The 32nd Annual Holocaust Memorial Service will happen on Sunday (19 April 2015) at 3:00 PM. It will be held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral (2785 Fairfield Avenue, Shreveport LA)
From Rabbi Jana De Benedetti:
This will be the 32nd year that the Shreveport and Bossier communities will come together in prayer, memory, and hope for our annual Holocaust Memorial Service. Each year a different house of worship hosts the event, and this year it will be at St. Mark’s Cathedral
The Very Rev. Alston B. Johnson is the Dean at the Cathedral and the Chair of the memorial service this year.
In recent years, we have lost Holocaust survivors in our community. This year, we are privileged that Nico Van Thyn (son of Holocaust survivors Rose and Louis Van Thyn) will be sharing some of his personal stories of what it means to be a child of survivors, growing up in the Shreveport/Bossier City area, in a presentation called, “Living with Survivors.”
Holocaust Memorial Essay Contest
Over 100 essays and poems from local middle and high school students were submitted for our Holocaust Literature contest. The students were asked to write an essay or a poem to describe an event (or events) during the Holocaust that represents one (or more) of the stages of prejudice (that had been described by Gordon Allport). Also, take a recent event (or events) in our world (local or global) that is an example of one (or more) of the same stage (or stages) of prejudice.The winning entries will be read, and the other winners will be awarded at the event. Eleven candles will be lit in memory of the eleven million lives lost during the Holocaust. Musical selections will be presented by St. Marks’ choral groups. We will share prayers together in memory and solidarity.
This is intended as a non-denominational opportunity for the community to come together to remember and find strength to prevent injustice in the world.
Please join us, whatever your faith background.
