An event commemorating the Holocaust victims in Lithuania and the 80th anniversary of the liquidation of the Vilnius Ghetto was held in South Africa
H.E. Ms Rasa Jankauskaite, Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania, attended a memorial event in Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre (JHGC) to honor Jewish victims of the Holocaust in Lithuania and commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liquidation of the Vilnius Ghetto. “Every September, we are not only commemorating the millions of innocent lives lost during the Holocaust, but we are also renewing our commitment to ensure that such atrocities never happen again “, - emphasized Ambassador addressing the Holocaust survivors and their relatives, members of Johannesburg Jewish community and other guests. Tali Naten, Director of Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre (JHGC), and H.E. Paul Jansen, the Belgian Ambassador to South Africa also welcomed the guests.
The director of the JHGC introduced the exhibition “Chayela Rosenthal: Wunderkind of the Vilna Ghetto Theatre” to the visitors.
The Exhibition explores extraordinary survival story of talented singer and actress Chayela Rosenthal and her incredible journey from Vilnius Ghetto to Cape Town., where she continued her career.
The exhibition about C. Rosenthal will run until the end of this year in Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre.
The Belgium Ambassador presented the Belgian documentary film “The Paper Brigade“. Film tells about a group of intellectuals in the Vilna Ghetto who saved priceless written heritage of Jewish culture from destruction.
On 23 September 1943 the Vilnius Ghetto was liquidated by the Nazis. On 23 September Lithuania commemorates National Memorial Day for the Genocide of the Lithuanian Jews.
