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Year 9 students attend Holocaust Memorial Day at Synagogue

On Wednesday 5th February 2020 twenty-three Year 9 students visited the Northwood United Synagogue to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. In 2001 the British Government designated the 27th January each year as an annual Remembrance Day and invited people to reflect on the Holocaust of the Second World War and other genocides. It was established to encourage people to oppose racism, discrimination and persecution and to acknowledge the dignity of difference. In 2002 members of the Northwood United Synagogue decided to create a programme of education and events for secondary school children, to which our students were fortunate to attend this month.

The students were welcomed by volunteers at the synagogue, and attended a workshop run by a trained facilitator. The purpose of the day was how important it is to remember the Holocaust so lessons can be learnt from the past.  During the workshop the students learnt about all of the different groups who were involved in the Holocaust – especially the role of bystanders. The students then met Holocaust survivor Manfred Goldberg, who spoke to the students about his experiences in a labour camp, and his subsequent move to Stutthof death camp, where he was in daily fear of being sent to the gas chambers. Not long before the war ended Manfred was sent on a death march but was finally liberated at Neustadt, Germany, on the 3rd May 1945. He was reunited with his father in September 1946, following their earlier separation. Manfred graduated from London University with a degree in electronics, and later married. He has four sons and several grandchildren. A Q&A session followed Manfred’s talk followed with a closing address from a Rabbi.

The students found the day very informative and reported that it was a moving experience listening to Manfred's personal account of the holocaust.

To find out further information about the Holocaust Memorial Day please follow the link below:

www.northwoodus.org/cmspages/birth

 

 

 

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