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Pasadena hosting 25-hour Holocaust vigil to commemorate Remembrance Day
Pasadena Independent Dec 02, 2021
| Photo courtesy of the Office of Public Affairs/Flickr
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On Saturday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. through Sunday, Jan 23 at 8 p.m., the Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys, in partnership with the City of Pasadena, will be holding its annual “Every Person Has a Name,” a 25-hour Holocaust vigil to commemorate UN International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This year’s event will return to the steps of Pasadena City Hall, as well as a simultaneous live stream.
“With all that is going on around us, an event like this is crucial to serve both as a reminder of what can happen when hate goes unchecked, and also to remember the people who were murdered because of the same hatred… the hatred for the other,’” explains Jason Moss, Jewish Federation’s Executive Director. “By bringing the community together, we remember that each person that was killed was someone who lived and whose life was cut short. While our readers and those who listen may not know the people they are reading the names for; by saying their names aloud… they are remembered. With every passing day, survivors are dying, and with them go their stories… my concern is that the memories will be dying as well.”
This year’s event will once again begin with a commemoration ceremony featuring local elected officials and other dignitaries and will continue with a 24-hour vigil of name reading. Earlier this year, Pasadena marked the 80th anniversary of the Babi Yar massacre and we will be reading the names of those murdered during that horrific event.
By participating in events like this, the city is hoping to ensure that the importance of the Holocaust is not forgotten, no matter how many years pass, as memories are passed on to the next generation.
The event is open to the public. The city is currently looking for volunteers to sign up to read names, either in-person or virtually, during 30-minute blocks. People can sign up by visiting the Jewish Federation’s website (www.jewishsgpv.org) or by calling (626) 445-0810.
For more information about this event, please contact the Jewish Federation through their telephone number or by sending an email to federation@jewishsgpv.org.
