A gathering of over 600 people assembled at Bergenfield High School on Wednesday evening, April 23, to participate in the Greater Teaneck Annual Yom HaShoah Commemoration. Sponsored by over 20 local shuls, the evening offered a solemn and meaningful tribute to the worldwide victims of the Shoah as well as to the hundreds of relatives of Teaneck residents whom they have been memorializing for more than 30 years through this annual event.
Steve Fox, president of the Jewish Community Council of Greater Teaneck, was joined by Felicia Grossman and Chani Jaskoll, co-chairs of the Teaneck Yom HaShoah Committee, in welcoming the attendees.
The program began with the Yeshivat Noam choir under the direction of Morah Adina Mermelstein, who led the students in the Hatikvah, national anthem and a musical tribute to the Shoah. The keynote speaker was Ron Siesser, Teaneck resident whose recent publication “Live and Be Counted: A Boy’s Heroic Tale of Survival, Faith and Family,” sensitively recounted the Holocaust journey story of his grandfather, Alfons Sperber, as told to his own son Eli Siesser. Within his presentation, Siesser showed a video of his son, Eli, interviewing his grandfather Alfons, who now resides in Hillcrest, Queens.
As in the past, Jonathan Rimberg accompanied by Stephanie Kurzman presented a medley of classic Holocaust musical renditions. Artwork by middle school students at the Moriah School was presented as part of a video honoring the courage of “Women in the Holocaust” created by Moriah art instructor Gila Bretter. Rabbi Daniel Fridman of Teaneck Jewish Center led the recitation of Tehillim followed by the candle-lighting ceremony by young members of the extended Siesser family. The program concluded with the audience standing through the recitation of the Kaddish and memorial prayer by AJ Schrieber as the many names of “Those We Lost” were scrolled down on the screen.
