, Nirenberg said, “Because ignorance breeds hate, which breeds bigotry and ultimately violence. And so we need to make sure that we practice tolerance.”
He said that San Antonio is known to be an inclusive city with interfaith relations, and he hopes we can be an example to communities around the world.
