The Board of Directors of the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences of America condemns the deplorable incident that took place in the Sejm of the Republic of Poland on December 12 when Grzegorz Braun, a deputy representing the far right faction Konfederacja, extinguished Hanukkah candles as an affront to the Jewish community of Poland and its heritage. This gesture, the offender, and the ideas they represent are beneath contempt. We express solidarity with the numerous civic and religious authorities of the country who have instantly and rightly declared the incident as outrageous and unacceptable. They, and not the advocates of hatred and intolerance, represent the traditions and values of Poland at their best.