Yom HaShoah U’gvurah
Post Passover begins the season of the modern Jewish holidays and commemoration. It began this week as we commemorated Yom Hashoah u’Gvurah, Holocaust Memorial Day. It is the day the Jewish community comes together around the world to remember those who were slaughtered in the Holocaust.
Since World War II and the founding of the modern State of Israel there have been many powerful moments that have shown our people’s strength and resilience despite unimaginable tragedy. The miracle of the founding of the State of Israel, the moment Israeli fighter jets did a symbolic flyover of Auschwitz, the yearly March of the Living, are just a few examples.
I came across an emotionally powerful video of a 600-person strong choir made up of Holocaust survivors, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren singing a song by Israeli artist Ofra Haza. The images of how Hitler and the Germans failed to destroy us, and we continue to live and thrive are a testament to the fortitude of the Jewish people. Click the link below to watch the video.
Just a reminder that our community will come together to commemorate Yom Hashoah and bring comfort of our local survivors on Sunday April 15 at 3 PM at Temple Beth Sholom. You can click here for more information.
Also paying tribute to the Holocaust is a film presentation by MKT Hazak on Tuesday, April 17 of "Fanny's Journey," the story of the children who escaped from France during the war. The film will be shown at noon at Midbar Kodesh Temple.
And on Sunday, April 29 at 2 p.m. at Midbar Kodesh Temple the Sperling Kronberg Mack Holocaust Resource Center in partnership with Jewish Nevada will bring the viewing of "Complicit," the story of how passengers on the SS St. Louis, seeking asylum from 1939 Nazi Germany, were turned away by several countries, including America, The film will be followed by a panel that features Robert Krakow, the film's creator; Tom Jacobson, a survivor of the SS St. Louis; UNLV Historian Jeanne C. Holland; and Professor Michael Kagan, Director of the Immigration Clinic at Boyd School of Law at UNLV. I will be moderating this special presentation.
It is my hope that you take time to share in one or all of these programs. These community wide presentations give us moments to remember..."Never Again."
