Two important commemoration events are coming up next week, November 5th and 7th. 听All are welcome to come and participate and learn.
November 5, 4:00 pm, Victoria Jewish Film Festival Presents the World Premiere of 鈥�Why Am I Here?鈥� at听The Vic Theatre, 808 Douglas Street, Victoria V8W 2B6听sponsored by The Victoria Shoah Project. The film will be followed by Q & A with film subject Julius Maslovat and Executive Producer Helga Thornson.听 Tickets:听
What is it about? Long-time Victoria resident Julius Maslovat grew up knowing he was a child survivor of the Holocaust, but had few answers for how and why he lived.听 In this locally produced film, which is premiering at the VIJFF, Maslovat describes the chance discoveries and dogged research that allowed him to piece together his remarkable history. Julius Maslovat was among the youngest of only 5,000 children under the age of 16 who survived the Nazi concentration camps. This is his incredible story.听 Julius Maslovat often speaks to local groups about how he answered the existential question, 鈥淲hy Am I Here?鈥�
Thursday, November at 7pm. The annual remembrance of听Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) Commemoration听will take place at听Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue,听1461 Blanshard Street, Victoria, V8W 2J3.
We are a diverse collective of Shoah survivors, descendants, educators and caring individuals whose main focus is to continue finding innovative, informative and inspiring ways to honour, commemorate and educate about the Shoah. We are sponsored by Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue.
@e will be remembering what took place on the evening of November 9th, 1938. Kristallnacht targeted Jews solely for who they were with planned attacks of Jewish owned stores, buildings and synagogues in Germany and Austria while authorities did nothing to stop the assault.听 The Name Kristallnacht refers to the pieces of broken glass covering the streets but represents the broken lives forever changed by this tragedy.听
November 9th, 1938 was only a hint of greater harm to come. The history of Kristallnacht reminds us of how quickly lives can be shattered. Kristallnacht is not only a painful scar in the pages of Jewish history, but a lesson for all humanity. All of us have a responsibility to respond promptly and loudly at the first appearance of injustices targeting any group. This message is particularly significant in today's world when acts of irrational and violent prejudice are all too common.听
Our program will remember all who perished in the Holocaust with a听candle lighting ceremony by survivors, second- and third-generation descendants, as well as students and youth, representing our ongoing hope for a future of peace.听In addition, the program will include a variety of other speakers, musicians and the reading of our Pledge of Mutual Respect and Support by politicians, multi-faith representatives and law enforcement leaders from the Victoria community and others in attendance.听听听
Please join us to remember the past and pledge to take action a better future where we will respect and protect our neighbours, not remain indifferent in the face of any injustice against any person or group and work towards building bridges leading to unity and shalom (peace) in our own community and beyond.听
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:听
Victoria Shoah Project
Email:听[email protected]
Website:听
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