Two Programs To Be Held at the MJCCA on Yom Hashoah
On Sunday, April 22, 2012, the MJCCA invites the community to come together for two special programs commemorating Yom Hashoah (or Day of Holocaust Remembrance).
At 2:00 pm, A Page from the Book Festival of the MJCCA presents a book talk and signing with author Caroline Stoessinger as she discusses her book, A Century of Wisdom: Lessons from the Life of Alice Herz-Sommer, the World's Oldest Living Holocaust Survivor. Later that day, at 4:00 pm, the community will remember the victims of the Holocaust with a Yom Hashoah Commemoration at the MJCCA's Besser Holocaust Memorial Garden, one of the preeminent Holocaust Memorials in the southeast. Both events will take place at the Marcus JCC of Atlanta, (5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody). For information, visit www.atlantajcc.org.
Author Caroline Stoessinger's Book Talk & Signing - April 22, 2:00 pm
Author Caroline Stoessinger recently released A Century of Wisdom: Lessons from the Life of Alice Herz-Sommer, the World's Oldest Living Holocaust Survivor. She will discuss it in the MJCCA's Morris and Rae Frank Theatre. The event is free to the community. Following her book talk, Stoessinger will be the keynote speaker at the MJCCA's Yom Hashoah Commemoration at the Besser Holocaust Memorial Garden which begins at 4:00 pm.
About Stoessinger's book, A Century of Wisdom
At 108 years old, pianist Alice Herz-Sommer is an eyewitness to the entire last century and has seen it all: surviving the Theresienstadt concentration camp, attending the trial of Adolf Eichmann in Jerusalem, and along the way, coming into contact with some of the most fascinating historical figures of our time, including Franz Kafka ("Uncle Franz"�), Sigmund Freud, and Golda Meir - just to name a few.
Despite her imprisonment in Theresienstadt and the murders of her mother, husband, and friends by the Nazis, and the premature death of her son, Alice has been victorious in her ability to live a life without bitterness. She credits music as the key to her survival, as well as her ability to acknowledge the humanity in each person, even her enemies.
A Century of Wisdom is the remarkable and inspiring story of one woman-s lifelong determination - in the face of some of the worst evils known to man - to find goodness in life. It is a testament to the bonds of friendship, the power of music, and the importance of leading a life of material simplicity, intellectual curiosity, and never-ending optimism.
Community-Wide Yom Hashoah Commemoration (RAIN or SHINE) - April 22, 4:00 pm
The entire community is invited to the Besser Holocaust Memorial Garden commemoration. The Yom Hashoah program will include: the lighting of the torches; a special musical presentation featuring Cantor Daniel Gale from Temple Beth-El, Birmingham, AL.; and will feature keynote speaker, author Caroline Stoessinger.
The Yom Hashoah Commemoration is sponsored by the Atlanta Rabbinical Association and the MJCCA.
The program is free of charge and open to the community.
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 ARA:
The Atlanta Rabbinical Association is the community-wide rabbinical organization of the Atlanta metropolitan area. Membership is open to and includes colleagues, both active and retired, from all sectors of the religious community; members serve in congregational as well as non-congregational settings.
About The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA):
The MJCCA, "The Center of the Community," is committed to strengthening the quality of life in Atlanta and is recognized as one of the most highly-regarded Jewish community centers in the nation. From preschoolers and teens, to young adults and seniors - the MJCCA offers unique and engaging programs, events, and services for every member of the community.
Contact Information
For media inquiries, contact Lora Sommer, MJCCA's PR Manager at 678.812.4078, lora.sommer@atlantajcc.org.
Visit www.atlantajcc.org for additional information.
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