The Victoria Shoah Project invites everyone to attend the annual remembrance of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), which will take place on Sunday, April 27th, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM, at the Victoria Jewish Cemetery on Cedar Hill Road (south from Hillside Ave.).
This year’s theme is “Survivor Stories from Victoria’s Jewish Cemetery”. We will tell the story of several survivors who came to Victoria and are buried in our historic cemetery. These individuals demonstrated the strength and resilience needed to try and overcome the traumas of their past. The stories of these few individuals can connect us to the memory of the many victims of the Nazi-inspired genocide.
We honour the memory of those that suffered and perished through the Shoah by remembering their stories, and by being aware of the social and political events that made such a catastrophe possible and the resonances of those events today. This is particularly important given the rise of antisemitism in Canada and around the world. We know that for the safety of all people, the lessons of the Shoah and events leading up to that tragedy cannot be forgotten.
The ceremony will also include music from that now-vanished world, music that can both move us and remind us of the flourishing cultures tragically upended by the Shoah. Memorial prayers and reflections can help us to not only reflect on this tragic chapter of history but also help us think about how we can and should act today.
E-mail: victoriashoahproject@gmail.com