Community Holocaust Observance

Community Shoah Observances

 The theme for this year’s Days of Remembrance commemoration is Choosing to Act: Stories of Rescue. Our community’s commemoration program will take place on Thursday, April 19 at 7:00 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El, 29 Dayton Rd. in Waterford.

Speaking this year will be two individuals who directly experienced rescue. Margaret Kahn of West Hartford was a child when she was rescued from the Nazis by joining the Kindertransport that brought her to England. Irene LaBlanc, a Polish woman now living in Moosup along with her parents helped to hide and rescue her childhood Jewish friend and many other Jews.

Holocaust survivors from our community will light six memorial candles while teenagers from our Jewish Community High School and students participating in our Encountering Survivors program will provide narration.

Rev. Kent Richards, of the United Methodist Church in Stonington will read a Statement of Concern. Rabbis Alter, Astor, Rosenberg and Schwartz will participate in the program. Opening music will be performed by the Jewish Community Choir led by Sherry Barnes and accompanied by Roz Etra. The choir will also perform the Yiddish choral piece “Es Brent”. Posters from past Encountering Survivors programs will be on display. All are welcome to attend.

This program was coordinated by the Jewish Federation of Eastern CT and area synagogues.

 At Connecticut College

Yom Hashoah will be observed at Connecticut College on Thursday, April 19 at 4:30 PM in Blaustein 210.  In addition to commemorative readings, a documentary film Imaginary Witness, Hollywood and the Holocaust will be shown. This award winning documentary includes rare newsreel footage, interviews with prominent filmmakers and gripping clips from over forty films. The movie industry to its credit has had the courage to attempt to depict the compelling stories that portray this horrendous period. The New York Times says of this film “a devastating, impressively reflective documentary.” All are welcome to attend.