Day of Holocaust Remembrance (Yom HaShoah) on April 27; A Community-Wide Commemoration at the MJCCAs Besser Holocaust Memorial Garden
On Sunday, April 27, 2014, from 4:00-5:00 pm, the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) will invite the entire community to come together and remember the victims of the Holocaust with a special program commemorating Yom HaShoah (or Day of Holocaust Remembrance) at the MJCCA’s Besser Holocaust Memorial Garden, one of the preeminent Holocaust Memorials in the southeast. The program is free of charge, and will take place at the Marcus JCC of Atlanta, (5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody). Rain or Shine. For information, visit www.atlantajcc.org, or call 678.812.4161.
Yom HaShoah Program Highlights:
The lighting of the Six Torches in memory of the six million people, who perished in the Holocaust;
A special musical presentation;
Remarks from Jim Barfield, author of the historical novel, Boxcars, which he will discuss, as well as Jim’s hope that teens from all backgrounds may adopt his passion for clarity on the Holocaust in such a way that throughout their lives they will hold a solid commitment to never stand for this history to be repeated. Jim’s presentation will also include an original musical composition written especially for this occasion.
Greetings from the Israel Consulate to the Southeast, and the German Consulate General to the Southeast.
About Featured Speaker Jim Barfield
Jim was born in Atlanta, Georgia on February 15, 1946 to parents who owned and operated Barfield’s Health Center which, among other services, administered rehab services to polio victims. The family home was attached to the Center, and due to the public’s unwarranted fears, Jim and his sister were avoided by other children on strict orders from worried parents. The cruelty of ostracism had a profound effect on Jim, and from it he developed an early understanding of how ignorance and prejudice feed one another. He would later put his thoughts on this issue into poems and song lyrics. One such song, “The Colored Fountain” is featured on YouTube.
Jim graduated from Henry Grady High School in 1964. Jim attended LaGrange College where he earned a degree in social studies in 1968. After teaching high school for 2 years in Atlanta, Jim enrolled in Law School at Woodrow Wilson and earned a Juris Doctorate in 1973. Jim’s law practice includes criminal defense and personal injury work, but he has always maintained a relationship with the Juvenile Court. Jim was the first person appointed as Child Advocate for Fulton County when that position was created by the legislature in the 1970’s.
Jim is married to the former Beverly Gatineau and they have two grown children and five grandchildren. In addition to his career in law, Jim is an accomplished guitarist, studio musician, and songwriter. Over the years he has been called on to perform with Ronnie Milsap, Lou Christie, The Tams, Spyder Turner and various other artists. In addition to his other pursuits, Jim is devoted to writing. Boxcars, his first published novel, started as a personal project in honor of his grandson’s bar mitzvah, but quickly enlarged to take shape as a young adult historical novel that would be available to all teens. The underlying seed for the story in this book came from Jim’s lifelong personal realization, that by virtue of being raised in an “extended family derived from both European Jews and Christians,” some of Jim’s own relatives perished in the Holocaust. He is passionate about the need for each new generation to firmly understand the most iniquitous era in recorded history.
About Yom Hashoah
Yom HaShoah (also known as “Holocaust Martyrs'” and “Heroes' Remembrance Day”) – "shoah" is Hebrew for destruction, and is another name for the Holocaust. This day commemorates the six million Jews who died during the Holocaust. At the same time, it marks the anniversary of the heroic Warsaw Ghetto uprising of 1943. In Israel, a morning siren sounds, stopping all activity; people stand in honor of those who died. Jews around the world hold memorials and vigils, often lighting six candles in honor of the six million Holocaust victims.
About the MJCCA’s Yom Hashoah Commemoration (RAIN or SHINE) – April 27, 4:00 – 5:00 pm
Each year, a special, community-wide Yom HaShoah commemoration is held at the Besser Holocaust Memorial Garden at the MJCCA. Holocaust Survivor Abe Besser and his wife Marlene Gelertner Besser built this Memorial to commemorate that horrific time, and to serve as a valuable teaching mechanism to remind and educate on what hatred and indifference can do. The Yom Hashoah Commemoration is co-sponsored by the Atlanta Rabbinical Association and the MJCCA.
About The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA):
The MJCCA is committed to strengthening the quality of life throughout metro-Atlanta, and is recognized as one of the most highly regarded Jewish community centers nationally. From preschoolers and adolescents, to young adults and seniors, the MJCCA offers unique and engaging programs, events, and services for every member of the community. Please visit us on the web at www.atlantajcc.org.
Contact Information
Media inquiries: contact Lora Sommer, MJCCA’s PR Manager at 678.812.4078, lora.sommer@atlantajcc.org.
Program information: contact Rabbi Brian Glusman at 678.812.4161, brian.glusman@atlantajcc.org.
Visit online at www.atlantajcc.org.