Advertisement Foul-mouthed driver interrupts Holocaust Remembrance Day Walk in Salinas Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A peaceful Holocaust Remembrance Day Walk was interrupted by a hateful driver hurling insults against Jews on Sunday.Salinas church Temple Philadelphia holds a special service and walk every year to educate its parishioners and remember the millions of lives lost during the Holocaust. "Six million Jews were slaughtered for no other reason than being Jewish and we don't want this to be forgotten, it's too big a tragedy," said Minister Phillip Nava who led the service. Following the service about 100 churchgoers gathered in the parking lot for the walk from E. Gabilan Street to Alisal. Men women and children were waving the Israeli flag and holding a sign that read 'Never Forget Remembering the Holocaust' but before they even started walking a man in a black BMW SUV drove by yelling obscenities.The driver hurled insults against Israel and the Jewish people as he drove past. The same driver then circled back around on E. Gabilan Street in downtown to harass the walkers again. The group remained peaceful and calm in the face of hatred. Organizers with the church said this is not the first time hatred against the Jewish faith has been hurled against the Christians of Temple Philadelphia. The church has been building ties with the Jewish Community in Salinas and abroad in Israel since the 1960s. Church youth volunteer every year at Temple Beth El's Kosher-Style Lunch fundraiser, which is coming up on January 31, 2019, and the pastor of Temple Philadelphia is currently in Israel on a religious pilgrimage. The church has also hosted Holocaust survivor Harold Gordon of Salinas for several talks.Young churchgoers said the teachings have made a difference in their lives. "When you learn about it in school and stuff it's very just general, but I feel when we do it here at the church, we focus more into it," said teen Saturn Macias. Macias' dad Nino Macias said it is more important than ever to teach children about the holocaust and make sure they learn the lesson of tolerance. "It's so important, as I was saying to my son earlier, 'to forget what happened is to allow history to repeat itself,'" said Macias.Holocaust Remembrance Day 2019 marks the 74th anniversary of the Allied liberation of the Auschwitz death camp.