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Orange County marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day, pledges education funding
Summary
The Orange County Board of Supervisors recognized International Holocaust Remembrance Day, heard testimony from rabbis and community organizations about rising antisemitism, and noted a county effort to fund museum field trips and expand Holocaust education to students.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 27 observed International Holocaust Remembrance Day and received testimony from local religious and civic leaders about rising antisemitism and the importance of education.
Supervisor Don Wagner (S6), who co‑sponsored the proclamation, said Jan. 27 marks the 1945 liberation of Auschwitz‑Birkenau and urged residents to remember victims and confront contemporary hatred. Rabbi Rick Steinberg (S9) thanked the board for the proclamation and called on leaders to use their positions to oppose antisemitism and other forms of bigotry.
Supervisor Katrina Foley (S3) described the county’s work to expand Holocaust education, including a $250,000 commitment from her office to support student field trips to the Holocaust Education Center of Orange County. Foley said thousands of students already have toured the museum and that the board seeks to expand that outreach as a form of hate‑prevention education.
Speakers emphasized that remembrance must be paired with ongoing education and security support for Jewish students and institutions. The board did not take legislative action during the proclamation beyond the recognition and remarks, and supervisors said they would continue to support educational programming and partnerships with local Jewish organizations.
