Israeli President Isaac Herzog stood before a solemn gathering in Romania on Sunday to mark 85 years since the Iași pogrom, honoring the thousands of Jewish victims murdered during the Holocaust while sounding a warning about the resurgence of antisemitism across parts of Europe.
The commemoration was held at the Iași Jewish cemetery, attended by Romanian government representatives, city leadership, and members of the local Jewish community. The ceremony began with the recitation of Kaddish, led by Romania’s Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Rafael Shaffer. Herzog also took part in a reburial ceremony for the remains of 22 pogrom victims who were recently identified.
The event reflected the shared commitment of Israel and Romania to keeping alive the memory of the Holocaust and the history of Romanian Jewry.
Speaking at the ceremony, Herzog said, “It is with humility and trepidation that I have come from Jerusalem, with the blessings of the nation of Israel, to stand here today, as President of the State of Israel, to meet this solemn duty of remembrance.”
He acknowledged that no act of remembrance could undo the crimes of the pogrom or fully explain how such violence was carried out in a city that had long been a thriving center of Jewish life. Referring to the atrocities that unfolded between June 28 and July 6, 1941, Herzog said the only response to how such cruelty was possible was “a deafening silence.”
Herzog drew on the words of Romanian-born Holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel, quoting his account of the pogrom: “From the simple soldier to the high-ranking officer; from the anonymous employee, to the official invested with the high and implacable authority of the state, the Jews of Iași could not expect any trace of compassion or humanity.”
The Israeli president said the memory of those who perished should inspire efforts to build a better future, not simply serve as a tribute to the past. He stressed the obligation to ensure that future generations learn about the atrocities and visit the site.
Herzog also touched on the deep historical connections between Romania and Israel, noting that Naftali Herz Imber wrote the original draft of what would become Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikvah,” in Iași, and that Romanian Jews helped establish some of Israel’s earliest communities, including Rosh Pina in 1882.
Addressing the growing threat of antisemitism, Herzog declared, “The moral infrastructure that humanity established in response to the moral destruction of the Holocaust is weaker than it has been for eighty years.” He expressed gratitude to Iași Mayor Mihai Chirica and Romania’s leadership for their work to preserve Holocaust memory and push back against antisemitism. Herzog also announced plans to address the Romanian parliament in Bucharest on Monday to honor the bond between the two nations.
