Museum Of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial To The Holocaust To Present Virtual Annual Gathering Of Remembrance

The Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust will present the Annual Gathering of Remembrance on Sunday, April 11, 2021 at 2:00 (ET) fulfilling the sacred Jewish obligation to remember those who were murdered during the Holocaust. The livestreamed event will be held on the Sunday closest to Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day (which begins Thursday, April 8 through sundown on Friday, April 9).

Special guests scheduled to appear include: Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, US Senator Charles E. Schumer, Elisha Wiesel, Israeli Consul General Israel Nitzan, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Cantor Joseph Malovany, Daniel Kahn, and Zalmen Mlotek.

Traditionally the largest Holocaust commemoration in the country, this year's commemoration will take place virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic that has required people to observe from their homes and not in a communal space. This year's Annual Gathering of Remembrance will pay tribute to those survivors who lost their lives over the last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and also honor their children, grandchildren and families.

"Each year, at the Annual Gathering of Remembrance, we bring thousands of New Yorkers together to say with one collective voice: we will never forget," said Jack Kliger, President and CEO of the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust. "Delivered by a city with one of the world's largest communities of Holocaust survivors, this tribute has power that echoes across generations. Sadly, during this past year, many of those survivors lost their lives amid the pandemic, and so we will honor them during this program."

"Even though this year we are not able to gather in person, it is still our obligation to remember those that we lost," said Museum Trustee Rita Lerner, the daughter of two Holocaust survivors and the event Co-Chair. "We honor their memory and the memory of all survivors who have passed away, leaving us to carry on their great legacy."

"As a third generation of survivors, we are honored to again participate in this annual tribute, which serves as a reminder that we must never forget," said Alissa Rozen, Event Co-Chair and Young Friends of the Museum Board Member. "This is a moment to pause, to reflect, and to recommit to keeping the stories of the Holocaust alive."

In addition to Rita Lerner and Alissa Rozen, this year's event co-chairs are Alyssa Greengrass, Ann Oster, and Seth Weisleder.

The Annual Gathering of Remembrance program will feature music, remarks from Holocaust survivors, young people, and public figures, and a candle-lighting ceremony.

This year's partners are: Young Friends of the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, the Anti-Defamation League, 3GNY - Descendants of Holocaust Survivors, Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York, Consulate General of Israel in New York, Manhattan Chapter of Women Holocaust Survivors , National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, Selfhelp Community Services, The Blue Card, The New York Board of Rabbis, and UJA-Federation of New York.

Anyone wishing to view the Annual Gathering of Remembrance should RSVP at https://mjhnyc.org/annual-gathering-remembrance/ to be able to watch the program, which will be shared on the Museum's website and on its digital platforms:

Website https://mjhnyc.org/annual-gathering-remembrance/ and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MuseumofJewishHeritage/

Normally on the day of Yom HaShoah, the Museum hosts numerous events and programs in the building, including welcoming school groups to speak with Holocaust survivors in the galleries.

Additionally, on April 8, the Museum is launching a new tribute site dedicated to sharing the stories of Holocaust survivors who lost their lives over the last year - to the present day. The tribute page on the Museum's website will feature the testimonials of relatives and images of those who lost their lives to COVID-19, and due to other causes, since the pandemic began.

The memorial is designed to remember those who survived the Holocaust, and provide a space for relatives to share their memories of loved ones. The Museum is now seeking those stories and encouraging relatives from the New York metropolitan area and beyond to submit those stories - along with photos, and even videos - at https://mjhnyc.org/those-weve-lost-memorial-submissions/.

Contributions to the new tribute page will not end on April 8. The Museum will continue to unveil the stories of those who have passed moving forward, and encourages anyone who has lost a loved one who survived the Holocaust to submit those stories.

For information on the Museum's other educational programs, visit https://mjhnyc.org/education/.