The rabbi taken hostage with three others in Colleyville this weekend was also instrumental in a meeting between the Holocaust Museum and leaders of a North Texas school district aimed at clearing the air with DFW's Jewish community.
Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker of Congregation Beth Israel was on hand as leaders of the Dallas Holocaust Museum met with administrators of the Southlake Carroll ISD.
The meeting was arranged after a district administrator was recorded urging teachers to have books expressing both viewpoints of the Holocaust.
The administrator who made that remark was at that meeting, which Holocaust Museum President and CEO Mary Pat Higgins says was constructive and productive.
"We were assured by the district that they did not dispute that the Holocaust was historical fact, that they would continue to teach the history of the Holocaust," Higgins says.
Higgins blames the administrator's remarks in part on two things -- the new law that the legislature passed last year on teaching controversial subjects and community ignorance.
"Every year, she has parents who question why their children have to read Elie Wiesel's 'Night,' because they don't believe the Holocaust happened," says Higgins. "Denial is always the last stage of genocide, and Holocaust denial is rampant across the internet (and) social media. There are countries that promote Holocaust denial."
Higgins says that's reason alone that teaching the history of the Holocaust is essential.
"We have to learn from history," Higgins says, "or we will keep repeating history over and over again."
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