Targeted Jewish Center Marks Holocaust Remembrance Day

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA -- Nearly two weeks after being vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti, the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia commemorated Holocaust Remembrance Day by remembering victims Sunday. The internationally-recognized Remembrance Day falls Monday, April 24 this year.

The community-wide event featured a discussion on refugees featuring a Holocaust survivor and modern-day refugee. The gathering culminated in a candle-lighting Holocaust remembrance ceremony with survivors.

WTOP reported that the event followed Remembrance Day tradition in reading the names of Holocaust victims. "You read the age of the person, where they lived, and where they were killed; breaking it down like that on an individual basis like that makes you realize that this wasn’t something that happened to a huge group of people, but happened to lots and lots of individuals," said Del. Marcus Simon, D-Falls Church.

The Jewish Community Center will also participate in a Passover Seder celebration open to interfaith individuals on Sunday, April 30 from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. The event strives to build interfaith relationships to make Virginia a welcoming place for all. It will be held at Gesher Jewish Day School at 4800 Mattie Moore Court, Fairfax.

The vandalized Jewish Community Center reopened days after the incident and participated in community events to stand against hate. A suspect was arrested days after the crime occurred.

“It’s especially from that place of perceived security and comfort that we need to continue to recognize that security and comfort can’t be taken for granted, said Guila Franklin Siegel, associate director for the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, according to WTOP. "We need to be vigilant against the growth of hatred in our community, and the normalized expression of hatred in our community as well."

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