Sen. Ben Allen recognized Holocaust survivor Eva Nathanson in observance of Yom HaShoah. (photo courtesy of Sen. Ben Allen’s office)

Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) recognized Fairfax District resident Eva Nathanson on April 17 as the 24th California Senate District’s honoree for Yom HaShoah.

Also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom HaShoah memorializes the 6 million Jews murdered during World War II and commemorates the stories of those who helped Jewish refugees. Nathanson was honored during a ceremony in the California Senate.

“Holocaust Remembrance Day is one of the most solemn and important days recognized by Jews, friends, and allies throughout the world,” Allen said. “We must continue to remember and teach the history of the Holocaust, especially as we increasingly rely on history books and the descendants of survivors to learn about this atrocity. Yom HaShoah reminds us of the need to stand up for any community that faces discrimination and persecution. If it were not for courageous individuals who risked their lives to save Jews through the underground resistance movement, Eva would not be here today.”

Nathanson was born in 1941 in Budapest, Hungary, and survived the Holocaust with her mother while living on food scraps. She did not see the sun for more than two years.

After the 1956 Hungarian Uprising, Nathanson made her way out of the country and spent nine months at a Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society-run refugee camp. In 1957, she came to the United States and earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in business. She had a long career in medical management and administration and continues to give back as a volunteer at several nonprofit organizations, including Holocaust Museum Los Angeles and her synagogue, B’nai Horin.

“I speak to students at the [Holocaust] Museum as much as I’m able because I’m worried what could happen if children don’t understand what hatred and bigotry can do,” Nathanson said. “Education will conquer ignorance.”

“As a 3G (third generation survivor) and CEO of Holocaust Museum L.A., I am privileged to stand alongside Ben Allen to honor Eva Nathanson for Yom HaShoah,” Holocaust Museum Los Angeles CEO Beth Kean added. “This meaningful tribute to a courageous survivor, who lived through one of the darkest periods in human history, also reminds us of the need to educate future generations on the importance of social justice and standing up against hate. Volunteers, like Eva, help to ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust are never forgotten and inspire us with to build a more compassionate world, where human rights are protected and respected for all.”