(AJNews) – In Edmonton, on January 27, community members, friends and allies gathered at the Art Gallery of Alberta for a somber program to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day and mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. The Jewish Federation of Edmonton hosted a special evening of remembrance that included a brief program, a powerful film and an opportunity to view the Here to Tell: Faces of Holocaust Survivors exhibition which is on display until February 9, 2025.
This special exhibition is comprised of 60 stunning black and white portraits of living Holocaust survivors and deceased survivors (held up in the hands of their descendants). The photos are personal and evocative with an emphasis on each person’s eyes inviting the viewer to not just see but feel where they came from and what they endured – and to marvel at the lives that they built for themselves. Each photograph is accompanied by a brief personal account of the survivor’s Holocaust experience and life after the war. The photos, taken by Calgary-based photographer Marnie Jazwicki (formerly Burkhart)—the daughter of a Holocaust survivor— are both haunting and jubilant. The testimonies were thoughtfully scribed by Alberta Jewish News reporter Maxine Fischbein.
The film describes the making of the exhibit which was a labour of love for Marnie Bondar and Dahlia Libin, co-chairs of the Holocaust and Human Rights: Remembrance and Education department of the Calgary Jewish Federation and each the granddaughter of four Holocaust survivors. The film depicts their race against time during the Covid pandemic to respectfully photograph these seniors, chronicle their testimonies and keep them safe. The portraits are of Alberta-connected Holocaust survivors—including some who made Edmonton their home. For Alberta viewers this gives the exhibit an extra layer of personal, a deep sense of connection. These are portraits of our friends, our families, and our neighbours. These are people who came to Alberta with nothing – after witnessing and experiencing a horror that is beyond imagination – and their journey to make their homes here and help build our vibrant Jewish communities.
Albertans who have not yet had the opportunity to see the compelling photographic exhibit Here to Tell: Faces of Holocaust Survivors should head to the Art Gallery of Alberta in Edmonton where the exhibit can be viewed through February 9, 2025. The evocative photos are accompanied by brief bios of each survivor. For those who prefer to listen rather than read, QR codes take visitors equipped with smart phones to audio recordings of survivors or their descendants. Bring your earbuds!
The original Here to Tell exhibit was first shown at the Glenbow at the Edison in Calgary in May 2022, attracting more than 10,000 visitors. A curated second exhibit at the Calgary Public Library in January 2023 was seen by thousands more.
The Government of Alberta commemorated Jan. 27 by lighting the legislature in yellow lights; the City of Calgary lit the Calgary Tower and the City of Edmonton illuminated the High Level Bridge in remembrance.
On January 27, the Holocaust and Human Rights: Remembrance and Education department of Calgary Jewish Federation and @calgarylibrary hosted a powerful virtual program featuring Kasim Hafeez, a writer, speaker, and pro-Israel activist, who shared his personal journey from radicalism to Zionism.
Hafeez discussed the dangers of indoctrination, drawing from both his own experiences growing up in a community where antisemitism was prevalent and the historical lessons of the Holocaust. He highlighted how propaganda and false narratives fuel hatred and the importance of seeking truth through education.
Organizers extended a “special thank you to Kasim for sharing his incredible story and to Calgary Public Library for their collaboration in making this event a success.”
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