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May 13, 2005
Yom Hashoah marked at Chan
PAT JOHNSON
The haunting strains of the Mourners' Kaddish floated above the
audience at the Chan Centre May 5, when Vancouverites gathered to
mark Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.
The sombre occasion was especially poignant as it marked the 60th
anniversary of liberation for many Holocaust survivors, including
some on the stage that night. It is also the 10th anniversary of
the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, which is the sponsoring
organization of the annual ceremony.
Because of the special year, this Yom Hashoah was marked for the
first time at the University of British Columbia's majestic Chan
Centre, with the evening's emotional and beautiful procession unfolding
like a scripted performance under the guidance of professional artistic
producers Wendy Bross Stuart, who also accompanied on piano, and
her husband, Ron Stuart.
The traditional aspect of the annual event involved 12 survivors
lighting six candles, representing the murdered Jews of Europe.
Also following tradition, the Kaddish was sung and the "Partisan
Song," a testament to the martyrs of the ghetto fighters of
the Second World War, ended the moving evening.
But in between, several aspects unknown in previous Yom Hashoah
events were introduced, including an original song written, performed
and introduced by three generations of the Ehrlich family. David
Ehrlich, a Holocaust survivor, introduced his granddaughter, Lisa,
who sang "Remember," which was written by David's son
(and Lisa's dad), Perry. Five grandchildren of survivors accompanied
the singer, reinforcing, as was done on several occasions that night,
the loss created not only by the Holocaust's direct victims, but
the absence created by the lost potential of descendants who never
were.
The Vancouver Jewish Men's Choir, joined by Chazzan Yaacov Orzech,
sang traditional and religious songs, as well as leading the audience
in the "Partisan Song."
Noted local Yiddish singer Claire Klein Osipov performed a number
of wrenching traditional Yiddish tunes of lament, her voice reaching
the heights of the Chan Centre's vaulted ceiling. A variety of spoken
word readings poems, excerpts, memorials were read
by Warren Kimmel, who also chanted the Kaddish and sang the tribute
"On the Other Side of Nowhere."
The event, which was emceed by Ethel Kofsky, was attended by B.C.
Premier Gordon Campbell, who noted that the number of Jews the Nazis
killed was equal to one-and-a-half times the population of this
province.
"Imagine what those six million souls might have given to this
world," said Campbell, who remained in the audience for the
entire two-hour ceremony, which took him away from the campaign
trail less than two weeks before election day. Vancouver city councillor
and acting mayor Sam Sullivan represented the city. Prime Minister
Paul Martin sent a letter, which was read by Bill Cunningham, a
defeated Liberal candidate from the last federal election who is
now an executive assistant to Sen. Jack Austin.
Pat Johnson is a B.C. journalist and commentator.
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