On February 16, 2025, a significant event took place at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. The ceremony marked the signing of the Survivor’s Declaration, attended by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.
The gathering was opened by Ms. Caplan, who emphasized the importance of remembering Holocaust victims and honoring survivors. She introduced Dani Dayan, Chairman of Yad Vashem, who spoke about Eliahu Gutkovski, an educator murdered in the Warsaw ghetto. Dayan highlighted Israel's resilience: "The state of Israel is the ultimate expression of that phoenix... despite the Holocaust."
Foreign Minister Sa’ar addressed the rising threat of antisemitism globally and praised Secretary Rubio for recognizing this danger during his Senate confirmation hearing. He expressed confidence in U.S.-Israel relations: "We do not have greater friend than you... And I believe that you do not have a greater ally than Israel."
Secretary Rubio reflected on humanity's capacity for both greatness and depravity. He warned against ignoring antisemitism: "This ancient poison called antisemitism... has visited us now again in this new century." He stressed vigilance against such evils: "This cannot be ignored; this cannot be tolerated."
The ceremony underscored a shared commitment to combatting antisemitism and supporting Israel's right to self-defense.