Dear Fellow Members of the Five Towns Community:
We hope this email finds you in good health and that you were able to enjoy Pesach during these trying times. With social distancing guidelines in place, most of us were unable to celebrate in the ways in which we were accustomed and spend time with extended family and friends. While we are coping with social distancing restrictions, worries about illness and anxiety about the economy, we nevertheless remain blessed to enjoy a festive Yom Tov meal in the comfort of our own homes. During the horrific nightmare of the Shoah, the kedoshim who perished and those that were able to survive were tragically not as fortunate.
While we cannot physically gather as a community this year, we must come together virtually to commemorate the victims of the Shoah. Creating a meaningful program during these turbulent times was no easy task, but we were fortunate to partner with the Museum of Eternal Faith and Resilience, which emphasizes faith in the face of insurmountable odds and strives to pass on the legacy of this message to inspire future generations. We encourage all of you to join us this Monday evening, April 20 to participate in this virtual program. The Museum has prepared several inspirational films from its extensive 50-year archive of testimonies, artifacts and document. Links to each of these film interviews, as well as a written introduction from Rabbi Hershel Billet of the Young Israel of Woodmere, can be found below. We would like to express our gratitude to the dedicated committee members who devoted their time and energy to other aspects of the Yom Hashoah program that we hope to be able to utilize in the future.
While the COVID-19 pandemic will undoubtedly dissipate with Hashem’s help, the wave of antisemitism sweeping across much of the world continues to grow. The message of these inspirational videos is more relevant today than ever before. Faith binds us together and gives us strength. The Jewish people have lived through many challenging times in our history and survived them all .The Hebrew name of the Museum is Museon Shel Am Hanetzach- The Museum of the Eternal Nation. We are an eternal people and will rise from this “new normal” to even greater heights. Am Yisrael Chai!
Rabbi Billet’s Introduction
I have taken five trips to Poland. Last year I discovered Ginzach, a chareidi holocaust museum. It is being built in Ramat Gan. It is an incredible warehouse of information about the holocaust. The people who run it are wonderful. They work closely with Yad VaShem. The mission of Yad VaShem is to be the clearing house of everything relevant to the Shoah. Ginzach sees its mission to highlight the Kiddush HASHEM during the Shoah. They are worthy of our attention and our support. They are our community’s guests for this year’s Holocaust commemoration. You will be moved by the stories that they share with us.
Click on the Links Below to Watch the Program
Museum of Eternal Faith
Virtual Candle-lighting Ceremony
We also encourage everyone in your household to light a virtual candle to commemorate one of the six million who perished. Simply click on the Light A Memorial Candle on the button from the link below. The website will provide you with a brief biography of the victim for whom you will be lighting.
We also encourage everyone in your household to light a virtual candle to commemorate one of the six million who perished. Simply click on the Light A Memorial Candle on the button from the link here. The website will provide you with a brief biography of the victim for whom you will be lighting. For further information about the Museum project or to preserve the memory of Holocaust martyr or loved one in its archive please contact Zev Lanton. [email protected]
For those who would like to participate in a live program on Tuesday April 21, 2020 at 3 pm, the Marion and Aaron JCC is joining with the UJA-Federation’s CommUnity and CIHS for a virtual Yom HaShoah commemorative program, featuring words of inspiration from Rabbi Kenneth Hain of Congregation Beth Sholom as well as a conversation with Holocaust survivor Bernie Igielski and the Gural JCC’s associate executive director Cathy Byrne. Click here for the link.
Dana Frenkel
Nathaniel Rogoff
Co-Chairs of the Five Towns Yom Hashoah Program
