Voices of Hope and their partners will be hosting a series of events in West Hartford and the surrounding area to honor the memory of the six million who perished during the Shoah.

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When remembering the Holocaust there are many questions to consider. What can we learn today from American action and inaction? What are the warning signs we should look for to help prevent future genocides? What is our responsibility as a nation or as individuals when confronted with such crimes?

Today, the study of the Holocaust encourages reflections on contemporary cases of genocide. As long as genocide remains a threat, we must continue to ask ourselves about the consequences of action – and of inaction.

Voices of Hope and their partners are hosting a series of events to commemorate the memory of the six million Jews tragically murdered by Hitler’s Nazi regime.

1. Voices of Hope and the Mandell JCC, will be showcasing the “Portraits of Survival Exhibit,” featuring photographs of local Holocaust survivors captured by Lena Stein, from May 1 to May 24 in the Mandell JCC Chase Family Gallery located at 335 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford, CT. In addition, on Thursday, May 16, The Mandell JCC will be screening “999: The Forgotten Girls” movie as part of the Hartford Jewish Film Festival and  co-sponsored by Cambridge Insurance Advisors, the families of Peter Fishman, Adele Jacobs and Alan Lazowski. It reveals the hidden story of 999 young, unmarried Jewish women who were registered to work in a supposed shoe factory and instead were sent to Auschwitz. Guests are welcome to visit the “Portraits of Survival Exhibit” and a dessert reception following the movie.
2. Join us for the 42nd Annual State of Connecticut Holocaust Commemoration on Friday, May 3, in the Senate Chambers of the CT State Capitol, 210 Capitol Ave., Hartford, from 10 a.m. to noon. Following the commemoration, there will be a lunch provided for Holocaust Survivors, program participants, and elected officials. This event is co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation Association of CT.
3. On May 5 at 2 p.m., Voices of Hope and the Mandell JCC invite you to join the Yom HaShoah Commemoration at the West Hartford Conference Center (Town Hall) located at 50 S. Main St., West Hartford, CT. Our keynote speaker, Shiri Sandler, will deliver an address. The reading of the names of our community’s family who perished and departing survivors will begin at 1:30 p.m.
4. Lastly, we extend an invitation to you to stop by, light a candle, and join us in honoring the memory of the six million who perished during the Holocaust on Monday, May 6, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the Community-wide Reading of the Names at The Mandell JCC located at 335 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford, CT.

Antisemitism remains pervasive and persistent and is not going anywhere. In a moment of rising religious and ethnic tensions, it is crucial for us to unite as a community fostering widespread understanding of the Holocaust’s significance, while also educating about the perils of escalating antisemitism and bigotry.  Holocaust education can be used a as tool to defeat hate.

Please register for these events at the Voices of Hope website or the following link: https://www.ctvoicesofhope.org/voices-of-hope-events/upcoming-events/

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