Yom Hashoah Canada

The 16th annual Holocaust Memorial Service was held by The Canadian Society for Yad Vashem on October 5th, 2008.  Over 300 people attended the ceremony to light candles and lay wreaths in memory of the 6 million Jews murdered in the Shoah.  The ceremony is held every year, on the Sunday between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, at the Holocaust Memorial Flame and Memorial Wall in Earl Bales Park.

Mr. Jack Klajman, and his granddaughters light a candle in memory of the 1.5 million children murdered

Dr. Joel Dimitry, Event Chair

The Canadian Society for Yad Vashem held 3 significant ceremonies this year to mark Yom Hashoah.  

Canadian National Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony, Ottawa, Ontario
Thursday, May 1st, 2008

Chaired by Dr. Joel Dimitry, the event was attended by over 50 Parliamentarians and Senators who lay commemorative wreaths on the steps of Parliament Hill with 60 Holocaust survivors and their families.  Over 1000 people from across Canada attended the event.

Mr. Joe Gottdenker, Holocaust survivor, renowned businessman and philanthropist, delivered an emotional keynote address about his experience as a child hidden during the Holocaust by a gentile family, and his life after the Holocaust in Canada. 

Mr. David Azrieli, C.M., C.Q. March, Holocaust survivor, renowned architect and builder and philanthropist, addresses the audience as a Guest Speaker.

Tom and Riva Hecht lay Commemorative wreath with Gilles Duceppe, leader of the Parti Québécois.

Yom Hashoah Ceremony, Earl Bales Park, Toronto. 

Wednesday, April 30th , 2008

Co- Chaired by Lou Greenbaum  and Joyce Rifkind of the Holocaust Centre of Toronto, UJA Federation, the theme for the Toronto Yom Hashoah Ceremony was “Exploring the Contributions of Holocaust Survivors Over the Past 60 Years in Canada and Israel”.

Mr. David J. Azrieli, C.M., C.Q. March, Holocaust survivor, internationally renowned architect and real estate developer and philanthropist, delivered the keynote address. 

Consul General Amir R. Gissin (right) presented the Righteous Among the Nations medal to Mr. Eelke Hiddema, who received the medal on behalf of his parents, Jan and Grietje Hiddema, who were recently announced as Righteous Among the Nations.   

Government of Ontario Ceremony- Queen’s Park

Monday, May 5, 2008

In a moving ceremony chaired by Hank Rosenbaum, National Chair of the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem, in conjunction with the Province of Ontario, nine Holocaust survivors were honoured by the Premier of Ontario, who provided each with a signed certificate that states that the Government of Ontario will never forget the lessons of the Holocaust.   Pictured here: Hank Rosenbaum, National Chairman, Canadian Society for Yad Vashem, Jerry Kapelus, Al Gelfant, Tamara Erlich, Shifra Knobel, Sol Kafka,   Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, Mike Mayer, Jonathan Steinberg, Jack Weinbaum, Cantor Severin Weingort, Ontario Immigration Minister Michael Chan, Member of Provincial Parliament, Monte Kwinter, Consul General Amir R. Gissin, Yaron Ashknazi, Executive Director, Canadian Society for Yad Vashem.

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