Holocaust Memorial Day takes place on 27th January each year to remember the 6 million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, alongside the millions of people murdered under Nazi persecution of other groups and during more recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. It takes place on 27th January as this is the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp.
Each year across the UK, thousands of people come together to learn more about the past and take action to create a safer future. Together we bear witness for those who endured genocide, and honour the survivors and all those whose lives were changed beyond recognition.
We have marked Holocaust Memorial Day by participating in three events during the week.
School Assembly at Leeds Jewish Free School, Monday 27th January
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz Birkenau. To commemorate this, the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust launched a ’80 Candles for 80 Years’ project where 80 communities or organisations across the UK were invited to design a candleholder to be used as part of the commemorations.
Leeds Jewish Housing Association are one of the selected organisations, and we have worked with the Leeds Jewish Free School to design a candleholder, which will be influenced by the stories of survivors. Pupils also wrote various poems.
The candleholder was unveiled this week at a Holocaust Memorial Day School Assembly, attended by the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Abigail Marshall-Katung, and including a series of reading and prayers. As we all need to be united in standing up to hate and standing together in the spirit of peace, the event also included the lighting of candles from faith representatives.
Later that day, our Community Engagement Officer, Simon Phillips, spoke about the 80 Candles for 80 Years project at an event at the UHC Synagogue.
Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration in Stonegate Way, Wednesday 29th January
We remembered as an LJHA community with a ceremony in our Stonegate Way lounge, attended by over 60 people, including representatives from the Leeds Jewish Welfare Board, the Holocaust Centre North, and the Queenshill Chassidishe Synagogue.
Our residents Arek Hersh, Leisel Carter, Trude Silman, and Suzanne Ripton shared memories of their lives.
The event ended with the lighting of candles and the reciting of the seven Holocaust Memorial Day Commitments. A selection of photos are shown below:
