YCQ marked Yom HaShoah and honored the victims of the Holocaust with meaningful ceremonies led by our students, featuring survivor testimony, film, song, and tefilah on Sunday, May 6 and Monday, May 7.
Candles, each with a unique name of a Shoah victim, were distributed to all students in grades 5-8 on Friday ahead of Yom HaShoah. On Sunday evening, at the start of Yom HaShoah, the students lit the candles at home. This simple yet powerful act of remembrance gave students a personal connection to the day and set the tone for the programs in school on Monday.
On Monday, students in Grades 3-8 participated in age-appropriate assemblies to commemorate the important day, and students had the incredible opportunity to hear from Holocaust survivors. Rabbi Mark Landsman, Principal of YCQ, told students how their generation will be the last to hear eyewitness testimony, and this is not something to be taken for granted.
At the Junior High School ceremony, students were shown the Names, Not Numbers© documentary created by the Eighth Grade. The program is an intergenerational oral history film project created by Mrs. Tova Fish-Rosenberg.
Six survivors were interviewed for this year’s film: Ben Milchman, Rachel Epstein, Robert Lindendblatt, David Weichselbaum, Norbert Strauss, and Natalie Gomberg a”h, who unfortunately passed away just a few weeks after filming. Students recorded the harrowing accounts of their survival and the powerful messages they shared with future generations.
Each segment was introduced by students sharing a brief biography of the survivor. After the interview was shown, a candle was lit to honor their legacy and to commemorate the six million Jewish victims. It was especially meaningful to welcome Mr. Milchman and Mrs. Epstein, who joined the students for the Tekes.
The Junior High School Boys’ choir, led by Rabbi Ophie Nat, sang two beautiful songs: “Acheinu” and “Ani Maamim.” Rabbi Nat also led a touching rendition of the special “Keil Malei Rachamim’’ tefilah to conclude the program.
The Yeshiva of Central Queens gratefully acknowledges the Names, Not Numbers© Program, which has taught students about the Holocaust through the accounts of eyewitnesses and has enabled meaningful relationships to be forged between the survivors and our students. YCQ has benefited tremendously from its participation in this Legacy Heritage project.
Special thank you to Morah Rina Bienenfeld, the Faculty Advisor for the program, for her hard work throughout the year. Thank you to Mr. Jacob Grossman, Ms. Elisheva Simanowitz, Mrs. Jen Jaffe, and Morah Mashie Kopelowitz for their efforts as well. Thank you to The Consortium of Jewish Day Schools (CoJDS) for creating the candles commemorating the victims of the Shoah.
