As France celebrates the 80th anniversary of its liberation from the yoke of the Nazi regime, anti-Semitism is making a comeback around the world. It is in this heavy context that the mayor of Marseille has just awarded the Robert Mizrahi Prize which rewards work carried out by a young person on “Memory Transmission” to Zelda Sokolowski and the “jury’s favorite” prize to high school students from the School of Provence. This award, initiated by the Unified Jewish Social Fund (FSJU) Marseille Provence, has been awarded since 2021 in partnership with the city of Marseille, which thus continues its commitment to honor the duty of memory.
Robert Mizrahi was born in Marseille in 1930. During the Jewish Raids in Marseille, his parents were arrested by the municipal police and then deported. Deeply marked, he devoted a large part of his life to honoring the Righteous Among the Nations. Humanist, convinced activist, he will successively be President of the FSJU and President of the French Committee for Yad Vashem. He worked to preserve the memory of the Shoah and honor the memory of those who, at the risk of their lives, helped persecuted Jews. Lionel Stora, president of the FSJU declares: “ He deserves to have an award named after him. Thus the memory will continue to be perpetuated through the work of younger generations. A memory that we thought was for tomorrow, with the disappearance of the witnesses. Unfortunately current events show us the importance of this memory today “. The 2024 prize rewards the work of Zelda Sokolowski on her great-great-aunt, Régine Szmidt. A “jury’s favorite” prize goes to high school students from the Provence establishment for collective work with their philosophy teacher.
“Anti-Semitism has no place in the Republic”
“ This prize aims to encourage young people to become actors in the transmission of memory », recalls Lionel Stora. Mission all the more important as “we are witnessing a worrying resurgence of anti-Semitism “. Talk about these witnesses of History who are never “in violence, resentment, rejection of the other “. Consider that “anti-Semitism is expressed, even though it has no place in schools, high schools, universities, unions or political parties. Anti-Semitism has no place in the Republic “. For Lionel Stora: “ It is more important than ever to act as the mayor of Marseille is doing by giving the name of Denise Toros-Marter to a school “. He adds that the prize continues to grow, and that work is being done in this direction with National Education.
This duty of memory Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize winner, spoke of its importance: “ Forgetting would mean danger and insult. To forget the dead would be to kill them a second time. And if, except the killers and their accomplices, no one is responsible for their first death, we are responsible for the second.»
“Vigilance is no longer enough”
Patricia Mizrahi, speaks on behalf of her father. His first words were for Benoît Payan: “ Thank you for being faithful to the friendship that binds you to my father “. Then asks those present: “To take over from my father in his fight against anti-Semitism because vigilance is no longer enough. When a student is attacked, when an old woman is massacred, when words lose their meaning, it is the values of the Republic that are undermined. “.
Benoît Payan recalls: “ 79 years ago, on May 5, 1945, the Allies liberated Mauthausen. Mauthausen, the horror of the camps, the extreme violence, the extermination, everything is known and memory is essential. 79 years later we must face the resurrection of anti-Semitism that some thought was dormant. We hear voices that we thought were extinct. So we must not weaken, we must remain firm, united, in these moments. Anti-Semitism is a violent poison that destroys everything in its path, fueled by a guilty silence of electoral sin “.
“It is up to political leaders on both the right and the left to denounce anti-Semitism”
For the mayor of Marseille, anti-Semitism has its roots in the hatred of a people “ who has perpetually refused the established order, who always seeks to unite when dogmas seek to divide “. “ Anti-Semitismhe continues, has been unleashed since October 7 and it never ceases to surprise us as it is vicious, violent, as it manages to spread into environments that we did not expect. It affects the youngest and harms the oldest “. He considers that “ it is up to political leaders on both the right and the left to denounce anti-Semitism “, to bring as many people back to their senses as possible “ knowing that for some there will be nothing to do except send them to Justice to be sentenced “.
“Forgetting is the Devil’s trick”
Benoît Payan to Robert Mizrahi: “ In your eyes there is only the flame of love, peace, tolerance “. He pays tribute to the work carried out by middle and high school students: “ You can be proud by completing this memory work. You offer a stele to those who do not have one. And, with the work you do you fight against forgetting which is the Devil’s trick “. He invites the winners « at the inauguration of the Denise Toros-Marter school “. Announcement that an Albert Cohen school should also see the light of day, “him the great writer, the friend of Marcel Pagnol, he who discovered anti-Semitism on his 10th birthday in Marseille“. Marseille, he continues, “ which would not be Marseille without the Jews and without the other components which constitute the City “. Benoît Payan says: “ Some people criticize me for wanting to give such names to schools. So what ? I’m so proud to do this. We must live in peace and may those who divide be silent forever, may the racists, the anti-Semites remain silent forever “.
Zelda Sokolowski thanks the jury and admits “ having taken great pleasure in doing this work while realizing how important it was in the current context “. While this work focuses on her great-great aunt she indicates: “ having discovered things about the history of his family, about life. She suffered so much and yet she is happy. She still talks about her mom even though she lost her when she was 5 “.
Michel CAIRE
