LA JOLLA, California— Remembering the Holocaust is crucial to honor the memory of the victims, to learn from the past, and to prevent such atrocities from happening again. It serves as a reminder of the dangers of prejudice, discrimination, and hatred, and underscores the importance of promoting peace, understanding, and respect for all people. Therefore, it is no surprise that such an event was held Sunday, May 5, at the Lawrence Family JCC.
As my husband Albert Kreimerman and I walked into the theater within the JCC, we were handed LED lights. Men could take a kippah and we received the program for the event. Seating was not assigned so we grabbed third row seats on the right side. I was hoping to be close enough to be able to take pictures for this article. There was live piano and violin music being played while people came in and settled in. It was a full house.
The event began with a beautiful opening by Barbara Ostroff, Chair of the Yom HaShoah Committee. She had the theater lights dimmed and asked the Holocaust survivors in the audience to raise a candle shaped light that they each received. Then she asked for the next generation to raise the LED light we all received on our way in, and the third generation. It was really special to see all these lights in the theater representing the survival of a people and a nation and how the generations continued to grow despite the fact that Nazis tried to erase us.
Jack Morgenstern introduced the Color Guard and the Marine Corps Recruit Depot did the Presentation of Colors. Lyra Collins sang the “Star Spangled Banner.” The entire crowd stood up and sang along. Mayor Todd Gloria of San Diego assured us that the city is prepared in case any violence breaks out at the UCSD campus, where demonstrators have encamped to protest the War in Gaza. Having him there speaking to us was a great reminder of how important our vote is and how we have the power to place the right people in the right positions.
After the mayor, there was a string quartet made of Marcia Brookstein, Eileen Wingard, Myla Wingard, & Sarah Price-Keating who expertly played the “Theme From Schindler’s List.” This is when my eyes started to water. When the movie came out, it left such an impression on me. The family sitting behind me consisted of small children and I heard one of the adults letting the children know of this movie. I had a moment of realization, the generations after mine are not aware and those after them will be even further removed from history. It suddenly struck me, when I have children, they won’t be growing up meeting and hearing the stories in person from survivors. It is up to us to always carry the torch and never let that dark history be forgotten.
I felt I was going from one deep emotional aspect to another. It was no different when 15-year-old Rebecca Leeman got up to the podium to recite her poem “In Her Eyes.” I recognized this impressive girl as just last week I was touring the gallery at the JCC with a group where she was the docent, thoughtfully taking us through the artwork of David Labovski. If you haven’t had a chance to experience this, I highly recommend you sign up and go. I do believe it is free of charge.
Immediately after Leeman, we heard from Shai Gino, an IDF soldier. Shai told us about his family’s experience with the Holocaust. Shai served his time in the IDF years ago however, after October 7th, he went back into the reserves. He reminded us how important it is to stand up and fight.
I think the flow of events was thought out very well. After Shai finished speaking, there was a memorial. I think this tied well with Shai’s speech. During this time, the family of the late Fanny Krasner Lebovits came up to light the Shamash. New Life Club president, Manya Wallenfels, a Holocaust survivor, then invited fellow survivors to light six symbolic candles representing the Six Million Jews who perished in the Holocaust.
We had Alyssa Blumberg as the Shamash holder. The first candle lighter was Anita Fuchs, followed by Vera Falus. Then Ilona Medwied, Francheska Gelbart, and Jerry Szames. The last survivors to light a candle were Manya and her husband Mike Wallenfels. The whole ceremony came full circle when Shai came back up to light a candle as well. Once the candle lighting was done, Rabbi Mendel Polichenco of Chabad of Carmel Valley came up to recite the memorial prayer “El Maleh Rachamim.”
Survivor Ben Midler was the next one up. He recited the Kaddish, a prayer praising God. Right after, we had Mitch Albom speak as he was the keynote. He was incredibly engaging as he spoke about his book, The Little Liar. Mitch was able to weave in and out flawlessly from reading passages in the book, to telling relatable stories, showing us pictures, and even showing videos. He asked the audience thought-provoking questions, made us all laugh, cry, and appreciate. Honestly, I could probably write an entire article just on this speech alone.
