Hallandale Beach proclaims International Holocaust Remembrance Day; local Holocaust center issues warning on rising denial

Mayor Joy Cooper read a proclamation recognizing International Holocaust Remembrance Day and presented it to Rosita Keningsburg, executive director of the Holocaust Documentation & Education Center. The proclamation cited the liberation of Auschwitz‑Birkenau and said the day should "serve as a solemn reminder of the consequences of hatred, antisemitism, racism, and indifference."

Keningsburg, whose organization works to "remember, protect, preserve, and perpetuate what we call the authentic memory of the Holocaust," told the commission the center has worked for decades to protect survivor testimony and that the current rise in denial and misinformation makes that work urgent. "As long as there is someone to tell the story, there is life and as long as we are here to listen, there is hope," she said.

Vice Mayor Lazaro described recent local incidents, saying city staff and police had been notified after someone carved a symbol and the word 'Hitler' into a new beachfront sidewalk and that spray paint reading "F Israel" had appeared on streets. Commissioners thanked the center and agreed to continued collaboration on education and community outreach.

The proclamation and remarks emphasized remembrance and public education; the commission and public speakers encouraged residents to visit the center and support its work.