Cape Holocaust ceremony brings youth to forefront

The Yom Hashoah Vehagevurah memorial ceremony in Cape Town on Thursday, 24 April, focused on youth in recognition of how important it is for the next generation to remember these events.

More than 600 members of the Cape Town Jewish community and beyond gathered at the Pinelands Jewish Cemetery for the annual ceremony. This solemn event, which honours the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust, was particularly poignant this year as it commemorated the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps.

The ceremony brought together Holocaust survivors; their descendants spanning four generations; religious and community leaders; representatives from political parties; consulates; and school students. As the number of Holocaust survivors dwindles, the emphasis on youth participation ensured that the memory of the Holocaust is preserved for generations to come. Pupils from Herzlia and the German and French schools in Cape Town attended.

Members from young adult and youth organisations, including Bnei Akiva, Habonim, Netzer, BBYO, the South African Union of Jewish Students, and Diller, read out the names of Holocaust victims submitted by community members. Their tribute not only personalised the immense loss suffered but served as a powerful reminder of the responsibility younger generations have in carrying forward the legacy of remembrance. Herzlia High School’s head student gave a heartfelt speech reflecting the voice of the youth.

A video was screened titled We Remember: Voices of the Second, Third & Fourth Generations. It showcased reflections on the Holocaust of second, third, and fourth generation descendants of Holocaust survivors and underscored the impact Holocaust education continues to have on future generations and younger members of the community. This ensures that the lessons of the past are never forgotten.

Adding to the intergenerational nature of the event, Holocaust survivor Ella Blumenthal was honoured with a tribute read by her daughter, Dr Evelyn Kaplan, and granddaughter, Dani Katz. It highlighted the resilience of Holocaust survivors and the importance of preserving their stories through their descendants.

The Herzlia Vocal Ensemble, with soloist Melanie Stein, delivered heart-wrenching songs that captured the solemnity of the occasion. Additionally, Dr Veronica Belling and Isaac Habib recited traditional Yiddish and Ladino poems, enriching the ceremony’s emotional depth.

“In this dark period of pain and crisis in the Jewish world, it is more important than ever that we come together to honour the memory of the six million Jewish souls who perished in the Holocaust at the hands of the Nazis and their collaborators,” said Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies chairperson Adrienne Jacobson.

Jakub Nowakowski, the director of the Cape Town Holocaust & Genocide Centre, reinforced the importance of “survivors’ strength to move forward”, and he called for continued vigilance against hatred and intolerance.

A message of support from the Israeli embassy, provided by Adi Cohen Hazanov and read by Heather Blumenthal, the executive director of the South African Zionist Federation Cape Council, reaffirmed global solidarity in remembering the Holocaust. Current and ex-servicemen laid wreaths, paying tribute to those who fought against tyranny and ensuring that the sacrifices of the past are never forgotten.

The recording can be accessed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNXfh4PeJ20