Survivors honoured at Yom Hashoah commemoration

A deeply moving Yom Hashoah commemoration brought together the Sydney Jewish community to honour Holocaust survivors who rebuilt their lives in Australia and contributed so immensely to their new country.

This year’s theme, “Survivors in Australia: Rebuilding Lives”, celebrated the remarkable journeys of those who arrived on Australian shores after the horrors of the Holocaust and went on to help shape both the Jewish community and wider Australia.

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip paid tribute to the survivors present, reflecting on the incomprehensible weight of what they had endured.

“We sit here tonight and look with pride at our Shoah survivors, who with unimaginable resilience have rebuilt their lives and communities,” Ossip said.

“Everyone would have forgiven those who survived the Shoah if they had fallen into a heap and been unable to continue. But that was never their choice. They never viewed themselves as victims, but rather as survivors who owed it to themselves and to those who never made it to make the most of the second chance at life.”

Israel’s ambassador to Australia Hillel Newman, attending his first major event since taking up the role, also saluted the survivors in the room.

“Allow me to openly express my admiration for the survivors here in Australia who have not only revealed courage and determination, defying the goal of the Nazis, but have also rebuilt lives and families and contribute to Australian society in so many ways,” Newman said.

“I salute the survivors here in Australia.”

Among the most powerful moments of the evening was the in-person testimony of Holocaust survivor Ernie Friedlander, who shared his survival story and his gratitude for Australia. Six survivors lit memorial candles as their individual stories of survival were read aloud, among them Ernie and Lea Friedlander, Yvonne and Peter Halas, and Jack Feiler.

The final candle was lit by Sabina Kleitman, whose father Alex Kleytman survived the Holocaust only to be murdered at the Bondi Beach terrorist attack on December 14 last year.

The evening also included a tribute to the late Syd Einfeld, credited with transforming Australia’s immigration policy to provide refuge for Holocaust survivors, delivered by his grandson Edward Einfeld.

Survivor Sir Frank Lowy’s enormous contribution to Australia was honoured by his granddaughter Rina Ryba.