Eddie Jaku state memorial details released
Members of the Sydney Jewish and wider community are invited to attend the service, which will take place at Sydney Town Hall on Wednesday, December 15.
A STATE memorial service for the late Holocaust survivor and author Eddie Jaku will be held next Wednesday, December 15.
Members of the Sydney Jewish and wider community are invited to attend the service, which will take place at Sydney Town Hall at 10am.
Doors will open from 9am and all attendees will be asked to be seated by 9.45am sharp. The service is expected to last for approximately one hour.
The memorial will be held in line with COVID-Safe requirements. All attendees will be required to provide proof of vaccination and check-in via a QR code and masks will be mandatory while indoors.
Jaku passed away in October at the age of 101.
Born Abraham Jakubowicz in Leipzig, Germany, Jaku lived through Kristallnacht and survived Auschwitz – where his parents were murdered – and a number of other camps before starting a new life in Sydney with his wife Flore and becoming one of the founders of the Sydney Jewish Museum (SJM).
He shared his story with hundreds of thousands of people, telling The AJN last year, “It will happen again if we are not vigilant. If we don’t learn from our past we will not have a future.”
Having experienced the darkest of times, Jaku chose to be an optimist, inspiring others with a message of love and positivity. He received a standing ovation from over 6000 people at a TEDx talk in 2019 and last year released his autobiography, The Happiest Man on Earth.
He received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2013.
“Having survived the Holocaust, Eddie chose to make his life a testimony of how hope and love can triumph over despair and hate,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.
“He will be sadly missed, especially by our Jewish community. He was an inspiration and a joy.”
For details on the memorial, the 10am live stream, online condolence book and accessibility information, visit www.nsw.gov.au/stateservices.
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