State Leaders Gather to Remember, Educate, and Confront Hatred

Massachusetts officials and community leaders mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day with calls for vigilance against antisemitism and discrimination.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 8:23pm

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Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and other state leaders gathered at the State House on Tuesday to commemorate the 81st anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp and International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The event featured speeches from lawmakers, Holocaust survivors, and philanthropists, all emphasizing the importance of remembrance, education, and confronting hatred in all its forms.

Why it matters

The event highlighted the ongoing need to educate the public about the horrors of the Holocaust and the consequences of indifference to discrimination and scapegoating. With rising concerns about antisemitism and other forms of hate, state leaders stressed the responsibility to actively combat hatred and protect democratic norms.

The details

The Massachusetts Senate and House both passed resolutions recognizing International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Governor Healey and legislative leaders, including Senate President Karen Spilka and House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz, delivered remarks underscoring the importance of Holocaust education and vigilance against hatred. Holocaust survivor Magda Bader shared her experiences at Auschwitz and the importance of highlighting acts of human kindness alongside the tragedy. The event also featured the announcement of the upcoming opening of the Holocaust Legacy Foundation's Holocaust Museum Boston in late 2026.

  • The Massachusetts Senate adopted a resolution on Tuesday to recognize the 81st anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp and International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
  • The Massachusetts House adopted a similar resolution on January 20.
  • The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27 as a day to remember the 6 million Jewish people killed in the Holocaust and the millions of others killed by Nazi persecution.

The players

Maura Healey

The Governor of Massachusetts who gathered state leaders to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Karen Spilka

The President of the Massachusetts Senate who recalled her grandfather's escape from persecution in Russia and her father's experiences liberating concentration camp survivors.

Aaron Michlewitz

The Chair of the Massachusetts House Ways and Means Committee who reflected on his grandparents' experiences fighting against antisemitism.

Magda Bader

A Holocaust survivor who now shares her experiences at Auschwitz with students to further Holocaust education.

Jodi Kipnis

The co-founder, president, and CEO of the Holocaust Legacy Foundation, which is opening the Holocaust Museum Boston in late 2026.

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What they’re saying

“This day not only asks us to mourn, but to pay attention to history, to warning signs and to the consequence of indifference. As survivors have reminded us, remembrance is not a passive act, it is something that requires both individual and collective engagement and effort.”

— Maura Healey, Governor of Massachusetts (lowellsun.com)

“I think his father, my great-grandfather, knew that he would be next, and so he sent Joseph to America, the land of the free, to save his life. I remember every day that if my grandfather had not escaped, and if America had not welcomed him with open arms, I literally would not be here today.”

— Karen Spilka, President of the Massachusetts Senate (lowellsun.com)

“Each passing year, our responsibility grows greater and greater, to remember, to educate and to confront hatred wherever it happens and wherever it comes in front of us.”

— Aaron Michlewitz, Chair of the Massachusetts House Ways and Means Committee (lowellsun.com)

“I'm not just anxious to tell them about the sad story, but I want to tell them that other humans can be human to each other, and ignore the color of hair or color of skin.”

— Magda Bader, Holocaust survivor (lowellsun.com)

“Adolf Hitler did not seize power in a vacuum. He came to power through a democratic system that failed to protect its people and its principles.”

— Jodi Kipnis, Co-founder, president, and CEO of the Holocaust Legacy Foundation (lowellsun.com)

What’s next

The Holocaust Legacy Foundation's Holocaust Museum Boston is slated to open in late 2026, providing a new venue for Holocaust education and remembrance.

The takeaway

This event underscores the ongoing need to actively combat antisemitism, discrimination, and the erosion of democratic norms that can enable atrocities. By remembering the past and educating the public, state leaders aim to ensure such horrors are never repeated.