Jewish Communities Program Will Recall The Holocaust

MIDDLEBURY — Jewish Communities of Western CT, Inc. will hold its annual Yom HaShoah Commemoration program on Monday, May 1, at 7 pm, at Westover School.

The annual event marks the internationally recognized day of solemn remembrance of the Holocaust in Eastern Europe during World War Two. It is a time of prayer and healing, especially for those who survived the Shoah or for those who lost family during the historic tragedy. It is also a time of learning and understanding for those who did not experience the Shoah.

Rabbi Eric Polokoff, of B’nai Israel Synagogue in Woodbury, will join other area rabbis to lead a memorial service for the six million Jews who perished in the Shoah. A candle lighting ceremony where survivors, children of survivors and community leaders are asked to light a memorial candle for those who died will follow the service.

There will be a special performance by the actress and musician Claudia Stevens, herself the daughter of Holocaust survivors, entitled An Evening with Madame F. Ms Stevens’ renowned performance is one of the most honored and sought-after Holocaust-related presentations before the public, with engagements in more than 80 cities nationwide. It is also an acclaimed television production by PBS affiliate WCVE.

Madame F was Fania Fenelon, a young singer and pianist who was imprisoned at Auschwitz and later transported to Bergen-Belsen. She survived Auschwitz by performing for her captors as a member of the camp orchestra. An Evening with Madame F conveys the terrible struggle and ethical dilemma of the camp inmates. Ultimately, it is a story of spiritual survival through the act of expression.

The community-wide Yom HaShoah Commemoration is free of charge and open to the public. The program is made possible through a generous grant from The Jewish Federation Foundation of Jewish Communities of Western CT, Inc. Reservations are not necessary.

For more information contact Abby Greenwald at the Federation, 263-5121, extension 308. Westover School is on Route 188.