Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration project in South London - January 2010

50 local students meet Holocaust survivor at South London Liberal Synagogue

South London Liberal Synagogue in Streatham hosted 50 students from Dunraven School for a Holocaust Memorial Day Education Project last week.  The new addition to the observances of this day by Faiths in Lambeth was the idea of Rabbi Janet Darley from South London Liberal Synagogue and David Wirth, a member of South London Synagogue.

The students from years 9 and 10 heard Holocaust survivor Mala Tribich talk about her childhood in hiding, later caring for herself and her cousin in Ravensbruck and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps. They watched a short film before participating in breakout discussion sessions. The morning closed with a moving ceremony in which the students lit candles and handed a personal message to Mala explaining what they had learned from her story.

Rabbi Darley commented:  “All of us who participated in the morning were very moved by the reaction of the students.  Events like this help us to build a safer, stronger society in this country by creating awareness of the dangers posed by exclusion and persecution.”

Photo above, left to right: SLLS Vice-President Louise Freedman, Holocaust survivor Mala Tribich, Rabbi Janet Darley standing in front of SLLS's ark with memorial candles on the table in front