The Speaker of Hackney, Cllr Susan Fajana-Thomas was amongst those who heard a moving testimonial from a Holocaust survivor at this year s memorial event on Friday (27 January) at Hackney Town Hall.

The survivor, Mr Yisroel Rudjinski, a Hackney resident, spoke of about his experiences of the Nazi invasion of Poland and his six years of living in various concentration camps.

Members of the local community sang a Yiddish song and a Hebrew song which was sung by Jews on the way to the concentration camps. Local schoolchildren contributed with songs from Simon Marks Jewish Primary School pupils which was followed by readings from students of both Clapton Girls and Skinners’ Academies who shared their feelings about the issues surrounding the Holocaust and Anne Frank.

Among the dignitaries and civic representatives that joined the Speaker were: Mayor of Hackney Jules Pipe and fellow Hackney Council representatives; Deputy Lieutenant Colonel Roderick Morriss; as well as representatives from the Normandy Veterans; The Learning Trust; East London District Scouts and St Joseph’s Hospice.

The ceremony concluded with the lighting of a Memorial Candle by the Speaker after which a two minute silence was observed. Closing the ceremony the Speaker said: “It’s very important that we continue to go on remembering the terrible events of the Holocaust and for each generation to be aware of what can happen if we do not speak up and speak out to stop and prevent such atrocities. Let’s all work together as a team and take up the challenge of bringing peace to our world.”