Survivors light candles, each commemorating one million Jews,
from left, Anna Heilman, Truda Rosenberg, Vera Kovesi, Barry Davis,
David Moskovic, George Gara.
OTTAWA — Only six Jewish war veterans marched in the ceremony to open the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht. Their dwindling numbers is a stark reminder of the message echoed throughout the evening: as time passes, there are fewer and fewer people to tell the story.
More than 400 people gathered in the West Block of Parliament Hill on Nov. 9, 70 years after the “Night of Broken Glass,” when Hitler’s followers burned, vandalized and looted Jewish businesses, synagogues, cemeteries and schools. On that night, nearly 100 Jews were murdered and hundreds more were injured.
Among those gathered to remember, pay tribute to and show solidarity with the Jewish community around the world were ambassadors and representatives from a number of embassies including those of Israel, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Ukraine, Turkey, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the Papal Nunzia.
“What we are here to do tonight is to recall history and to make sure we don’t forget history,” said Ottawa Centre MP Paul Dewar, in introducing keynote speaker David Kilgour.
Kilgour, a human rights activist and former Liberal member of Parliament, said that although there were exceptions, many Christians in Europe stood by and allowed the tragedy to happen, doing “too little to honour the second commandment of Jesus, to ‘love your neighbour as yourself.’
“You and I and the world must always keep in mind what Hitler did to the Jews,” he said, noting that “never again became again and again… We continue to have much to learn.”
Kilgour offered three lessons: first, he said, “we need to stand united against hatred and indifference. Had all of us stood together shoulder to shoulder when anyone was being persecuted, many innocent people would have been saved.”
Second, he added, “we need to act early… Anti-Semitism tends to increase as certain kinds of nationalism grow.” He urged all faith groups to speak out, for “an attack on one faith community is an attack on all.”
His third lesson was that “the international community must condemn aggression by totalitarian regimes against another country or religion.” He specifically urged the world to take seriously the threats of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to “wipe Israel off the map.”
He also, however, urged restraint in dealing with Iran. “I hasten to say that an attack against Iran is the one thing that would unite Iranians with their president and should be avoided at all costs.”
Holocaust survivor George Kadar thanked Kilgour, and told his own story of survival, acknowledging the various people along his journey who enabled him to finally find a safe and productive life in Canada. “I express my gratitude to Canada, the greatest country in the world,” he said.
A dvar Torah was given by Rabbi Howard Finkelstein of Congregation Beit Tikvah of Ottawa.
“Thank God for Canada, thank God for our ability to live in a democratic country, thank God for our ability to stand up for our rights and the rights of all people around the world,” he said.
Memorial candles were lit by six Holocaust survivors: Truda Rosenberg, Vera Kovesi, Anna Heilman, David Moskovic, Barry Davis and George Gara.
K’El Maleh Rachamim was chanted by Cantor Moshe Kraus, himself a survivor who then led those assembled in reciting the Kaddish together.
The ceremony was organized collaboration with the Shoah (Holocaust) committee of the Jewish Federation of Ottawa as part of Holocaust Education Week.
