The Mayor of Bromley Councillor Hannah Gray will lead a virtual service to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January 2021.
The theme for Holocaust Memorial Day this year is Be the light in the darkness and the Mayor will introduce the video service ahead of a host of other guests, who will all contribute online with their recorded part in the service.
This year’s theme encourages everyone to reflect on the depths humanity can sink to, but also the ways in which individuals and communities resisted that darkness to ‘be the light’ before, during and after genocideThe service this year will include Cantor David Rome and Cantor Adrian Alexander with the Jewish children’s choir. Reverend Andrew McClellan, Chair of the Bromley Three Faiths Group will be lighting the candles.
Reverend Dr Hugh Osgood, Co-President of the National Council for Christians and Jews will be talking about reflecting on the light, pilgrimage and lockdown. There will also be Kaddish and other commemorative prayers by Rabbi Mati Kirschenbaum from the Bromley Reform Synagogue.
The Mayor will conclude the event with a reading of Psalm 23 – the Lord is my Shepherd - from the Bible.
Mayor of Bromley, Councillor Hannah Gray said: “We are inviting residents to join online and watch our service this year, due to the current pandemic. The theme this year is ‘Be the light in the darkness’ and we would like residents to join us on this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day, to stand together and support everyone in the community in their own way.
“Being the light in the darkness is a call to action for everyone marking Holocaust Memorial Day. With the very different challenges around the world right now, we want to remember that individuals and communities have resisted darkness before in other ways, such as fighting tyranny during the Holocaust. We must take action together to stop the spread of hatred in our communities too, build on our strengths and draw on the lessons from history.”
Residents can watch this year’s full service on the council’s website and from the Mayor’s facebook page
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Notes to Editors
Residents can view the Holocaust Memorial event at https://www.bromley.gov.uk/mayor or from facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mayorofbromley/
For further information on Holocaust Memorial Day 2021 visit www.hmd.org.uk
For media enquiries, please contact Susie Clark, Communications Executive, on 020 8461 7911 or email susie.clark@bromley.gov.uk