A striking Holocaust memorial has been erected at the Woodland Cemetery.
It comprises a Star of David flowerbed and a stone, which was donated by Gary Green Memorials.
The memorial is situated by a small pool and bears an inscription from the Book of Lamentations: “For those I weep, streams of tears flow from my eyes because of the destruction of my people.”
The memorial is the first one at a cemetery overseen by the Jewish Joint Burial Society, which looks after grounds with an affiliation to over 40 Progressive, Masorti and independent congregations.
“It has long been our desire for the society to have such a memorial on our grounds, and I am pleased that we have now been able to achieve this,” said Steve Wynne, outgoing chair of JJBS.
He added: “We’ve just marked the 82nd anniversary of the D-Day landings. This began the journey which ended with the world learning about the Shoah and stopped the further deaths of so many innocents. This memorial is for all those who died in those horrific times and for years after, their families and descendants.”
The memorial was unveiled during a special service, attended by the Mayor of Broxbourne, Councillor Patsy Spears, and representatives from some of the communities served by JJBS.
Led by Rabbi Dr Jackie Tabick, the ceremony blended traditional memorial prayers, Yiddish songs, poetry and the writings of Holocaust survivor, the late Rabbi Albert Friedlander OBE.
Readings were also given by Rabbi Professor Deborah Kahn-Harris, principal of Leo Baeck College, and Rabbi Charley Baginsky, co-lead of the Movement for Progressive Judaism.
Woodland Cemetery, which provides eco-friendly burial options and double-depth graves for couples, joins a number of other Jewish cemeteries which have a Holocaust memorial, including the Liberal Jewish Cemetery in Willesden, Bushey Cemetery and Meadowview Cemetery in Brighton.
This October, a weeping willow is set to be added to the grounds at Woodland Cemetery to commemorate the 1,200 people murdered on October 7 by Hamas terrorists in southern Israel.
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