Gavin Newsom forms council to boost California Holocaust education

Governor says forum will work to provide students ‘the tools necessary to recognize and respond’ to antisemitism on campus

JTA — California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the formation of a council on Holocaust and genocide education on Wednesday at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles.

The council will provide educational resources regarding the Holocaust and other instances of genocide to students at California schools and “provide young people with the tools necessary to recognize and respond to on-campus instances of antisemitism and bigotry,” according to the governor’s office.

“We find ourselves in a moment of history where hate pervades the public discourse,” Newsom said. “National surveys have indicated a shocking decline in awareness among young people about the Holocaust and other acts of genocide.”

In the 2021 state budget, California allocated $10 million to the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, as well as $2.5 million for an expansion of the Holocaust Museum in Los Angeles. It also allocated $1 million for the renovation of the Tauber Holocaust Library and Archives at the Jewish Family and Children’s Services Holocaust Center in San Francisco.