Commonpoint Commemorates Yom HaShoah with Author Richard Hurowitz
For this year’s commemoration of Yom HaShoah, Commonpoint hosted an author discussion and luncheon at the Sam Field Center in Little Neck. Significant interest in the event led to over 100 people attending, including Holocaust survivors and members of the community.
Yom HaShoah is an international day of Holocaust remembrance in which the catastrophe of the Nazi Genocide is publically marked in order to ensure that the conditions that led to it are never recreated. Through education and the political act of memory, people can fight to maintain that “Never Again” remains a reality.
This event was co-hosted by Commonpoint’s CAPE Mental Health, Cultural Arts and Jewish Heritage and Resilience Programs. The Resilience Program offers events to survivors with full knowledge that a sense of community is a bulwark against the enduring effects of trauma.
In partnership with the National Jewish Book Council, the event featured author Richard Hurowitz, who led a discussion of his most recent publication, In The Garden of the Righteous.
In the Garden of the Righteous profiles the stories of ten of the nearly 27,000 inductees of the Righteous Amongst the Nations as documented by Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. Rescuers came from all walks of life, many of which might surprise readers, including Circus Ringmasters,self-renouncing Nazis, and Tour De France winning cyclists. Their stories of courage and moral agency resonate strongly today.
After an introduction from Leslie Kraut, Senior Director of the Resilience Program, and a commemorative prayer, a lively dialogue between Hurowitz and Commonpoint’s moderator ensued. Amit Yaacov, our Community Shaliach, probed the author with stimulating questions as to his personal interest in the subject, theological concerns, and the endurance of contemporary anti-semitism. Attendees’ interest in the topic was apparent, with many approaching the speakers to ask questions of their own.
“The purpose of today’s Yom HaShoah luncheon – and our programs for Survivors in general – is not just to share a meal and hear a speaker, but rather to come together to honor the blessed memories of victims and survivors of the Holocaust,” said Aron Katayev, a lead coordinator of Commonpoint’s initiative for Holocaust Survivors. “We at the Resilience program believe in the importance of relating the past to the present. Especially considering the significant rise in antisemitism.”
Despite the solemnity of the topic, the crowd was sparkling and in good spirits, with many survivors and their relatives happy to socialize. Ukrainian violinist Lenny Khmel performed klezmer music as well as selections from Schindler’s List and Fiddler on the Roof. A delicious Kosher catered meal was catered and enjoyed by all. The joy was palpable, with one of the enthusiastic attendee’s referring to the event as an “incredible program with abundant, delicious food and wonderful staff and volunteers.”
You can see photos from the event by clicking here.
You can learn more about Commonpoint’s initiatives for Holocaust Survivors by visiting www.commonpoint.org/resilience, you can learn more about Commonpoint’s Cultural Arts programs by visiting www.commonpoint.org/cultural
