Yom HaShoah

Day of Remembrance ~ “In memory of those who perished during the Nazi reign of terror.”

Special Presentation: Children of Genocide
Dr. Ellen Kennedy
Founder and Executive Director, World Without Genocide

This year’s commemoration, sponsored by the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center in Maitland, took place on Sunday April 15th.

Dr. Ellen Kennedy, Founder and Executive Director of World Without Genocide, presented a keynote address on “Children of Genocide: The Holocaust, Cambodia and Rwanda.” She focused on the history of three children: Petr Ginz, who perished in Auschwitz when he was sixteen; Loung Ung, who escaped the “killing fields” of Cambodia at age 10; and Alice Musabende, who at age 14 became the only survivor of her Rwandan village.

In her call to action to the 350 attendees, Dr Kennedy asked people to remember the children who have died in genocides through creating and participating in local events like the Paper Butterfly project recently launched in Houston. She asked for support for the Red Hands Day campaign which seeks to end the use of child soldiers and to put in place rehabilitative programs for former child soldiers, and penalties and embargos for nations who continue to use them. She called on local and national leaders to proclaim each April as Genocide Awareness Month, and asked for continued pressure to pass a universal land mine ban.

In addition to the keynote speech, the event featured a candle-lighting by local Holocaust Survivors. They were Elsie Azzinaro, Renata Bradley, Henri Goodheim, Frances Hodes, Inge Koele, Harry Lowenstein, and Eva Meyer. Pastor Jim Coffin, Executive Director of the Interfaith Council of Central Florida addressed the need for the multi-faith community to take responsibility for remembering the Holocaust, and to become more vigilant in preventing further erosions of peace.

Cantor Jackie Rawiszer sang El Malei Rachamim, the prayer for the departed, and Rabbi Hillel Skolnik led the congregants in the Mourner’s Kaddish. The responsive reading was led by Dr. Patrick Powers, Dean of Knowles Memorial Chapel at Rollins College.

The program ended with awards to the winners of the Yom HaShoah Student Creative Arts contest. About 450 students participated in this year’s contest, with a theme that challenged them to explore the experiences of the people whose lives were changed by the Holocaust.

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The Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida · 851 N Maitland Ave · Maitland, FL 32751 · Phone: 407-628-0555 · info@holocaustedu.org