Yom HaShoah to be observed May 1 in San Diego

jewish Federation of SD CountySAN DIEGO  (Press Release) — The Jewish Federation of San Diego County will host the annual Holocaust Memorial Commemoration event at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center on Sunday, May 1 at 1:30 pm. San Diego’s commemoration is one the largest in the country with more than 500 community members attending. The commemoration serves as a day of reflection, reconciliation, and honor for our community’s Survivors.

The theme for this year’s commemoration is Remembrance, Hope and Freedom. As part of that theme Federation will host The Butterfly Project, an international education program that started in San Diego, that pays special homage to the children of the Holocaust. All in attendance will be encouraged to paint a ceramic butterfly in remembrance of a child lost during the Holocaust, and read their name and story aloud, to commemorate a life taken too soon.

Each butterfly represents a life lost. The goal of the Butterfly Project is to continue reaching out to children in classrooms around the world to teach about the importance of tolerance and respect until all 1.5 million children are properly remembered and have a butterfly painted in their honor.

The Community Holocaust Commemoration event is free and open to the public. All are encouraged to attend as candles are lit in recognition of the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and in honor of those survivors still among us in the San Diego community. The Butterfly Project Founder Cheryl Ratner-Price will speak and introduce a preview of the upcoming documentary about The Butterfly Project entitled Not the Last Butterfly. Butterflies painted at the commemoration will be included as part of permanent installations throughout San Diego County at community centers, schools, and memorials to ensure these children’s tragic legacy will never be forgotten.

For more information about the event, please visit www.jewishinsandiego.org/yom-hashoah

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Preceding provided by the Jewish Federation of San Diego County.