Yom Hashoah, 2013 70th Anniversary of Warshaw Ghetto

AJR members at local events Glasgow The overflowing audience included many AJR members. Our own Michael Sankie, who passed away recently, had personal knowledge of the subject of the commemoration, the 70th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. His reminiscences were read out in fragments in the presence of his daughter Shirley Kay. Film footage gleaned from sources such as the Jewish Historical Institute of Warsaw and Yad Vashem was shown with musical accompaniment. Halina Moss Liverpool Johnny Cohen and Naomi Kingston organised the Liverpool Yom Hashoah commemoration. A packed audience of all ages appreciated a magnificent talk by Sir Eric Reich on his Kindertransport experience. A short film of a survivor’s experience was shown and Johnny Cohen gave an informed presentation on the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. Naomi Kingston read out the names of family members of the Liverpool Jewish community who so tragically perished. Candles were lit in memory of the six million Jews. Susanne Green Manchester Tania Nelson, Chair of the Manchester Yom Hashoah Programme, together with Sarah Moise and the Yom Hashoah Programme Committee 2013, organised a moving commemoration of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. The programme included survivor Sam Laskier’s personal testimony of the Ghetto, a survivor’s legacy by Rebecca Scherer, and Second and Third Generation presentations by Tania Nelson, Benny Weiss, Michael Rubinstein, Chazan Michael Isdale, Rabbi Mati Kos and Devorah Moise. Susanne Green Pinner Synagogue was filled to capacity for the annual Yom Hashoah Remembrance Service. Remarkably, the diplomatic corps numbered 11, including the Ambassadors from the Polish, German and Albanian Embassies. The Polish Ambassador gave a brief address, acknowledging the atrocities and outlining ongoing efforts in Poland to recognise those who helped save Jewish lives and to restore some Jewish culture in the country. Lili Stern-Pohlmann and Janine Webber, survivors of the Lvov ghetto, spoke about their experiences, with Lili paying tribute to her friend Irena Sendler, a Polish Catholic who had rescued 2,500 children from the Warsaw Ghetto. Brian Eisenberg