Yom HaShoah was commemorated at JKHA and RKYHS with meaningful programming in the middle school and high school, remembering those who were murdered and honoring those who survived.

RKYHS brought students together to hear from survivor Mrs. Slavin and IDF General Bentzi Gruber, listen to presentations from six students, as well as watch a film about the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. The high school and seventh and eighth grade students were not only moved by Mrs. Slavin’s address about her harrowing experiences in Europe, but by seeing her present with her children and grandchildren, proving that the Jewish spirit’s resilience can outlast even the toughest of conditions. General Gruber, a child of Holocaust survivors, recounted his parents’ story and how it motivates him in his role protecting the State of Israel. General Gruber also put into context the ethics employed by the IDF and imparted to the students how the impact of collateral damage is an important focus to the IDF. The student representatives who spoke conveyed the heroic stories of family members who were fortunate to survive.

Middle school commemorated Yom HaShoah with a moving candle lighting ceremony. Students also watched a screening of last year’s Names Not Numbers student-produced Holocaust documentary. Eighth grade students have been working all year to interview Holocaust survivors and film and edit their testimonials for this year’s Names Not Numbers film. The final product will be screened on Monday, May 22, at 7 p.m. at JKHA/RKYHS.

The Yom HaShoah programs helped the students recognize the necessity of spreading these stories and appreciate their role as the future generation that ensures the perpetuation of the Jewish people’s history.