International Holocaust Survivors Night Recognizes The Importance Of Honoring Survivors

NEW YORK, Dec. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Julius Berman, President of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference), announces events honoring Holocaust survivors taking place on the third night of Chanukah in four countries.  The official menorah lighting ceremony at the Western Wall (Kotel) in Israel will be dedicated to Holocaust survivors worldwide.  "As we witness the passing of Holocaust survivors each day, there's an urgency to honor them, listen to their experiences, recognize their suffering and raise awareness about Holocaust remembrance," said Claims Conference President Julius Berman.

Holocaust survivor and witness to, what the Nazis called, Kristallnacht, Dr. Charlotte Knobloch stated, "This commemoration comes at a time when we just saw the passing of the 80^th anniversary of Kristallnacht.  I remember the hate in the eyes of the raging crowd as well as the desperation and fear of my family and friends. At the time, I questioned why nobody helped us.  As we honor Holocaust survivors on this Chanukah, we ask our friends, neighbors and the global community to remember those who were murdered and commemorate survivors." 

"The story of Chanukah resonates with the heroism of those who survived the Holocaust," said Claims Conference Executive Vice President, Greg Schneider. "Both are stories of the few surviving oppression by the many, the mighty persecuting the powerless, and ultimately, the light banishing the darkness as a symbol of survival.  We ask people globally to do something special for survivors in their own community this holiday season and, wherever you are, take a moment to remember and honor all survivors on the third night of Chanukah."

The Claims Conference will recognize Holocaust survivors with global candle lighting ceremonies in Berlin, Jerusalem, Moscow and the New York metro area:   

• In Berlin 300 survivors will be honored by State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Dr. Rolf Bösinger; alongside Holocaust survivor and President of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria, Charlotte Knobloch.
• Recognition in the New York-New Jersey Metro Area will be led by former U.S. Ambassador to Germany, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy; and Holocaust Survivor and Chairman of the American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Their Descendants, Roman Kent.
• The Jerusalem ceremony at the Kotel will be led by Minister of Social Equality in Israel, Gila Gamliel; side-by-side with Chairperson, Center of Organizations of Holocaust Survivors in Israel, Ambassador Colette Avital; and Claims Conference President Julius Berman.
• This year's global tribute has expanded to include Moscow, where the event will be led by the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar; Holocaust survivor, Dr. Oleg Mortkovich; Professor Mikhail Chlenov, Vice President, World Jewish Congress; and Executive Vice President of the Claims Conference, Greg Schneider.

"Just as Chanukah is the celebration of a great miracle, so is every day a celebration for those who, either through their sheer strength of will or because of the good will of their fellow man, miraculously lived to tell the story of the Holocaust," said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. "We must not, and will not, allow the memory and lessons of the Holocaust to fade as those who survived leave us. Their flame will never be extinguished. We will remember them all."

Claims Conference Executive Vice President Greg Schneider and the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar, will gather with approximately 100 survivors from the former Soviet Union, each of whom was in a ghetto or concentration camp. Schneider stated, "The former Soviet Union has one of the largest populations of Jewish Nazi victims still alive.  After experiencing the worst of humanity, they spent the next several decades enduring continued hardship, while being cut off from the worldwide Jewish community – it is imperative that these Nazi victims in the former Soviet Union be recognized."

At "the Wall" in Jerusalem, Chief Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall and the Holy Sites, will recite the Chanukah prayers and light candles with Holocaust survivors and their families as well as with representatives from social services agencies and other organizations that assist survivors.  Holocaust survivor and Chairperson, Center of Organizations of Holocaust Survivors in Israel, Ambassador Colette Avital stated: "We are glad to bring some light into the lives of Holocaust survivors, to those who lived so long in the darkest night of history".

Locations and Times (all times listed are local):

Berlin:  Jewish Community Centre on the Fasanenstraße 3:00pm – 5:00pm.
NY/NJ Metro Area:  Oheb Shalom Congregation, 170 Scotland Rd., South Orange, NJ  11:30am – 1:30pm.
Jerusalem/the Kotel:  Official invitation and details provided upon request 1:30pm – 5:00pm.
Moscow:  Moscow Jewish Community Center and Synagogue (MJCC) 5a, 2nd Vysheslavtzev Pereulok 3:30pm – 5:30pm.

For more information, please visit: www.claimscon.org

About the Claims Conference: The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) a nonprofit organization with offices in New York, Tel Aviv and Frankfurt, secures material compensation for Holocaust survivors around the world. Founded in 1951 by representatives of 23 major international Jewish organizations, the Claims Conference negotiates for and disburses funds to individuals and organizations, and seeks the return of Jewish property stolen during the Holocaust. As a result of negotiations with the Claims Conference since 1952, the German government has paid more than $80 billion in indemnification to individuals for suffering and losses resulting from persecution by the Nazis. In 2019, the Claims Conference will distribute approximately $350 million in direct compensation to over 60,000 survivors in 83 countries and will allocate approximately $550 million in grants to over 200 social service agencies worldwide that provide vital services for Holocaust survivors such as homecare, food and medicine.  

SOURCE Claims Conference

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