b'For 48 Years, An Interfaith Community Remembers and Tellsthe Horrors of the HolocaustSOMA HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE SERVICE URGES US TO NEVER FORGETBY DONNY LEVITH ow do we prevent our historyof interfaith leaders. Founders include Rabbi Jehielp.m. Every year we have the service at a different from disappearing, especiallyOrenstein, rabbi emeritus of Congregation Beth Elcongregation, and every year we alternate between when remembering the pastand president of the Rabbinical Assembly of Newa church and a synagogue, says Levine.canbeuncomfortableandJersey, Max Randall of the South Mountain LodgeIts quite special for us at Beth El to host the disturbing?Historybooksof Bnai Brith, and Sister Rose Thering, professorinterfaithHolocaustserviceforthesimplefact may capture the facts of theof Jewish-Christian studies at Seton Hall Universi- that our rabbi emeritus, Rabbi Jehiel Orenstein Holocaust,buttheycantty. Sister Thering was an activist who fought againstof blessed memory, was one of the founders, de-necessarilyevokeemotions.SouthOrangeandantisemitism within the Catholic Church. cades and decades ago, says Rabbi Jesse Olitzky of Maplewood have eyewitnesses to tell their stories,We make it our business to invite all the cler-as well as passionate community members whogy from all of the houses of worship in the com-work to keep those stories alive.munities to attend, says Alan Levine, an organizer Founded in 1977 as the first event of its kind infor the service. This is not an event targeted to New Jersey, the Remember & Tell SOMA Annualjust Jewish people. Of course, we have plenty of Interfaith Service commemorates the millions ofJewish people attend, but we really want to bring lives lost during the Holocaust, one of the darkestin people from all of the congregations, and for periods in 20th-century history. Each year, the ser- people who are not part of congregations, because vice offers a platform for survivors and witnessestheres plenty of people in the communities who to share their personal experiences, ensuring thatdo not belong to any house of worship.theirvoicesandmemoriesendure.InadditionThe 48th service on March 23 begins with the to remembering and telling, the service and sur- March of Remembrance and Hope at 3 p.m. at rounding events teach younger generations aboutSpiotta Park in South Orange. The march honors events that have become distant in time and col- the 11 million Holocaust victims and survivors. lective memory. Participants will walk to Congregation Beth El inRemember & Tell was established by a group of inter-faith leaders including (L to R) Rabbi Jehiel Orenstein, Remember & Tell was established by a groupSouth Orange, where the service will begin at 4Max Randall and Sister Rose Thering.26/ matters magazine / hearth + home 2025'