The bill was introduced in the NYS Senate by Senator (D- North Hills). The current co-sponsors in the Senate are: Joseph Addabbo, James Gaughran, , , Sean Ryan, and Kevin Thomas. The bill was introduced in the NYS Assembly by Assembly Member (D- Fresh Meadows). The current co- sponsors in the Assembly are Charles La- vine, , , , Robert Carroll, , , , Ed- ward Braunstein, , Jeffrion Aubry, , , , , Stacey Phe- ffer Amato, David McDonough, , Brian Miller, Joe DeStefano, Michael Norris, , Phil Ramos, , Peter Abbate, Ali- cia Hyndmanm, Vivian Cook, David We- prin, , Al Stirpe, , Yuh-Line Niou, , Doug Smith, Kevin Byrne, , Brian From left: Assemblywoman Nily Rozic; Sen. Todd Kaminsky; Sen. ; Andrea Bolender, Chair, Holocaust Barnwell, , Steven Englebri-ght, Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County; Sen. Anna Kaplan; Jack Britvan, President, Voices for Truth and , Michael Durso, Steve Ste-rn, Humanity; Michael Cohen, Eastern Director, Simon Wiesenthal Center; Arnie Herz, Pres., American Jewish Committee Karen McMahon, . Assemb- LI; Angel Cepeda, Secretary, Voices for Truth and Humanity; Eric Post, Director, American Jewish Committee LI. lymember Chris Tague is a Multi-sponsor.

Commentary by Jack Britvan history doesn’t repeat itself - or should we President act only to avoid potential union pushback, Voices for Truth & Humanity and protect our jobs? The Bill that is seeking approval, There is however a stronger force. No, not (S.121/A.472) is so very important because Star Wars. Taxpayers and parents of there are just too many approvals needed to students. do the right thing - and we need to start It is time for everyone, the general public somewhere! who cares about our kids and our future to Once the Bill is passed by the needed stand up and say “I’m not going to take it majority, it will then take time to anymore!” implement. Yes, that line came from a movie. But it’s How much time will pass until it is important to say it here and now, over and approved? over, precisely because the things we see How much time will pass until the results happening on our screens today are NOT are in? part of a movie - they are all too real. Will a curriculum to educate to stop hate We need many voices to speak out and be implemented or will such needed convince those in power that the danger is education be left largely to individual real, and the solution is real, too. Will your school districts? voice be one of the voices that speak out We know that New Jersey already has a against Hate? complete K-12 curriculum about the Do you ever stop and think about your Holocaust and other genocides. But today, if children and grandchildren? Now is the your child is a freshman in a State time to turn those thoughts into action, get high school, chances are he or she will go involved, and feel that you are in control of through the rest of high school, and not your family’s wellbeing. learn about Hate! Here’s what you can do: What will likely be established is that 1. Please go to Voices For Truth and only the higher rated public schools will Humanities website and see a list of those teach Holocaust and other genocide New York State politicians that have education. Do you see a correlation? So then sponsored or co-sponsored Bill # what? S.121/A.472. A curriculum would need to be 2. Also see a list of those New York State established to review with the non-rated politicians that have yet to commit. school districts in New York State. Those 3. Call and email those New York State that are already providing education about politicians that haven’t decided that your the Holocaust and other genocides Jack Britvan, President, Voices for Truth and Humanity: “Now is the time to children and grandchildren and their turn thoughts into action, to get involved and feel that you are in control of your including slavery to our children will be family’s wellbeing.” education are important. backers, and others likely will not. Nothing Take a stand. Take back the control that meaningful will happen unless school Hatred and Racism will continue to hurt and planes and in movie theatres and we never really had. With numbers, they boards back this education platform. kill without the needed education. The same restaurants? must listen. Educate to Stop the Hate! At this point, the Teachers Union will cry defense lasted for years until Smoking Bans Public figures will be in a quandary. Get involved - or don’t complain when “Foul” and possibly act to delay your were in place. They’ll ask: should we back those that want you or a family member is a victim or a children’s education of history for years. Do you remember people smoking on air to protect their families to educate so that statistic! Glen Cove, NY - April 29, 2021 - Today, NYS Senator Anna M. Kaplan (D-North Hills), Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D- Fresh Meadows), American Jewish Committee (AJC) , Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) Long Island, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the Holocaust Memorial Tolerance Center LI, NYS Senator Jim Gaughran (D-Northport), NYS Senator Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach), and Assemblymember Charles Lavine (D- Glen Cove) stood together at the Holocaust Memorial Tolerance Center LI to highlight shocking statistics about Holocaust knowledge among New Yorkers, and press for the passage of legislation, S.121/A.472, which would ensure that students across New York are receiving a meaningful education on the Holocaust as required by existing State law. Bill sponsor New York State Senator From left: Senator Anna M. Kaplan; Michael Cohen, Eastern Director, Simon Wiesenthal Center; Senator Jim Anna M. Kaplan said, "When we talk Gaughran; Assemblywoman Nily Rozic; Arnie Herz, President, American Jewish Committee (AJC) LI. about the Holocaust, we say NEVER FORGET-but in order to forget State Senate and Assembly by Senator we know that the only effective innocence and gullibility. If we do not something, you need to learn about it in Kaplan and Assemblywoman Rozic, vaccination for hate is education." teach our students about that time in the first place. We're doing a terrible job of S.121/A.472, would ensure that New York Adam Novak, Chairman, and Mindy history, we leave them not only teaching our kids about the atrocities of students are learning about the Holocaust Perlmutter, Executive Director, JCRC-LI, uninformed but unarmed to recognize and the Holocaust and the 6 million Jews who at school, something that 90% of the said “JCRC-LI applauds the members of counter those same hateful messages were murdered by the Nazis, and in a time general population considers 