5 minute read
Yom HaShoah 2025 remembered
“For a better future"
By Shelley Lieb, GenShoah SWFL Co-chair
The commemoration of Yom HaShoah 2025 took place at Temple Shalom on Sunday, April 27. This special day of Holocaust remembrance was established by Israel for a number of reasons. One was to mark the anniversary of the uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto in 1942. That uprising was 83 years ago and three years before the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau on Jan. 27, 1945.
How many generations of Jewish post-war history does that represent? Survivors were the first. Their children are the second. Their grandchildren are the third, and their great-grandchildren are the fourth. So, at least four generations. Individuals from each of those generations were present at the full sanctuary, either as direct participants or indirectly as community members.
The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights (TOLI) reminds us, "We are now at a critical juncture in history when the number of survivors and knowledge of the Holocaust are decreasing while antisemitism, extremism and Holocaust distortion and denial are increasing."
The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights (TOLI) reminds us, "We are now at a critical juncture in history when the number of survivors and knowledge of the Holocaust are decreasing while antisemitism, extremism and Holocaust distortion and denial are increasing."
Everyone there was commended for creating space in their life to pay respect and remember all those who perished, suffered or restored their identity after the Holocaust. The purpose of the program was to provide a framework for that commemoration within our community.
The program included local clergy — Rabbi Adam Miller, Rabbi Ammos Chorny and Rabbi Ariel Boxman — who provided context, prayers and spirituality. Cantorial soloist Hari Jacobsen led the singing of "HaTikvah" (the Israeli national anthem) and "God Bless America." Jewish Federation of Greater Naples Board Chair Nat Ritter and Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center of Naples CEO and Executive Director Erin Blankenship demonstrated the involvement of the broader Southwest Florida community. Temple Shalom's Holocaust Torah shared the bima with program participants.
This year's candle lighting continued a Jewish tradition of lighting candles as part of rituals for festive, traditional, remembrance and historical events. This year's theme, designated by Yad Vashem, was "For a Better Future." Established in 1953, Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.
Eight candles were lit as part of the program — six candles to recall the 6 million Jews who were murdered; one candle to symbolize our connection to the State of Israel; and the last candle to bring specific memory to the 1.5 million Jewish children who were murdered and to celebrate the children who survived.
Each candle told a part of the story, “Our Jewish Journey from Pre-war to Renewal.” The candles were lit by members of our community who are survivors (Sam Harris and Eva Sands), second generation (Sol Awend, Rolly Jacob, Vivian Mackey, Alan Zagier and Yvonne Holtzman), and third generation (Luba Rotzstain).
The final candle, in memory of children lost and saved, was connected to the audience through the distribution of "lost children cards." Each card identified a child who perished in the Holocaust. That child's name and a specially written prayer was recited. As part of the last candle, sixth-grade students from Temple Shalom (Gabriela Benitez, Teddy Goldberg, Emily Linz, Eliza Schwartz, Hannah Yue, Eli Miller, Preston Resnick, Jay Schaab, Ben Carcamo, Elise Lairet, Cameron Fuchs, Shane Oslick and teacher Kenarette Corl) shared information about children who survived the Holocaust.
Temple Shalom Executive Director Deborah Fidel presented a short video about the connections between the Holocaust and the events of Oct. 7, 2023, that led to the current war between Israel and Hamas.
A legacy reading and pledge of future Holocaust remembrance was led by survivor Rob Nossen and second-generation Ida Margolis, Stuart Mest, Ilicia Alifeld and Randy Alifeld.
This year's program was well received, as evidenced by many positive comments, including:
• It was well done. Especially the kids. All the gray hairs know the history, but the young ones need the exposure!
• The survivors and second-, third- and fourth-generation [participants] were very pleased to be part of this remembrance.
• I don’t have adequate words to express how deeply moved I was yesterday by the program ...
• As I looked over the room when I was on the bima, I could see the emotions on the audience’s faces ...
There are many people who helped make this program work, including Jim Cochran (musical accompaniment), Dustin Herl (AV Tech), Victor Lucas (Temple Shalom facilities manager), assisted by Ada Rossell, and Reneé Bialik (JFGN program coordinator) who always does whatever is needed. Thank you!
This community program was brought to you by Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, The Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center, Temple Shalom, Beth Tikvah, GenShoah SWFL, Naples Jewish Congregation, Chabad of Naples and Jewish Congregation of Marco Island.
