The Mandell JCC and Voices of Hope are collaborating to hold a commemoration in West Hartford on April 12, 2026.

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At a time of rising antisemitism and deepening division, the Greater Hartford community is being called to come together for a powerful observance of Yom HaShoah – not only to remember, but to stand together in shared responsibility. Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, is a time to honor the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and to reflect on the enduring responsibility to remember and bear witness.

The community-wide commemoration, “Standing Together in Remembrance with Clergy of Many Faiths,” will take place on Sunday, April 12 at 2 p.m. in West Hartford (location shared following registration). This commemoration is co-sponsored by the Mandell JCC and Voices of Hope.

Clergy from across faith traditions will stand side by side – an unmistakable statement that remembrance is not only a Jewish obligation, but a human one. The program will feature survivor testimony from Nina Jacobs, whose voice brings history into the present with urgency and truth. She will be introduced by Bishop Emeritus Peter A. Rosazza.

The Kol Zahav Chorale performs during last year’s Yom HaShoah commemoration. Photo by Virginia Kemp.

Matthew Lupis, a student from Avon High School will help to carry the memory of the Holocaust forward. Music from community choirs including the Mandell JCC’s Kol Zahav Choir and the First Cathedral of Bloomfield Choir. The program will also include the dedication of the Daffodil Living Holocaust Memorial Garden, creating a lasting symbol of resilience and remembrance.

The afternoon begins at 1:30 p.m. with the reading of the names of those who perished and departed survivors – ensuring that each life is remembered, each name spoken. A community-wide Reading of the Names will continue on Monday, April 13 from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. at the Mandell JCC .

This is not simply a commemoration. It is a moment to show up – together.

All are encouraged to attend and take part in this meaningful community observance.

Register at: www.mandelljcc.org/yomhashoah.

In addition, the 44th Annual State of Connecticut Holocaust Commemoration will be held on Friday, April 17, 2026, beginning at 10 a.m. at the State Capitol in Hartford, 210 Capitol Ave, Hartford, CT. The keynote speaker will be Ruth Weiner, Holocaust Survivor, and will be followed by a Kosher lunch. The event is sponsored by Voices of Hope, Jewish Federation of Western Connecticut, and the Jewish Federation Association of Connecticut.

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