Cambridge Holocaust Commemoration May 5

Cambridge’s Annual Holocaust Commemoration Tuesday, May 7, 7-9 p.m.
Temple Beth Shalom, 8 Tremont St., Cambridge
Temple Beth Shalom is located just off Broadway at 8 Tremont St., between Hampshire St. and Broadway (Tremont St. is one block east of Prospect St., between Central and Inman squares). Limited free parking is available.

Recalling all who perished during the Holocaust, this year’s program features an evening of music, candle lighting, and remembrance.

The guest speaker is Dr. Sylvia Smoller. Dr. Smoller was born in Poland to Aleksander and Ola Hafftka. Her father worked for the Ministry of the Interior. In 1938, he was forced out of the government by the growing anti-Semitism in Poland, yet even after the German invasion that started World War II the next year, he was reluctant to abandon his country. However, as a six-year-old child, Dr. Smoller fled with her parents to Lithuania. In 1940, the family escaped again – this time from Russian-occupied Lithuania via Moscow, Siberia, and finally Japan. Their journey was only possible with the help of Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara, who issued transit visas to thousands of fleeing refugees against the orders of his government. Over a year after leaving Warsaw, her family arrived in the United States.

Music will be provided by cellist Shaheen Lavie-Rouse and the Cambridge Community Chorus. Roma poetry will be shared by Margareta Matache.

The program is free, open to all, and wheelchair accessible. It welcomes all communities of Cambridge – including children and adults and people of all faiths and traditions.

For more information, contact the Cambridge Peace Commission at peace@cambridgema.gov or 617.349.4694. Also, visit www.cambridgema.gov/peace.