The Van Cortlandt Jewish Center (VCJC), located at 3880 Sedgwick Ave. in the Bronx, will host a Yom HaShoah lecture on Sunday, April 27, at noon. The featured speaker will be Sonja Geismar, who will recount her family’s harrowing journey aboard the MS St. Louis, the refugee ship that was tragically turned away by several nations — including the United States — in 1939 as Jewish passengers fled Nazi Germany, and more little known stories of her family’s escape.

This deeply personal and moving lecture is part of VCJC’s ongoing commitment to Holocaust remembrance and education. The story of the MS St. Louis remains one of the most powerful reminders of the consequences of indifference and closed borders in the face of persecution.

“In a time when antisemitism is once again on the rise, particularly following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, it is more important than ever that we come together to remember the past and stand united against hate,” said Jack Spiegel, a member of the Van Cortlandt Jewish Center.

The event is free and open to the public. All community members, of every background and age, are encouraged to attend and honor the memory of the Holocaust’s victims and survivors. Yom HaShoah will be observed on April 24.

For more information, contact Jack Spiegel, publicity chair, at (646) 296-1737.