The United Synagogue has appealed for volunteers to come forward to act as stewards for a special burial ceremony on Sunday for the remains of six Holocaust victims, with hundreds of members of the Jewish community expected to attend.
In a statement on Twitter, the organisation said it “urgently" needed volunteers to help at the Bushey New Cemetery from 9.30am to 1.30pm.
**Volunteers needed** On Sunday we will lay to rest at Bushey New Cemetery the remains of six Holocaust victims, murdered at Auschwitz-Birkenau. We urgently need volunteers to act as stewards from 9.30am-1pm on site. If you can help, please email ypeleg@theus.org.uk. Thank you. pic.twitter.com/m5UjC1d4qm
— United Synagogue (@UnitedSynagogue) January 15, 2019
The Imperial War Museum (IWM) will be handing over the remains, which have been in its archive since 1997, to the United Synagogue.
In 2005, the IWM had the ash and bone fragments analysed by a pathologist at the English Heritage Centre for Archaeology, who determined they belonged to five adults and one child.
After a stocktaking of its Holocaust material, the IWM decided last year the remains should be returned to the Jewish community.
The funeral is to take place on Sunday at Bushey New Cemetery at 11am, with hundreds of people expected to attend.
Michael Goldstein, president of the United Synagogue, called on the community to attend the funeral, describing doing so as “the ultimate act of kindness, chesed shel emet in Hebrew, because, as with all burials, nobody can be thanked for what you’ve done.”
Those able to help are requested to e-mail the United Synagogue at ypeleg@theus.org.uk
