SACRAMENTO – In a floor ceremony in the California Senate today, Senator Ben Allen (D – Santa Monica) recognized Eva Nathanson as the Senate District 24 honoree for Yom HaShoah. Also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom HaShoah memorializes the six million Jews murdered during World War II while uplifting stories of those who helped Jewish refugees hide and escape.

“Holocaust Remembrance Day is one of the most solemn and important days recognized by Jews, friends, and allies throughout the world,” said Senator Allen, who represents one of the most populous Jewish regions in California. “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.”

Eva Nathanson was born in 1941 in Budapest, Hungary, and survived the Holocaust with her mother while living on food scraps and not seeing the sun for more than two years. After the 1956 Hungarian Uprising, Eva 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, followed by a career in medical management and administration. She continues to give back to her community as a volunteer at several nonprofit organizations, including Holocaust Museum LA and her synagogue B’nai Horin. A practicing artist, Eva lives in the Fairfax neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Highlighting the importance of sharing her story, Nathanson said, “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. Education will conquer ignorance.”

Beth Kean added, “As a 3G and CEO of Holocaust Museum LA, I am privileged to stand alongside Ben Allen to honor Eva Nathanson for Yom HaShoah. 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.”

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Ben Allen represents the 24^th State Senate District, which consists of the Westside, Hollywood, South Bay, and Santa Monica Mountains communities of Los Angeles County.