Photo from Holocaust rememberance

Never forget

Community leaders remember Holocaust – Published in the Sun Herald

Photo from Holocaust rememberance
Members of the Gulf Coast Jewish community and guests gather for a Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony at Congregation Beth Israel in Gulfport on Monday. The memorial remembered the victims of the Holocaust and included a candle-lighting ceremony, reading of names and a video featuring an interview with Anne Levy, a concentration camp survivor.
AMANDA McCOY — SUN HERALD

By PRISCILLA LOEBENBERG — Special to the Sun Herald

GULFPORT — Community leaders from local government, military and religious organizations joined Congregation Beth Israel on Monday to remember the 6 million people who perished in the Holocaust.

Yom HaShoah or Holocaust Memorial Day was observed worldwide with the reading of some of the names of Jews and others who died at the hands of the Nazis between 1933 and 1945.

The ceremony, Unto Every Person There is a Name, included candle lighting, name reading and a video interview of Holocaust survivor Anne Levy of New Orleans.

Levy detailed her childhood in Poland, including how her family nearly starved to death in a camp before escaping and hiding out with secret supporters.

“We shall never forget” was the congregation’s refrain as the victim, survivors and their champions were honored. By remembering the Holocaust, many hope to prevent or curtail similar atrocities.

“Sadly, there is still genocide going on in the world,” said Milt Grishman. “We just have to try — every one of us — have to try to stop it.”

The service concluded with the mourner’s kaddish, a prayer that reminds people that God delights in life, even in the face of great loss, and a song for healing.