A programme of evening events to mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2022

Sunday January 23rd 6pm-9pm

Presented by The National Holocaust Centre & Museum, The Jewish Chronicle and South Hampstead Synagogue, in association with the United Synagogue and Caroline Marcus Associates.

Join us for an emotive evening of commemoration, music, interviews and provocative debate. Brought to you live from South Hampstead Synagogue in London. Take part from the comfort of your own home on your TV, laptop or tablet.

Full programme details below - including your chance to participate, live.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page to book your free ticket. We will then email you a viewing link.

6.00-7.00pm: The Survivors

Rabbi Shlomo Levin interviews two remarkable human beings. Survivors of two very different genocides. Each with a story that will engross, horrify but ultimately uplift you.

Janine Webber BEM

Born in Lvov in 1932, Janine watched the Nazis murder her father and brother, and her mother die of typhus in the Lvov ghetto. She hid in a hole beneath a horse stable for a year - thanks to a mysterious man it took her 75 years to trace. She speaks to thousands of people a year as an adored member of our Survivor family and is star of the multi award-winning short film Edek.

Sokphal Din BEM

Seven days a week under the hot sun, Sokphal survived hard labour in the Killing Fields of the Cambodian Genocide. He was allowed just 3 spoonfuls of rice per day. After the Khmer Rouge killed his father and brother, Sokphal  was held captive by the invading Vietnamese army in a brick oven. He is the author of 'The Killing Fields of Cambodia: Surviving a Living Hell'.

Rabbi Shlomo Levin

Rabbi Shlomo Levin is the Senior Rabbi at South Hampstead Synagogue in London. Since the 1980s he and Rebbetzin Lynndy have transformed a small Jewish community into one of the UK's largest and most vibrant. It is indeed "More than just a SHul". Shlomo is an interviewer of great warmth and wit, who is nevertheless not shy of asking the tough questions.

7.00-7.30pm: Supper interval

7.30-7.50pm: Memorial Service

A candle lighting ceremony with live musical accompaniment. Performed by Rabbi Eli Levin and his brother, the popular vocal artist and band leader Levi Levin. Their beautiful harmonies will reach directly into your heart.

7.50-9.00pm: 'Truth Will Out One Day’ panel discussion

A debate with questions from a live audience, both in the room and online.

Fake truths about Jews took hold across Europe 2000 years ago. They are the root cause of the Holocaust and are resurgent today. They frequently take the form of conspiracy theories which run riot across social media... spreading division, abuse, violence and lawlessness.

One day, the real truth must prevail. It is for all our sakes if we wish to continue sharing a safe, democratic society. A panel of Jewish, Muslim and Christian experts will be discussing what that will take.

Put your question to the panel. Submit it now to [email protected]. If selected, we will notify you in advance, so you can come onto the broadcast to ask your question live!

Lord John Mann

Lord Mann is Advisor to the Government on Antisemitism. He has described antisemitism as "the worst of racisms". He has led the adoption by major football clubs of the IHRA definition of this racism, for which he has also famously challenged Jeremy Corbyn, Ken Livingstone and others within the Labour Party. Prior to his peerage, he served as Labour MP for Bassetlaw from 2001-2019.

Tracy-Ann Oberman

Tracy-Ann is a TV, theatre & radio actress and narrator, widely known for roles including Chrissie Watts in EastEnders, Auntie Val in Friday Night Dinner and Nancy Malinovsky in Ridley Road. She campaigns against anti-Jewish racism, bravely and wittily handling the avalanche of abuse on her Twitter feed that it provokes.

Canon Dr Giles Fraser

Giles is a Priest in the Church of England. He was Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral. He taught philosophy at Wadham College, Oxford, was a columnist for the Guardian and is a regular broadcaster on Radio 4’s Moral Maze and Thought for the Day. He is the author of Chosen: Lost and Found between Christianity and Judaism.


Julie Siddiqi MBE

Named in The Times 100 most influential Muslim women in Britain, Julie has served as Executive Director of the Islamic Society of Britain, is a Co-Founder of Nisa-Nashim and a trustee of Jewish-Muslim theatre company Muju. She recently set up social entrerprise Together We ThriveShe was awarded an MBE in 2020 for Services to Promoting Interfaith Understanding.

James Rosenthal

James Rosenthal has held various roles at Google since 2007. He is currently Director for Cloud Strategic Initiatives in EMEA. Previously he was an IP lawyer and tech entrepreneur. He sits as Advisor to WIZO, Jewish Interactive and mentors start-ups at Google Campus. He also campaigns against anti-Jewish racism inside Google.

Professor Maiken Umbach

Maiken is Professor of Modern History at the University of Nottingham and Academic Consultant to The National Holocaust Centre & Museum, with whom she co-created the VR-based exhibition The Eye as Witness - which tours again in 2022. She previously taught at Cambridge and Manchester, with visiting appointments at Harvard and other institutions globally. Her research project Photography as Political Practice in National Socialism was selected as anti-racism project of the year by UK Research & Innovation. 

Marc Cave

Panel chair. Marc is Director of the National Holocaust Centre and Museum, the only place of Holocaust learning in the world founded by Christians. He spent 30 years as a strategist and entrepreneur in Advertising and as a producer of documentaries and short films. His work has won over 200 awards including for the Holocaust short films Edek and Stand Up.

BOOK YOUR PLACE

This event is FREE but you must reserve a ticket (below). Donation optional.

If you'd like to put your question live to the panellists, don't forget to submit it to [email protected].

If you have a query or prefer to book by phone, please phone 020 7722 1807 ext 2.

Holocaust education is a vital tool in the fight against anti-Jewish racism today. If you'd like to help support the cost of schools outreach and events year round like this, we would be very grateful. You can donate by choosing to pay for your ticket.

And lastly...

FREE workshops for primary and secondary schools

Our programme also features FREE online workshops for primary and secondary schools. Led by expert educators from The National Holocaust Museum and Caroline Marcus Associates. Just book for one, two or all three sessions HERE.

1. Tuesday 25th January 11.00-12.00 - Webinar: Exploring One Day, HMD’s theme
2. Wednesday 26th January 11.00-12.00 - Webinar: Hear a survivor share their story
3. 31st January to 3rd February (times vary) - Workshop: Exploring the HMD theme, One Day

This programme is dedicated to the memory of Charles Sonabend, a Holocaust Survivor, who cherished his time with the South Hampstead community. By his children Katy Ostro and Paul Sonabend.

Booking for this event has now closed.