LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending the University of Albany Hillel upon
the occasion of its event to commemorate the observance of Holocaust
Remembrance Day April 15-16, 2015

WHEREAS, From 1933 to 1945, 5.8 million Jews were murdered in the Nazi
Holocaust as a part of a systematic program of genocide, and millions of
other people also perished as victims of Nazism; and
WHEREAS, Jews who fell under German control in Eastern and Central
Europe were quickly stripped of their rights and property; and
WHEREAS, The Jews who perished at Nazi hands comprised two-thirds of
all European Jewry, and in countries such as Poland, which before the
Second World War included parts of the Ukraine and Belarus, the Jewish
death toll surpassed 90 percent; and
WHEREAS, The People of the State of New York should always remember
the atrocities committed by the Nazis so that such horrors are never
repeated; and
WHEREAS, The year 2015 marks the 82nd Anniversary of the beginning of
the genocide of European Jews, the bleakest, most murderous moment in
history; and
WHEREAS, The Holocaust represents the darkest period in the civiliza-
tion of mankind and must always be remembered in order to prevent its
reoccurrence anywhere else in the world; and
WHEREAS, Holocaust Remembrance Day, known in Hebrew as Yom Hashoah
Ve-Hagevurah, is a day set aside for remembering the victims of the
Holocaust and for reminding New Yorkers, all Americans, and people
around the world of what can happen to civilized people when bigotry,
hatred and indifference reign; and
WHEREAS, Internationally, Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed on the
27th day of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar, which this year falls on
Thursday, April 16, 2015; every year, the students of the University of
Albany Hillel observe a twenty-four hour vigil, commemorating this
somber time in our global history; and
WHEREAS, Throughout this solemn watch, students will read the names of
people killed in the Holocaust, and listen to formal discussions led by
their peers and the Hillel staff; and
WHEREAS, The University of Albany Hillel is the center for Jewish life
on campus; with 5,300 Jewish students, this vital organization has one
of the largest Jewish student populations in the country; and
WHEREAS, With a dedicated staff and exceptional student leadership,
the University of Albany Hillel is an integral part of the campus commu-
nity; the Hillel facilitates the development of a vibrant, diverse, and
empowered Jewish community; many different student groups and initi-
atives offer a wealth of resources and opportunities that enrich
students' social, cultural, religious and political lives; and
WHEREAS, Knowing that the events and root causes of the Holocaust must
not be forgotten and that, particularly as survivors diminish in number,
links must be forged to educate future generations; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend the University of Albany Hillel upon the occasion of its event
to commemorate the observance of Holocaust Remembrance Day April 15-16,
2015; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the University of Albany Hillel.