Last night a candle-lighting ceremony was held in memory of those who perished during the Holocaust. Seven candles were lit — six to represent the 6 million Jews who died, and the seventh, lit by a member of the Rainbow Pride Union to represent the others killed, which included a mix of political leaders, gypsies, gay men and the disabled.
Yesterday at sundown marked the beginning of Yom Hashoah, the Holocaust Remembrance Day celebrated throughout the world. A memorial ceremony hosted by Hillel began at 6 p.m. in the Old University Union East Lounge and will conclude tonight at 6 p.m.
During the first hour of the event Kaskeset, Binghamton’s Jewish a capella group, performed the song “The Last Butterfly.” Rabbis from both Hillel and Chabad spoke and a poetry reading followed.
For the next 23 hours afterward, Hillel will hold the remainder of the vigil in the Tillman Lobby. Students will read off names of those who were killed in the concentration camps in order to honor their lives and sacrifices.
“It’s pretty solemn. It’s a part of the Jewish community’s duty to remember,” Shana Kantor, the director of Hillel at Binghamton, said. “It’s a really important thing for our campus because we have a lot of students with strong Jewish ties and it was a terrible thing in our history, but it also shows how the Jewish people survive.”
Next week will have a very different tone as the Jewish community prepares to celebrate Israeli Independence Day, which falls on May 8 this year.
“It’s an emotional roller-coaster of a time,” Cantor commented.
On May 4 Binghamton will host Hadag Nahash, or “Snake Fish,” an Israeli hip-hop band. For Israeli Independence Day, Hillel plans to “bring Israel to campus.”
“Over the last two-plus months we have been planning the biggest celebration of Israel this campus has ever seen,” said Josh Warren, the head of Bearcats for Israel. “Our goal has been to bring Israel to campus at least for a day.”
Activities will include a Tel Aviv art experience, a Masada climbing wall, a Jerusalem Western Wall and Jewish experience station. There will also be Israel achievement displays, all-you-can-eat Israeli food and another Kaskeset performance.
The event will be open to all students in the Dickinson Amphitheater from 4 to 8 p.m.
“This event is not only for Jews, it is for the entire campus,” Warren said.