Enfield Council commemorated Holocaust Memorial Day on Thursday 25 January with a special ceremony at Dugdale Arts Centre (DAC).
The theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2024 was ‘Fragility of Freedom’, reflecting on how freedom is fragile and vulnerable to abuse.
The evening event was held at Dugdale Arts Centre (DAC) in Enfield, where local religious and civic dignitaries were welcomed with a speech from Enfield Council’s Deputy Leader, Cllr Ergin Erbil.
A film presentation by pupils from Wolfson Hillel Primary School in Southgate was shown and was followed by readings from pupils at Chace Community School and St Anne's Catholic School.
The event saw speeches from Rabbi Emanuel Levy from the Palmers Green and Southgate Synagogue, Rabbi Rich from Southgate Progressive Synagogue and Marija Hamza from the Roma Support Group charity.
Enfield Council’s Deputy Leader, Cllr Ergin Erbil, said: “Our event in the borough provided a meaningful opportunity for local people, children and young people and religious leaders to consider how we can all make our society a better place today, free from hatred, prejudice and discrimination.”
Residents are also invited to a Holocaust Memorial Day exhibition which is on display in the foyer at DAC.
Three cases of artefacts are available to view, relating to Grete Rudkin (nee Glauber), who came to Britain on a Kindertransport in 1939. Grete left behind her mother Else (or Zelma) Glauber. Else, a single mother, did not survive the War.
Grete was adopted by Olive Dunand Rudkin, a schoolteacher and Quaker who lived in Enfield. After her studies, Grete became a teacher. She also attended Enfield County School for Girls.
The display includes:
- Letters to and from Grete, written between 1939 and 1970
- Typed inventory in German of the items Grete brought to the UK
- Fremdenpass or 'alien passport'
- School reports for Grete
- Photographs of Grete
The artefacts have been loaned to the Council courtesy of Jewish Museum London and will be on display until Sunday 18 February. The museum and all exhibition areas at DAC are free of charge. Visit the DAC website for the opening hours
The Holocaust Memorial Day event was filmed and the footage can now be viewed in full on the Council's YouTube channel
For further information visit the Holocaust Memorial Day website