Thursday November 7, 2019 at 7 pm, Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue, 1461 Blanshard Street — The Victoria Shoah Project will commemorate Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass), the beginning of the tragic history of attacks on European Jews, on Thursday, November 7, 2019 at 7:00 pm at Congregation Emanu-El synagogue, 1461 Blanshard St., Victoria.
In recent years we have seen the unfortunate growth of attacks on minority groups and those who are “the other”. This highlights the need for us to stand together to protect and safeguard all peoples, regardless of religion, race, sexual orientation or other factors, which may make them targets of a hateful few. This year’s program is titled “Remembrance and Action”. It is a respectful remembrance of those who suffered on Kristallnacht and in the Shoah (Holocaust) as well as a reminder of how and why we, as a collective society, commemorate such tragic events. Remembrance is essential; however we also must act in tangible ways to protect all peoples in our diverse community. We are inviting political and law enforcement leaders as well as representatives from the diverse faith communities to join together at the commemoration to lead us in reading a Pledge of Mutual Respect and Support.
Please join us to remember the past and commit to take action a better future where we will respect and protect our neighbours, not remain silent in the face of any injustice against any person or group and work towards building bridges leading to unity and shalom (peace) in our own community and beyond.
The Congregation Emanu-El Adult Education Team has arranged a series of sessions inviting us to examine some aspects of Judaism that fall outside what we might consider conventional Jewish wisdom.
As Simhat Torah approaches, let us remember one of the beloved members of our kehillah who passed away this last year. Laurel Nahshon z”l was a pillar of our community. She was gracious, empathic, encouraging, passionate and had “Devekut” (clinging to Hashem). And, she left us far too soon.