Besser Holocaust Memorial Garden

The Besser Holocaust Memorial Garden was built at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta to serve as a beacon of memory and hope. This memorial is comprised of nine sculptures by renowned sculptor Dee Clements, in addition to an eternal flame (or “ner tamid”). The sculptures depict different aspects of Jewish life before, during, and after the Holocaust. Seating areas are available throughout the Memorial Garden to enable individuals or families to sit and reflect.

The Besser Holocaust Memorial, though a reminder of atrocities, stands in the middle of vibrant Jewish living.  It is a testament to Jewish faith, fortitude, and hope. Michael D. Wise, CEO of the Marcus JCC of Atlanta says, “I believe this is a wonderfully appropriate place to house the Besser Holocaust Memorial. I am pleased that this valuable teaching mechanism will be in place for future generations. This special memorial will both remind and educate the thousands of people coming to the MJCCA every day what hatred and indifference can do.”

This Memorial was inspired by the generosity of longtime Atlanta resident and Holocaust survivor Abe Besser, in memory of his family and the other six million Jews that were murdered in the Holocaust. Since his days as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps Mr. Besser had dreamed of creating a monument that would document one of the greatest tragedies of our time. Now, Mr. Besser and his wife, Marlene Gelernter Besser, have sponsored the creation of this special Memorial in an effort to “Never Forget” the Holocaust, a defining memory of our Jewish history.

Abe’s mother, Rifka, was murdered in the gas chambers of Auschwitz like millions of other Jewish men, women, and children in one of the most ruthless and systematic mass murders of the twentieth century. His father and brother were murdered at camp Gross-Rosen. His oldest brother was shot when he was caught in a hideout. His four sisters worked in a factory sewing German army uniforms and survived the Holocaust. The memorial bears witness to their death and remembers the lives of a vibrant Jewish community. In the Jewish tradition of zakhor, we remember those killed by the Nazis and their collaborators.

This memorial also honors the legacy of those like Mr. Besser who survived. The five rooms of the memorial lead the visitor through a moving artistic impression of these years: the rich and varied Jewish life of pre-war Europe, the years of persecution in Germany and the first steps towards the Holocaust, the genocide itself, and the difficult rebuilding of life post-war. By providing a space for reflection, remembrance, and education on the site of a living Jewish community center, this memorial honors the six million and pays homage to those who survived and have helped to build the vibrant community here in Atlanta. Thus, today we say: may their memory — and their lives — be a blessing to us all.