Rachel Freeman article in the Jewish Press about the Virtual YomHashoah

Previously I posted here about my participation in the Florida Holocaust Museum's virtual YomHashoah commemoration:

https://jainmoldova.blogspot.com/2020/04/florida-holocaust-museum-virtual-yom.html

The Jewish Press published an article written by Rachel Freeman,"Technology Connects the Community on YomHashoah," that includes an interview with me about my experience reading names of victims during the virtual commemoration -- all of whom were from Romania/Bessarabia/Moldova region.  You can read the full text of the article here:

https://www.jewishpresspinellas.com/articles/technology-connects-the-community-on-yom-hashoah/

Technology connects the community on Yom HaShoah

April 27, 2020

By RACHEL FREEMAN
Jewish Press
Social distancing didn’t prevent the Florida Holocaust Museum’s annual Yom HaShoah commemoration from taking place this year.
One hundred fifteen people pre-recorded videos of themselves reading names of those who perished in the Holocaust. Their work was compiled into one live stream that the museum broadcast on Facebook Live from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 21.
“Reading the names of the Jewish men, women, and children killed during the Holocaust is a symbolic yet deeply personal way of remembering these individuals,” said Kristen Davis, director of marketing and public relations at the museum, which closed weeks ago due to the pandemic.
This year’s readers included members of the general public of various religions and ethnicities as well as Holocaust survivors and their children. Additionally readers included members of Congress – U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist of St. Petersburg, and U.S. Rep Ted Deutch of South Florida – a dozen Florida legislators from throughout the state, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, five Pinellas County commissioners, both Jewish and Christian clergy, law enforcement personnel, judges, and educators.

State Senator Jeff Brandes

In previous years, the commemoration has taken place in person, but with the coronavirus prohibiting physical interactions, technology was able to connect the community, near and far. One viewer even commented, “Hello from Jerusalem.” Another sent greetings from Key West.
Yom HaShoah, which began at sundown on April 20, is a national memorial day in Israel. Here in Tampa Bay, the Florida Holocaust Museum has been commemorating the day with the reading aloud of victims’ names since 2017.
“Most victims of the Holocaust don’t have graves,” Davis said. “Reciting their names allows for them to be memorialized while reminding us of their human dignity. Hearing their names offers us a chance to reflect on their lives and the events of the Holocaust while renewing our commitment to ensuring that such atrocities do not occur again.”

Eric Pastman, a Florida Holocaust Museum docent

Davis said she received extraordinary feedback from those who pre-recorded the name readings.
“Almost every person thanked us immensely for doing this, and so many were emotionally moved by reading the names and ages of the victims,” said Davis.
One of the readers for this year’s commemoration was Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan, a professor at the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg.
“The list I received had victims all from Romania, which is where I lived and worked, in Moldova,” said McLauchlan in a Jewish Press phone interview. “I was a Fulbright Scholar in the areas where the victims lived and perished. When I saw the list of names and where they were from, I was like, ‘wow.’ It was very emotional for me.”
McLauchlan had never participated in previous Florida Holocaust Museum Yom HaShoah commemorations, but she said she felt honored to be included in this year’s livestream.
“It’s such an important event to remember those who were victims,” she said. “I really appreciate the way the Florida Holocaust Museum made it a virtual event, so we can still remember.”