AJR Holocaust Memorial day at Belsize Square Synagogue. Rabbi Stuart Altshuler pictured with Survivor Herman Hirschberger lighting Candle

Communities come together for Holocaust Memorial Day

by Tim Lamden Monday, January 28, 2013
12:00 PM

Young and old came together to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day with special ceremonies in Golders Green, Belsize Park and Camden Town.

Holocaust Memorial Day was held yesterday and communities which were destroyed during the Holocaust, under Nazi

persecution and the subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur were remembered across the country.

The Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) hosted a memorial service at Belsize Square Synagogue, in Belsize Square, Belsize Park, ahead of Sunday’s official memorial day on Thursday (January 24).

This was followed by a service at the London Jewish Cultural Centre (LJCC), in North End Road, Golders Green, on Friday (January 25).

Yesterday, Holocaust survivor Mala Tribich led tributes during a service at the Jewish Museum, in Albert Road, Camden Town, which included candle-lighting and music from the Alyth Youth Singers.

The theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day was “Communities Together: Build a Bridge”.

Reflecting the theme, Conservative MP Alistair Burt, minister for the Middle East, was a special guest at the LJCC service, alongside Mayor of Barnet, Cllr Brian Schama, and Sughra Ahmed from the Islamic Foundation.

There were also musical recitals from cellist Gemma Rosefield and choir performances from Barnet primary schools Nancy Reuben and Clore Shalom.

Addressing the service, LJCC chairman Michael Marx said: “We look to young people here today to make sure the bridges being built today are being crossed in the future.”