Senate passes bill on Jewish, Holocaust studies

At a plenary sitting on Monday, the Senate, as a decision-making body, passed - 107 to 13 and one abstention - a bill regarding the introduction of "History of Jews. The Holocaust" as a subject matter in Romania's high schools and vocational education schools and the establishment and presentation of an award by the National Museum of Jewish History and the Holocaust in Romania.

During the debates, MP Silviu Vexler, the bill initiator, said that the past must be a foundation for the future, and "education is absolutely necessary for building up a democratic society."

"The same bill, beyond the strictly technical and educational component, honours the memory of Constantin Caragea, a Romanian diplomat who during the Holocaust managed to save over 30,000 Jews, being recognised as such," Vexler said.

He added that all the relevant instructional materials will be made by the Romanian Ministry of National Education in collaboration with the Elie Wiesel Institute.

Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) Senator Claudiu Tarziu criticised the fact that the bill fast tracked through committees and the plenary sitting, saying that he does not understand who benefits such a piece of legislation, given that there has been no serious case of anti-Semitism in Romania in the last "20-30 years."

In his speech, Save Romania Union (USR) Senator Irineu Darau pointed out that such initiatives come to help raise awareness of the crimes that took place in Romania as well under certain regimes of the Romanian state.

In his turn, non-affiliated Senator Diana Sosoaca claimed that "the principle of reciprocity is not seen to be violated."

Social Democratic Party (PSD) Senator Titus Corlatean underscored that there is a need for "a transfer of knowledge, sensitivity to the younger generation."

Special Representative of the Romanian Government for the Promotion of Holocaust Remembrance Policies, Combating Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia Alexandru Moraru, honorary adviser to the prime minister, previously said in a press release that the government's proposal is for school curriculua, textbooks, instructional materials and methodology for the "History of the Jews. The Holocaust" subject matter to be designed by the Elie Wiesel National Institute for the Study of the Holocaust in Romania and experts of the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Council of Honour, and approved by the Ministry of Education.

The government has endorsed the establishment and presentation of an award by the National Museum of Jewish History and the Holocaust to acknowledge, encourage and appreciate the special merits of individuals, institutions and organisations contributing to the fight against anti-Semitism, the preservation of the memory of the Holocaust and the promotion of Jewish life, according to Moraru.