Memorial Day Navy Headquarters 2019 — Association of Jews of Vilna and vicinity in Israel

This year, as in past years, the members of the Association of Jews from Vilna and Vicinity, Holocaust survivors and their extended families, were invited to Naval Headquarters to mark Holocaust Day.

At the parade of 800 soldiers and naval officers, five survivors were invited to light the torches and Mickey Kantor, chairwoman of the Association, lit the sixth torch. At the end of the moving ceremony, all stood and sang Hatikvah (The Hope, the Israeli national anthem).

During the second half of the morning, the members of the Association met with several representatives of the Navy in the reception hall where Major Sivan Rom mentioned that the Association and the seafaring vessels unit of the Navy are celebrating a decade of warm and fruitful cooperation. Hannah Shiloh presented the unit with a photograph that the Association had bought at an art exhibition done by naval soldiers suffering from PTSD.

The IDF, the Fund for the Welfare of Holocaust Survivors in Israel and Bet Lohamei Hagetaot awarded certificates of honor to Holocaust survivors: Miriam Goldin, Tuvia Kessel, Shimon Fein, Dora Imbrik and Frieda Shohat.

To conclude, Felix Zandman's touching movie was screened.