Never Again!

Last night, I was honored to join other elected officials from South Orange/Maplewood, Senators Menendez and Lautenberg, local Clergy and several hundred residents in the 31st Annual Interfaith Holocaust Remembrance Service. We began with a small gathering in Grove Park and the crowd steadily grew as we marched toward Congregation Oheb Shalom, which hosted the service this year.

The service was a very moving tribute to the memories of the 11 million people (6 million of them Jews) who were systematically slaughtered by the Nazis during World War II. There were numerous Guest speakers from various representatives of the State of NJ, including both of our United States Senators. One of the most moving portions of the evening was during the candlighting that was done by numerous survivors who endured unspeakable atrocities and righteous gentiles who risked their lives to help others.

For me, the evening was personal, as well. My Grandparents were fortunate to come to this country in 1937 from Poland to escape the rising anti-semitism. For a while after they arrived, they corresponded via letters with their siblings and other relatives back in Europe, but after a period of time, the communication ceased. To this day, we have never been able to locate them and can only assume they were victims themselves of the vicious Nazi monsters.

I was very impressed with the enormous turnout that the Remembrance Services received last night. I would certainly like to thank all the members of the Committe that planned and coordinated such a moving tribute. As many people have said, each year we lose more and more survivors and remembering the atrocities becomes even more important for all of us to ensure that NEVER AGAIN shall the world see such hatred and destruction.