Holocaust Remembrance Day Commemoration Draws Large Crowd, Features Holocaust Survivor Speaker and Remarks by Congressman George Latimer
On April 24th, an estimated crowd of over 300 people gathered at the Garden of Remembrance in White Plains, NY for the Annual Countywide Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) Commemoration. The program, presented by the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center (HHREC) and Westchester Jewish Council (WJC) featured keynote speaker Arlette Baker, a procession of Westchester’s rescued Holocaust Torahs, and remarks by U.S. Congressman George Latimer.
The event began with the Opening of the Gates by Hillels of Westchester and the Sounding of the Shofar by HHREC and WJC Board Member Mitchell Ostrove, and was followed by the Procession of Rescued Torahs led by Rabbi Leora Frankel, President, Westchester Board of Rabbis and Rabbi Leora Frankel of Larchmont Temple.
Welcome remarks were delivered by Daniel P. Weinreb, Chairperson HHREC, and an Invocation was offered by Reverend Erwin Lee Trollinger, Calvary Baptist Church, White Plains. Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins welcomed all attendees, followed by the keynote speaker.
Baker, a Holocaust Survivor, spoke about her experience growing up in Paris, France where she was raised in a French-Jewish family when, as a 4-year-old, she was arrested in their apartment by Nazis. She shared how her father was able to bribe the two men to let her go with her grandparents, and this saved her life. Her parents were taken to a concentration camp, deported to Auschwitz, and put to death. She remarked how she became an orphan during the Holocaust, and said “To me, the memory of the Shoah is part of my being, it Is with me every day of my life.” She also said: “The Holocaust was a planned, scientific plan for the extermination of the Jews.” and concluded her remarks with “My parents blood runs in the veins of my children and grandchildren. Don’t forget them. Do not murder them again. Speak about the 6 million, it is your turn.”
Following the appearance by Baker, a Holocaust Kaddish was delivered by Cantor Lauren Phillips Fogelman, Temple Beth Abraham and Kol Hazzanim, Westchester Community of Cantors, and a music selection was performed by Cantor Hayley Kobilinsky, Temple Israel of Northern Westchester. The program concluded with closing remarks by Michael Mittelman, President Westchester Jewish Council.
