Jews, guests, and consular staff from Israel, the United States and other countries gathered at the Keneseth Eliyahoo synagogue in Kala Ghoda on Monday evening to mark 'The International Day in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust'.
January 27: Liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp in 1945
The United Nations has designated January 27 as the day to mark the liberation in 1945 of the Auschwitz concentration camp, the biggest of such centres created by Nazi Germany to incarcerate and kill millions of Jews and other groups, including Roma, Jehovah’s Witnesses, homosexuals, and political opponents. The event was held on January 29 as Holocaust Day fell on Saturday, the Jewish sabbath.
Salman Ansari
Governor of Maharashtra, Ramesh Bais, who was the chief guest at the event, unveiled a plaque at the synagogue as a part of the project ‘The Jewish Route in Maharashtra.’ The project describes the history of the Bene Israelis, a community of Marathi-speaking Jews who settled on the Raigad coast hundreds of years ago. Bais said he was both happy and sad at the event. “Happy because it is for the first time I am visiting a Jewish prayer house. Sad because we have gathered here to commemorate the memory of millions of our brothers who were killed,” said Bais.
Salman Ansari
He told the audience that in 2008 terrorists killed innocent people in Mumbai. “International Holocaust Remembrance Day is when we remember those children of God whose life was snuffed out,” he said, adding that India is one of the few countries that welcomed Jews with open arms. He also recalled the contribution of Mumbai’s small Jewish community to the city’s growth. “Jews are builders of Mumbai. Public facilities created by Jews in Mumbai and Pune still help people. David Sassoon’s name will not be forgotten by the people of Mumbai and Pune,” he said.
Salman Ansari
“In our humanity, we are all one”
Consul General of Israel to midwest India, Kobbi Shoshani said that the Holocaust Day reminded us that we are all called upon to speak out against injustice. “In our humanity, we are all one,” said Kobbi.
Solomon Sopher, chairman and managing director of Sir Jacob Sassoon Trust, said that one reason to remember the Holocaust is to see that it never happens again. “Not only to Jews but to anyone. We are, first of all, human beings,” said Sopher who added that the people of India have been kind to Jews.
Salman Ansari
Sangita Jindal of the Jindal Foundation which had helped the restoration of the Keneseth Eliyahoo synagogue, said that the Holocaust is a reminder of the consequence of hate.
Attendees later lighted candles in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. The event also featured an exhibition 'Flashes-of-Memory' on the events leading to the Holocaust. Attendees wore yellow bows to pray for the safety and return of the 136 Israeli hostages still held by Hamas.
