Monday, May 6, 1:00 pm Kansas CDT (11:00 am in Victoria Pacific Daylight Time) – With pleasure, we congratulate Micha Menczer, who has been invited to give the Keynote Address at the State of Kansas Holocaust Commemoration. Micha is a founding active member of Emanu-El’s Shoah Project and is committed to the preservation of memory and preservation of the stories of Holocaust survivors, including those of his father, Mottel Menczer. Micha’s talk will be live streamed, and you can join by registering.
Sunday, May 5, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, Emanu-El Jewish Cemetery – “If I am for myself alone, what am I?”
All are welcome to the annual remembrance of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), which will take place on Sunday, May 5, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm, at the Emanu-El Jewish Cemetery on Cedar Hill Road (south from Hillside Ave.). Those who perished in the Holocaust will be commemorated not as victims or statistics, but as the unique individuals that they were, while also honouring the strength and resilience of survivors and their families.
We know that for the safety of all people, the lessons of the Shoah and events leading up to this tragedy cannot be forgotten.
We will hear the stories of survivors now buried in our cemetery, as well as perspectives from students involved in the University of Victoria’s iWitness Holocaust Field School. Mr. Peter Nadler will reflect on how the current rise of antisemitism heightens the commemoration of the Shoah more than ever.
We truly honour the memory of those that suffered and perished through the Shoah by remembering their stories, and by being aware of the social and political events that made such a catastrophe possible and their resonances today.
The ceremony will also include music from that now-vanished world, music that can both move us and remind us of the flourishing cultures tragically upended by the Shoah.
Holocaust remembrance is not just a moment to reflect on this tragic past; more importantly, this commemoration can help us to think about how we act today.
Thursday, November 9, 7:00 pm – The Victoria Shoah Project invites the public to the annual commemoration of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. On November 9 and 10, 1938, Nazis vandalized and destroyed Jewish-owned homes, businesses and synagogues, littering the streets with broken glass, and 30,000 men were rounded up and sent to concentration camps simply for being Jewish. Kristallnacht marked the beginning of the tragic events of the Holocaust.
This year’s commemoration is made even more poignant in the face of the current alarming rise in antisemitism and the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack in Israel leading to the deaths of hundreds of Jews.
In recent years we have seen the growth of attacks and normalization of hate directed to minority groups and those who are “the other.” This highlights the need for all of 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 will be 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 and commit to taking action for a better future. We invite political and law enforcement leaders as well as representatives from the diverse faith communities to attend and join together at the commemoration to lead us in reading a Pledge of Mutual Respect and Support.
Please join us on Thursday, November 9, beginning at 7 p.m. at Congregation Emanu-El, 1461 Blanshard Street, Victoria.
Over 100 people, including representatives of all facets of the Jewish community in Victoria and many of our youth, gathered in the Congregation Emanu-El cemetery to commemorate Yom HaShoah on Sunday April 16, continuing a tradition that dates to the 1980s. The music of Lucila Nerenberg, Julia Herzog, and Nejama Ferstman and the words of Lisa Abram, Arlette Baker, and Claire Sicherman, brought us memories of trauma overlaid by the power of resilience and repair.
Sunday, April 16, 2023 – The Victoria Shoah Project invites you to attend our Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) commemoration on Sunday, April 16 at 1 pm – 2:00 pm, at the Emanu-El Jewish Cemetery on Cedar Hill Road (south from Hillside Ave.). Those who perished in the Holocaust will be remembered as real individuals, as we also honour the strength and resilience of survivors.
This year’s theme is “Reflections Across Generations.”
Arlette Baker, who survived the Shoah as a young child, will share her story, and we’ll hear the reflections of Claire Sicherman, a descendant of survivors.
The commemoration will include music and songs from that era to move us and remind us of the flourishing cultures in so many locations that were tragically upended by the Shoah. Memorial prayers and reflections will help us to think about how we can act today. We invite you to share in this event with us. We welcome your presence and support as we gather to remember the past and look towards a future of peace and unity.
Summary of event details
Date: April 16, 2023
Time: 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Where: Victoria Jewish Cemetery on Cedar Hill Road
Visiting Mr. Green completed its successful and popular performances in Bema’s Black Box Theatre on December 4. The following is just a sample of the many accolades we have received:
“If you enjoy live theatre on a human scale, and with the humour and pathos of true humanity, this is for you.”
“What a wonderful play last night! I thought both actors were absolutely fantastic. Both were such sensitive and multi-layered performances of two well-conceived characters. The play, being set in the 90’s, took me back in time a little to when people were just starting to understand homosexuality and find ways to talk about it truthfully. We are still not where we need to be as a society and I agree the play is still absolutely relevant and needed.”
“What a terrific show and an amazing ensemble. Alf never ceases to delight… what a portrayal! His acting partner, Ian Simms was awesome, too.”
“I just witnessed another stellar performance by my friend Alfred Small who transformed himself in front of our very eyes into an 86-year-old Jewish man and transported us into his life. Alf never fails to amaze me with his incredible acting skills and this play is no exception. It’s called Visiting Mr. Green, a touching story of a lonely old man who learns to get in touch with his feelings and reconnects with loved ones.”
