Today, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, we reflect on one of the darkest chapters in history and honor the six million innocent Jews lost to unjustifiable hatred.

In 1945, General Eisenhower stood face-to-face with the horrors of Nazi brutality, later saying he could never fully describe the shock of what he saw. Nearly 80 years later, antisemitism is once again on the rise. It's more important than ever to amplify the voices of Holocaust survivors.

It is, with great respect, that I share the story of one of these voices and a member of our community, Millie Selinger. 

Millie’s journey is one of incredible resilience. Born in Poland in 1938, she was only one year old when the Nazis invaded. Her family, like so many others, believed they were safe, but their lives were thrown into darkness as they were forced into the ghettos. During the war, nearly forty of her family members were brutally taken from their homes and murdered in Nazi death camps. Determined and desperate to protect her children, Millie’s mother made the decision to adopt Ukrainian identities. She changed their names and, with the help of a priest, they assumed Christianity. Growing up, Millie’s first language was Ukrainian, as the family learned to live under a false identity for survival. They hung swastikas in their home to avoid suspicion while Millie’s mother worked with the underground resistance. 

After the war, in 1947, Millie and her family boarded a train to Germany. As they arrived in Stuttgart, she saw American flags for the first time-- symbols of hope and freedom. In May of 1948, Millie’s family arrived in New York City. Adapting to life in America was a challenge, and Millie carried her trauma throughout her upbringing. Nevertheless, she learned English by fifth grade and formed relationships with other Jewish Americans in her community. Now, she lives in Florida, and she continues to share her story. 

I will always continue to stand for Israel and to fight antisemitism in all forms. And on this day in particular, we honor Millie Sillinger’s courage and the millions like her who endured the Holocaust. Thank you, Millie, for your strength and your voice. Your story will not be forgotten.