Voices of History, Lessons for Today: A Yom HaShoah Commemoration

On May 6, 2024, more than 150 3Gs and friends joined together at Sixth & I for the seventh annual 3GDC Yom HaShoah Commemoration to participate in a meaningful program filled with reflection, music, and prayer.

“As we gather here today, we must recommit ourselves to the sacred duty of remembrance, for what our grandparents endured and acknowledge their ongoing legacy. We must honor the memory of the six million by ensuring that their stories are never forgotten, and by standing firm against the forces of hatred and intolerance that seek to divide us,” said Elana Rosenfield, founding president and current board member, in her opening remarks.  

She continued: “But remembrance alone is not enough. We must also take action to confront antisemitism in all its forms. This means speaking out against hate speech, challenging the normalization of antisemitic tropes, and working to promote education, understanding, and respect for the diversity of our communities. Antisemitism is why 3GDC exists and this new wave is showing us that we have to be creative in how we teach the next generations.”

To honor the thousands lost at the Lodz Ghetto, Andrew Sobotka, a member of 3GDC’s remembrance committee,whose grandparents were imprisoned in the Lodz Ghetto and later deported to Auschwitz, read an excerpt of the poem “From the Depths” by Chava Rosenfarb.

Mark Joseph Stern, host of the 30 Minutes with a 3GDC podcast, interviewed Lisa Kraft, a child survivor from Trieste. Ms. Kraft shared her family’s story, which took them from Italy to New Zealand to escape antisemitism and Nazi persecution. 

Keynote speaker Stacy Bernard Davis, Deputy  Envoy for Holocaust Issues at the U.S. Department of State, spoke about the State Department’s efforts to increase Holocaust education across the world. She also addressed the rise of antisemitism. She said that among her greatest concerns are that the teachings of the Holocaust Museum and so many organizations haven’t made an impact. "People don't know enough about the Holocaust, they don't know about history," she lamented.

Amy Haddad, a 3G, gave the closing remarks in which she shared the story of her grandfather, who was able to survive because of his ingenuity and tenacity.

Watch a recording of the program here.