Never Forget: Holocaust Remembrance Day

By Sydney Williams

National Council of Jewish Women - San Francisco gather at the Women's March 
Photo by Antonia Lavine.

Holocaust Remembrance Day is among us, and so are the scars left behind by the anti-Semitic events of World War II. In 1933, the Nazi regime came into power with a racial superiority complex that lead to the death of 6 million Jews in concentration camps and military attacks. This hateful, systematic, and state-sponsored campaign took tens of millions of souls from us during its reign. A time that will forever remain a stain on our global history, and a pain in our hearts. Once a year (but for some of us, far more than that), we commemorate the lives lost and the wounds to society left behind by the Holocaust. 

In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Seismic Sisters spotlights an active and influential organization in the Bay Area:  the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) - San Francisco. For over 120 years, the NCJW San Francisco has dedicated itself to uplifting not only Jewish women, but all members of their community regardless of faith or gender. Their leadership team, made up almost entirely of women advocates, strives for a society where just is ≠ justice (as poet Amanda Gorman so eloquently put it during the Inauguration ceremony). Their core areas of advocacy are civic engagement, empowering women, fighting human trafficking, and advancing social justice in Israel. They strive to be a platform for education, assistance, and action against injustices in the Bay Area and beyond. With the help of organizations like the NCJW San Francisco, we take lessons learned from the past to pave righteous paths towards the future. 

Katie Koyfman, NCJW San Francisco Board Member and Chair of ‘Next Generation’ Committee. Photo by Katie’s husband, Jake Ososke.

Katie Koyfman, a member of the board of directors and chair of their Next Generation committee, is a rising star in the NCJW San Francisco’s leadership team. Katie first joined forces with this organization as a member of the very committee she now chairs and was the youngest member ever invited to sit on their board of directors. We are delighted to share her thoughts from our interview to learn more about NCJW San Francisco, and as we commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day.

What inspired the establishment of the ‘Center for Women and Girls’? 

The NCJW San Francisco’s Center for Women and Girls was founded in 2013. Its main purpose is to protect women and children at risk by providing them with a safe place of support. With initiatives such as lobbying services to support foster families, giving scholarships to prospective students, advocating for paid family leave, and hosting events for women in the workforce to connect, the center has a considerably widespread impact. A notable achievement of the Center for Women and Girls is their involvement in achieving justice for victims of child prostitution. They played a large role in the passing of legislation for the decriminalization of child prostitution. This made it so that children will no longer be held responsible for their abuse. In addition to the Center for Women and Girls, the NCJW SF has two more groups working towards a similar goal:  The San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking and The Jewish Coalition to End Human Trafficking. 

Vote Against Violence rally at San Francisco City Hall. Photo by Antonia Lavine

What change is the ‘Jewish Advocates in Action for a Critical COVID-19 Response’ council bringing to the community? 

First, it is important to know that the Jewish Advocates in Action for a Critical COVID-19 Response is a youth-led council. Our mission at NCJW San Francisco Next Generation is to create a space for young adults to bring their ideas to the table and to foster their passions through volunteering. High school senior twins Emma and Julia are part of NCJW SF Next Generation and lead the council in an effort to open channels of communication to discuss adversity brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. They have made leaps and bounds with this council. One of their many accomplishments thus far has been launching a webinar series. Each webinar is focused to address a different topic. Topics range from the impact of COVID-19 on human trafficking survivors to individuals with developmental disabilities, from Israeli democracy to the impact of stay-at-home policies on victims of domestic violence. Emma and Julia have truly gone above and beyond in connecting people in need with resources to help. 

Emma and Julia (two farthest right), leaders of Jewish Advocates in Action for a Critical COVID-19 Response council. Photo by Antonia Lavine

How do you commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day? 

I spend the day with my family, namely my grandparents, who are Holocaust survivors. My grandpa is a notoriously hard worker, diligent about his commitments and passionate about his endeavors. They have so many reasons to hate the world, but they are the most kind, loving, caring, and giving people that I know. Living through the Holocaust caused them so much pain - pain that they still live with today, but it in fact taught them forgiveness and patience. It made them want to be better than the people that imprisoned them. As a family, we choose to commemorate this day of loss by celebrating what we do have. It was a bone-chilling event in history, but a heart-warming opportunity for family to come together. 

If there was one message you could share with the world, what would it be?

“When looking at the last year, I would describe it as a whirlwind where I felt anxious and frozen, yet hopeful and inspired all at the same time. At first, I stared defenselessly as my idea of ‘normal’ crumbled. I looked for the helpers like Mr. Rogers said to do in his beloved children’s show. But as adults, we no longer have the luxury to only search for helpers. We must be the helpers we are looking to find – it is our civic duty. We are not powerless. We are strong and resilient. Our strength is rooted in empathy and the source of our power is in helping others. Being engaged with a group making a positive impact on people and policy is how I rediscovered my strength. NCJW SF is working tirelessly to improve the lives of women, children, families, and those most vulnerable in our economic and health crisis. Through education, collaboration, and advocacy, we are fighting for equity and tackling hate, racism, and anti-Semitism. Whether through being an ally, advocate, or activist, we can challenge bias and build bridges of understanding. I am privileged to advance NCJW SF’s mission, support our community, and create a future where justice prevails.” - Katie Koyfman

For more information on the National Council of Jewish Women San Francisco, visit www.ncjwsf.org

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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Lesser-known facts about the Holocaust

• The Holocaust began in 1933 when Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany and ended in 1945 when the Nazis were defeated by the Allied powers.

• Holocaust: From the Greek word holokauston, meaning sacrifice by fire. It refers to the Nazi persecution and planned slaughter of the Jewish people and others considered inferior to "true" Germans.

• Shoah: A Hebrew word meaning devastation, ruin or waste, also used to refer to the Holocaust.

• Jewish people were excluded from public life on September 15th, 1935 when the Nuremberg Laws were issued. These laws also stripped German Jews of their citizenship and their right to marry Germans.

• Starting in 1939, the Nazi government ordered all Jewish people to wear a yellow Star of David on their clothing. The tactic isolated Jews from the rest of society and made it easier for them to be identified and targeted.

• Jews were not the only people sent to the concentration camps. Also sent were Christians standing up to Nazi ideology, socialists, communists, Roma, Jehovah’s Witnesses, homosexuals, and others considered by the Nazi regime as having socially deviant behavior.