In a poignant reflection on the past, a prominent Jewish leader has condemned Kanye West’s troubling history of antisemitism during the UK’s National Yom HaShoah gathering, asserting that “Nazism will never be allowed to pay.” Phil Rosenberg, the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, spoke out against the rapper’s previous glorification of Nazi ideology, which led to his exclusion from the Wireless festival lineup this July.
A Call to Remember
The gathering, which took place outside Parliament, marked the Jewish day of remembrance for the Holocaust. It drew approximately 2,000 attendees, including Holocaust survivors and community leaders, underscoring the importance of preserving the memory of those who perished under the Nazi regime.
Rosenberg’s remarks came amid heightened tensions surrounding the rapper’s past actions, including the release of a song titled “Heil Hitler” and the sale of swastika-themed merchandise. While West has since apologised, attributing his behaviour to his struggles with bipolar disorder, Rosenberg firmly stated that such statements and actions are not just offensive but constitute a serious affront to Holocaust victims.
“Nazism does not pay. It will not pay, and it will never be allowed to pay,” Rosenberg declared, emphasising the necessity for accountability in the public sphere. “This is not just a matter of personal beliefs; it is about the legacy of millions who suffered.”
Voices from the Past
Among the speakers was Lydia Tischler, a 97-year-old Holocaust survivor who recounted her harrowing experiences from her childhood in Czechoslovakia to internment in concentration camps. As she addressed a group of 125 Jewish primary school children, she urged them to understand the gravity of history, stating, “I was about your age when Hitler, without an invitation, invaded my country and started making the lives of Jews very miserable.”
Tischler’s powerful narrative serves as a vital reminder of the personal stories behind the statistics of the Holocaust. After surviving Auschwitz