'important' the NYS Senate and Assembly who are when they appear today." when disinformation is exploding, and or 'somewhat important' according to a sponsoring and co-sponsoring the New York State Senator Jim Gaughran anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic violence recent study by the American Jewish Holocaust Education Bill, especially NYS said, "It is vital that students be educated are on the rise, it's never been more Committee (AJC). Senator Anna Kaplan and NYS about the horrors of the past, including the important to teach the lessons of the The bill, S.121/A.472, would: Assemblywoman Nily Rozic. This Holocaust, so as not to repeat history. The Holocaust to the next generation. Authorize the Commissioner of legislation will hopefully ensure that all of continued uptick in hate crimes in our “ I ' m p r o u d t o p a r t n e r w i t h Education to conduct a study to determine our students throughout New York State region and nation is horrifying and we Assemblywoman Nily Rozic on which school districts are offering will be properly taught about the must take action to stem this crisis." legislation that will assess how well instruction on the Holocaust in Holocaust, so when we utter the words New York State Senator Todd schools are doing at educating our kids compliance with Section 801 of the Never Forget and Never Again, it is truly Kaminsky said, "The fact that more than about the Holocaust, and come up with a Education Law, understood.“ half of New Yorkers surveyed cannot plan to ensure that every child is learning Require a report on the findings of the Michael Cohen, Eastern Director, name a single concentration camp, while about our history in every school across study by the first of January after the bill Simon Wiesenthal Center, said "The nearly one in five believe the Jews caused the state. It's never been more important becomes law, and Simon Wiesenthal Center thanks the the Holocaust, is deeply troubling and than it is today, and we need to get it done Direct the Commissioner to promulgate sponsors and co-sponsors of A472 and its calls for immediate action. this year." rules and regulations ensuring school companion Senate bill that will mandate “By ensuring our children are taught "As we experience historic levels of districts are offering instruction on the that every child in the state of New York is about the Holocaust, we can foster a more anti-Semitism in New York and around Holocaust in compliance with Section 801 taught the lessons from the Nazi tolerant society and stamp out the spate of the country, Never Again needs to be a call of the Education Law Holocaust. Without educating our hate crimes that have infested our state to action and not merely a platitude Arnie Herz, President, and Eric Post, younger generations, ‘Never Again’ will and nation." offered on Holocaust Remembrance Day Director, American Jewish Committee have no meaning in the future.” New York State Assemblymember and Genocide Awareness Month,” said (AJC) Long Island said "The lessons of Avi Posnick, Regional Director, Charles Lavine remarked, "As a bill sponsor Assemblywoman Nily Rozic. the Holocaust are universal and as StandWithUs Northeast & New England, representative of the state of New York "When study after study delineate relevant today as they were seven decades said "At StandWithUs, we focus on and a Jew whose entire European family e m b a r r a s s i n g i g n o r a n c e a n d ago. New York State mandates Holocaust education. We must ensure that our was murdered by the Nazis and their misinformation about the Holocaust, we education in its schools, but doesn’t have schools here in NY are properly educating allies, I am proud to support this need to rectify the issue at the source - the reporting mechanisms in place to about the Holocaust. legislation to ensure students are taught educational requirements. Ensuring that know if schools are carrying out this “We are now more than 75 years since about the Holocaust. It works hand in the Holocaust is properly taught in schools instruction. The first step in ensuring the Holocaust ended and many students hand with my Hate Education bill which coupled with education on recognizing Holocaust education is robust in New today, unfortunately, have not and most makes learning about the noose and anti-Semitism and other hate crimes is a York State is to find out what schools are likely will not have the opportunity to swastika compulsory. We must never crucial first step in stopping dangerous teaching and this is the intent of Senator meet a Holocaust survivor. We must cease in our efforts to attack hatred conspiracy theories." Kaplan and Assemblywoman Rozic’s bill. ensure that the history of the Holocaust is through education.” A recent study by the nonprofit As we recognize genocide awareness taught today so that it is not forgotten Nassau County Executive Laura Curran Conference on Jewish Material Claims month, there is no better time to commit to tomorrow. As then General Dwight said, "Nassau County recently Against Germany (Claims Conference) making sure sharing the lessons of the Eisenhower said, "Get it all on record now commemorated the 75th anniversary of revealed disturbing findings about Holocaust are passed on to all students - get the films - get the witnesses - because World War II and honored the diminishing Holocaust knowledge among New through the adoption of Assembly Bill somewhere down the road of history number of survivors of the Holocaust and Yorkers ages 18-39, including that 58% 472 and Senate Bill 121.” someone will get up and say that this never veterans who served in World War II. We cannot name a single concentration camp, Andrea Bolender, Chair, Holocaust happened. must redouble our efforts to ensure 19% believe that Jews caused the Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau “We have all the films and records, now present and future generations understand Holocaust, and 28% believe the Holocaust County, said, "HMTC has worked with we must make sure they are shared with the lessons of past.” is a myth or has been exaggerated. In each many Long Island school districts to offer our children. There are those who are Curran concluded, “With anti-Semitism of these three metrics, New York had the a standardized and thorough Holocaust engaged in a campaign of ignorance to on the rise again, it is more important than worst score of any state in the US. and genocide curriculum, but much work deny, distort, and dismiss the Holocaust. ever that we speak up and combat hatred Legislation introduced in the New York remains to be done. We support this bill as They are counting on our students’ through education.”