Cranford’s Annual Community Holocaust Day of Remembrance Returns

Cranford’s 14th Annual Community Holocaust Day of Remembrance will be held on Wednesday, March 26th at 7:00 pm at Orange Avenue School. It is organized by the Cranford Clergy Council, the Cranford Interfaith Human Relations Committee, Cranford Public Schools, and St. Michael School.

This annual event aims to honor the memory of the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust while educating about the horrors of genocide. This year’s theme is “Bearing Witness: The Courage to Document and the Duty to Remember.” We honor the individuals who risked their lives to document the atrocities of the Holocaust, preserving the truth for future generations. It challenges us to reflect on our responsibility to engage with their accounts and ensure their stories are never forgotten.

Our keynote speaker will be Holocaust survivor Hanna Wechsler. She was a baby when the war began, and her family initially escaped Poland before being caught and sent to Auschwitz. Wechsler was one of the youngest inmates of that camp and witnessed its liberation.

Rabbi Paul Kerbel of Cranford’s Temple Beth-El Mekor Chayim synagogue and chair of the Cranford Clergy Council will introduce the performances and speakers, which include Cranford Township Mayor Dr. Terrence Curran and Cranford Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Scott Rubin.

Performers include the Dance Ensemble and the Madrigals from Cranford High School, as well as the orchestra from Orange Avenue School, the chorus from Hillside Avenue School, and original reflective poetry from St. Michael School students.

This event is free and open to the public. It will also be recorded and aired on Cranford’s TV35.