This year Holocaust Memorial Day falls on Saturday 27th January.
I want to pay tribute to all those who have made this day such an important occasion in our national calendar.
We are all invited to place a candle in our window at 8pm this Saturday evening. Iconic buildings will be lit up purple and there is a project to light 6 million ‘digital candles’ on billboards across the country. The iconic billboard at Piccadilly Circus will display portraits of Holocaust and genocide survivors in the lead up to this national moment.
Registration to join streamed curated moments from the Holocaust Memorial Day 2024 Ceremony is open here https://www.hmd.org.uk/take-part-in-holocaust-memorial-day/ukhmd/
At New London, we will be reciting a Memorial Prayer in our services this Shabbat but deferring our major commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day to next Shabbat, 3rd February. Next week marks the 75th Anniversary of the arrival in this country of our member Hannah Lewis MBE. Having survived the Holocaust in the Adampol, in the Labour Camp and in hiding, Hannah came to London – in part owing the actions of another New Londoner, Basil (subsequently Lord) Feldman, or blessed memory. The theme of HMD this year is the Fragility of Freedom and Hannah’s story – which she will be sharing from the Bimah – is a hugely important reminder of this fragility. It is also a privilege and an honour to be able to hear Hannah's story - I encourage all to make every effort to attend.
In terms of age-appropriate or related concerns, Hannah will be focussing on her journey to London, not her direct experiences of the Holocaust as it surrounded her. We will have some more information available at the Synagogue regarding her remarkable story of survival.
I want to, also, share with the community two other opportunities for engaging with this important time.
The Most Precious of Goods is a theatrical performance of the French novella, translated and directed by Nicholas Kent with music from friend of the community, Gemma Rosefield (who has played cello at our recent Slichot evenings). Marylebone Theatre until 3rd February (I’ll be there on Thursday 1st) https://www.marylebonetheatre.com/productions/the-most-precious-of-goods
Revenge: Our Dad the Nazi Killer is an extraordinary new documentary about two Australian brothers who investigate their father and uncle, Holocaust survivors, and whether they might have been responsible for the mysterious deaths of Nazi war criminals who fled to their country after the war hoping to start a new life and avoid persecution. Available to stream https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001vn46/storyville-revenge-our-dad-the-nazi-killer
Rabbi Jeremy
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