In a joint initiative with the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Yom HaShoah UK has now unveiled over 200 legacy boards across the community in shuls and communal buildings for the whole community to see, including at the Israeli Embassy and in the Mayor of London’s office.
Harry Olmer MBE, who is a member of Jewish Care’s Holocaust Survivors’ Centre unveiled a Yom HaShoah commemoration plaque last week at Jewish Care’s Maurice & Vivienne Wohl Campus where the Yom HaShoah UK ceremony has been held for the past two years.
The unveiling, with Jewish Care CEO Daniel Carmel-Brown, Neil Martin OBE, Chair of Yom HaShoah UK and Jacques Weisser BEM, Vice President of Yom HaShoah UK and Trustee of Yad Vashem UK, was attended by members, staff and volunteers of Jewish Care’s Holocaust Survivors’ Centre, which is on the same site.
Harry (Chaim) Olmer MBE was joined by community leaders in commending Jeffrey Pinnick OBE, former Chairman of the Yom HaShoah UK and Yad Vashem UK, for initiating the UK Legacy of the Holocaust Initiative. Harry, who has closely followed the progress of the project, said, “The Legacy Boards project that Jeffrey Pinnick OBE has made into a reality is so important and it is good to see that they are displayed in a prominent place.
“The three themes of the Legacy Boards are Zachor, that we remember; Haggadah, that we tell others what happened and talk about the millions who were murdered in the Holocaust; and L’Chaim that we see the Legacy Boards in our community life, reminding us whenever we go to our shuls and our community buildings to never forget those who perished and to remember the Holocaust survivors who have rebuilt their lives.”
Speaking at the unveiling, Neil Martin, Chair of Yom HaShoah UK and CEO of JLGB, said, “Yom HaShoah UK put Yom HaShoah back on the map as that is what survivors asked us to do. It is now a firmly placed commemoration event in our community, so that the next generation will never forget.
“We know it’s about remembering all year round and one of the initiatives that Jeffrey Pinnick, former Chair of Yad Vashem UK and the coordinator of the Legacy Project put in place was the legacy boards.
“These will be the first and last thing that people will see as they go in and out of shuls and community buildings and I’m so proud to have the plaques across the country and here at Jewish Care, which has given us a home for the Yom HaShoah ceremony. I am always so impressed by what Jewish Care Holocaust Survivors’ Centre does to support survivors. The boards talk about the tragedy of the Holocaust and all the things we need to remember but it’s also dedicated to the survivors and refugees who made their life in Great Britain.”
Speaking to the survivors, members of Jewish Care’s Holocaust Survivors’ Centre, he continued, “You’re such an inspiration to all of us thankfully growing up in Great Britain, so when people see this board they don’t just see the horrors that you’ve been through and the families lost, which is vitally important. They also remember how you triumphed over adversity and became such an important part of British society, for which we are very grateful and are inspired by.”
Jewish Care CEO Daniel Carmel-Brown, said, “It is the responsibility of all of us in the community and all of us at Jewish Care to preserve the legacy of Yom HaShoah and we are proud to show our commitment to this today with the unveiling of these two legacy boards.
“We love our survivors and refugees with all our hearts and we know that we will come to a time in our lives when our survivors won’t be able to tell their own story and it will be our most important responsibility to tell the story of what they went through, in the hope that it will never ever happen again.”
Jacques Weisser, Chair of Yad Vashem UK and Vice President of the Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women, added, “I’m a hidden child and I’ve been involved with Yom HaShoah and Yad Vashem for over 50 years.
“It goes without saying that the unveiling of this board is symbolic. There are over 200 boards and this has been Jeffrey Pinnick’s idea, to put together a commemorative element which is visible to us all the time.
“For me seeing everyone here and having this opportunity to unveil the plaques with Jewish Care, our partners in this, is fantastic.”