Deputy Minister for Social and Diaspora Affairs, Rabbi Michael Melchior, approached Education Minister Limor Livnat Sunday requesting that schools in Israel dedicate one hour this week to discussing the life and work of Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal, who passed away last week.
In response to the letter, Livnat instructed the Education Ministry to encourage teachers to discuss Wiesenthal with their students.
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| Wiesenthal buried in Herzliya / Raanan Ben-Zur |
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Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal buried in Herziliya on Friday, but no government ministers attend the funeral |
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In his letter to the minister, Melchior stressed the importance of dedicating an hour of teaching to Wiesenthal.
'An Exemplary figure in Jewish History'
"Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal, who died in Vienna on Wednesday, dedicated his life to the Stare of Israel and the Jewish people. The whole of humanity is in debt to Wiesenthal, who dedicated his life for the purpose of ensuring that the horrors of the past are not repeated, and that Nazi murderers do not go unpunished," Melchior wrote in his letter.
"Wiesenthal is an exemplary figure in the history of the Jewish people, and was a man of courage and determination. In his actions he embodied the relentless pursuit of justice. Wiesenthal pursued the Nazis while others remained silent, and in his actions attempted to restore the dignity of the victims of the Holocaust."
"Beyond bringing to justice more than 1,000 Nazi criminals, Wiesenthal's incredible actions had, in the words German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, worked to raise awareness to the need for ensuring the principles of liberty, human dignity, tolerance and mutual respect," the letter read.
"In light of all this, I believe it is fitting that during the current week...the education system designate a special lesson to Wiesenthal and the principles he represented in his actions," Melchior wrote.
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