The plot involves Nico, a boy who always told the truth. A Nazi officer told him that he could save his family if he told the people of Salonika, Greece, that boarding the train would take them to a better place. Thinking this was true, the boy did as he was told. Later, after learning that the train took the people to concentration camps and death, Nico resolved never to tell the truth again. He became the little liar.
For the closing remarks, we had Heidi Gantwerk, President & CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Diego. While I understand that some people had to leave during her moment, I found it to be very distracting. Frankly, those who left early missed out on some exciting news. The Jewish Federation of San Diego has received a very generous donation, the biggest in its history. With these funds, they are building a mobile Holocaust educational vehicle. It will include the latest technologies, relics, interactive components, and so much more. This is set to change how people are taught about the Holocaust. Heidi also let us know that we are all getting a copy of Mitch’s book, The Little Liar.
We all stood up to sing Hatikvah. Our leads were Jacob Rodriguez and Lyra Collins. This was yet another eye watering moment. So many generations in one room. A unity showing that we are so much stronger together.
The event concluded with a sense of unity and remembrance, emphasizing the importance of preserving the memory of the Holocaust for future generations. There were a lot of similarities spoken about between the Holocaust and the atrocities of October 7th, 2023 and the war happening right now. One thing that remained a consistent theme is that we must not forget. Never again is now.
As my husband and I were leaving, we were given a copy of the book, we got a memorial candle to light, we received pebbles to place in the Holocaust memorial right outside the door. There were a few snacks to enjoy and the ability to line up to have the book personally signed by Mitch Albom.
A committee of people and organizations sponsored and produced this important event. Huge shouts out to the following: Barbara Ostroff, Joe Fox, Margarita Ferdman, Eli Landau, Ben Midler, Steve Schindler, Allison Weisman, Sam Landau, Cheryl Rattner-Price, Mike Wallenfels, Manya Wallenfels, Jack Morgenstern, Jacob Hirshberg, Mark Schauder, Sara Brown, Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel, Marlene Sasson Recht, ADL, Jewish Family Service, Together From Holocaust to New Life, SDRA, Seacrest Village Retirement Communities, Generation, March of the Living, Jewish Community Foundation, Hillel San Diego, Generations of the Shoah, Jewish Federation of San Diego, and the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, Jacobs Family Campus.
I am reminded that the generations after ours may not have the familiarity with the Holocaust that older generations have. So, allow me to provide some context for them:
Yom HaShoah, also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day, is a Jewish memorial day observed annually to commemorate the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust, as well as the millions of other victims who were persecuted and murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators during World War II.
Yom HaShoah falls on the 27th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, which typically occurs in April or May on the Gregorian calendar. The date was chosen because it corresponds to the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, which was one of the largest acts of Jewish resistance against the Nazis during the Holocaust.
On Yom HaShoah, ceremonies and events are held in Jewish communities worldwide to honor the memory of the victims, to reflect on the horrors of the Holocaust, and to reaffirm the commitment to never forget and to combat antisemitism and other forms of hatred and prejudice. It is a day of mourning, remembrance, and education about the Holocaust and its lessons for humanity.
The Holocaust refers to the systematic, state-sponsored persecution and genocide of six million Jews by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during World War II. The Holocaust also targeted millions of other groups, including Romani people, Slavs, disabled individuals, political dissidents, Jehovah’s Witnesses, homosexuals, and others deemed undesirable by the Nazis.
The Holocaust is one of the most devastating events in human history, characterized by mass deportations, forced labor, starvation, torture, and mass murder in concentration camps, extermination camps, and through mass shootings. It represents a profound moral failure and a dark chapter in human civilization.
The Holocaust led to the deaths of approximately two-thirds of Europe’s Jewish population, and its impact continues to reverberate today, shaping discussions on genocide, human rights, racism, and tolerance.
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Miriam Gershenson is a dog-loving, Israel-born, HR professional currently residing in Escondido.
Thank you for your article. I was there too and you captured it well.