Survivors, the eye-opening Holocaust education play, also just completed its long-awaited pilot tour to Middle and Secondary schools in Victoria. This wonderful collaboration between Bema Productions and The Victoria Shoah Project met and surpassed all expectations in its performances to over 1100 mesmerized students and teachers, plus over 450 adults in its four public performances.
Actual survivors of the Holocaust can no longer tell their own stories and say their own words. The incredible script by Wendy Kout has the six young professional actors saying their words for them, as much of the play is verbatim and covers history from the rise of Hitler to after Liberation Day, ending on a note of hope.
There was a small but mighty team of people dedicated to developing and presenting this important and very timely educational play. Zelda Dean was able to obtain the license for all of B.C. Victoria was proudly the international premiere. We know that theatres around the world will soon be wanting to present it themselves as Survivors, the play, is fully engaging, entertaining and enlightening. Our production was assessed by the Director of Curriculum Assessment for the Minister of Education, and is now officially on record for use in the schools
We are already planning next year’s full tour which will hopefully cover both Vancouver Island and the mainland. We are very grateful to the many who supported us and believed in the importance of this new and cutting edge Holocaust education.
Opening December 6 – With the endorsement of the Minister of Education, this educational play will soon complete its pilot tour to middle and secondary schools on Vancouver Island. The tour will be followed by four public performances including a Q&A with historical guides, director Zelda Dean, and the talented cast of actors.
Performances are in the Black Box Theatre in Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue.
TICKETS BY DONATION. Reservations recommended as there are only four performances.
This eye-opening stage play tells the chronological history of the Holocaust through the personal prism of experience. Survivorsexplores hatred, the capacity to survive and thrive, and serves as a call to consciousness for our challenging present. Combining history with life lessons, the audience is guided through a time when hatred was normalized. The audience is both uplifted by the survivors’ triumphs and inspired to take action against present and future racism.
The play interweaves the true stories of ten Holocaust survivors, four of whom were still alive when the play premiered in New York in 2018. Survivorscovers the rise of Hitler through life after the war, and includes true stories – a teen who watched her boyfriend being taken away to a concentration camp, a girl who was separated from her parents and relocated to England through the Kindertransport, and a boy whose family struggled to escape to China. Though each has a unique story, all the survivors “went through this horror and came through the other side to build meaningful, contributing, beautiful lives,” says playwright Wendy Kout.
Opening December 6 – With the endorsement of the Minister of Education, this educational play will soon complete its pilot tour to Middle and Secondary schools on Vancouver Island. The tour will be followed by four public performances including a Q&A with Historical Guides, the Director and the talented cast of actors.
Performances are in the Black Box Theatre in Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue.
TICKETS BY DONATION. Reservations recommended as there are only four performances.
This eye-opening stage play tells the chronological history of the Holocaust through the personal prism of experience. Survivorsexplores hatred, the capacity to survive and thrive, and serves as a call to consciousness for our challenging present. Combining history with life lessons, the audience is guided through a time when hatred was normalized. The audience is both uplifted by the survivors’ triumphs and inspired to take action against present and future racism.
The play interweaves the true stories of ten Holocaust survivors, four of whom were still alive when the play premiered in New York in 2018. Survivorscovers the rise of Hitler through life after the war, and includes true stories – a teen who watched her boyfriend being taken away to a concentration camp, a girl who was separated from her parents and relocated to England through the Kindertransport, and a boy whose family struggled to escape to China. Though each has a unique story, all the survivors “went through this horror and came through the other side to build meaningful, contributing, beautiful lives,” says playwright Wendy Kout.
Wednesday November 9 – The Victoria Shoah Project invites the public to the annual commemoration of Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass).
Each year, we commemorate Kristallnacht which was the beginning of the tragic history of attacks on European Jews. The commemoration this year will be Wednesday November 9th, beginning at 7 p.m. at Congregation Emanu-El, 1461 Blanshard Street, Victoria. It will also be available virtually on Zoom.
In recent years we have seen the unfortunate growth of attacks and normalization of hate directed to 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 will be 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 for 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 Victoria Shoah Project is honoured to host, along with the University of Victoria, the Canadian launch of a stunning new graphic book, But I Live. Described as “the most powerful collection of non-fiction graphic novellas of the Holocaust since Art Spiegelman’s Maus,” But I Live is the first volume from a pathbreaking partnership led by congregant Charlotte Schallié.
Pairing Holocaust survivors with contemporary artists to create haunting and beautiful stories of resilience and survival, the book elucidates, in the words of Holocaust scholar Henry Greenspan, “the complex relationships between story and image in Holocaust recounting. It is equally a book about relationships . . . between the artists and the survivors and then all of us who are . . . drawn into their vital conversations.”
We hope that many in our community will join a discussion of this important work at a roundtable including Charlotte, artist Miriam Libicki, and survivor David Schaffer.
Mark your calendars for September 11, at 2-4 p.m. at the beautiful Esquimalt Gorge Park Pavilion, with ample parking on site. Refreshments will be served during a book signing to follow the presentation.
Summary of event details
Date: September 11, 2022
Time: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Where: Esquimalt Gorge Park Pavilion, 1070 Tillicum Road, Victoria
Congregation Emanu-El News 