January 26, 2026 — Miami
This column appeared in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
By Brian Siegal and Michele Mistò
Antisemitism is a toxic virus that continues to mutate.
On Jan. 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, nations around the world pause to remember the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators.
The date marks when the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp was liberated. It is not only a moment of historical reckoning, but also a moral warning. Memory, if it is to mean anything, must guide action.
The Holocaust was the ultimate manifestation of what is often called the world’s oldest hatred. But antisemitism did not disappear with the defeat of Nazi Germany. Today, it is again rising at alarming levels across the U.S., Europe and beyond, fueled by conspiracy theories, online radicalization, extremist ideologies and the dangerous search for scapegoats during times of social and political anxiety.
As societies struggle with complex challenges, antisemitic tropes too often reemerge as false explanations for real problems. History shows us that when antisemitism goes unchallenged, it rarely remains confined to Jews alone. It corrodes democratic institutions, undermines trust and threatens the safety of all minorities.
Miami — a true global metropolis of the 21st century, and with it the state of Florida — must assume an exemplary and pioneering role in this fight against antisemitism and the corrosive forces it fuels. Without such moral resolve, the material achievements of which we are justly proud lose their meaning and the very foundation of our coexistence begins to erode.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day must be more than a date on the calendar. It must serve as a call to collective responsibility. Italy and the United States share a deep bond rooted in democratic values, respect for human dignity and a commitment to pluralism. That partnership carries with it a shared obligation to confront antisemitism wherever it appears.
Italy’s own history, including the consequences of fascist racial laws and deportations, has shaped a national commitment to remembrance, education and vigilance. In the U.S., a nation built by immigrants and strengthened by diversity, protecting religious freedom and minority rights is foundational to the democratic experiment.
These shared values are not abstract. They demand concrete cooperation.
Antisemitism is a global problem that requires a global response. Governments cannot confront it alone, nor can Jewish communities be expected to shoulder the burden on their own. Civil society, educators, law enforcement, technology platforms and international partners must work together to prevent hatred from metastasizing into violence.
American Jewish Committee has worked with governments and leaders on both sides of the Atlantic to develop comprehensive strategies to combat antisemitism. These strategies emphasize education, accurate data collection, community security and international coordination.
Italy has been a vital partner in these efforts, recognizing that confronting antisemitism is inseparable from defending democratic norms and historical truth, and promoting a culture of respect and peaceful coexistence through education, remembrance and the firm defense of human rights.
International cooperation also means learning from one another.
Democracies can share best practices on training law enforcement to recognize antisemitic hate crimes, protecting religious institutions and countering Holocaust denial and distortion. Adopting clear standards, such as the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s Working Definition of Antisemitism, helps governments and leaders identify antisemitism consistently and respond effectively.
Different countries will take different legal approaches, shaped by their constitutional traditions. Europe and the U.S., for example, have distinct frameworks governing free expression. But our goal is the same: to ensure that antisemitism, extremist ideologies and historical falsehoods are not normalized or excused.
Data makes clear why this work matters. AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report found that 95% of American Jews and 90% of the general public believe antisemitism affects society as a whole and that everyone is responsible for combating it.
When Jews, who make up just 2% of the U.S. population and a tiny fraction of the global population, feel unsafe or are forced to hide their identity, democracy itself is weakened.
To be silent in the face of antisemitism is to be complicit. History leaves no ambiguity on that point.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day is a time to reaffirm a shared commitment to remember truthfully, to educate relentlessly and to act decisively. Honoring the victims of the Holocaust means ensuring that future generations inherit societies rooted in dignity, justice and freedom.
Brian Siegal is director of AJC Miami/Broward and Michele Mistò is the Italian consul general in Miami.
