Yom Hashoah – The Partisans’ Song Legacy

Commencing tonight, on 20 April 2020, and continuing tomorrow, on the 21st, corresponding to the 27th day of Nisan, the State of Israel and many Jews around the globe, commemorate the six million Jews who perished in the  Holocaust, as well as the heroism of survivors, and Jewish Partisans and rescuers.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and global lockdown, regular ceremonies will not be held.

We have compiled this YouTube highlights video to give you a perspective of why the the Partisans’ Song is so integral to a meaningful commemoration:

Educators and students are welcome to download a functional powerpoint presentation (1.8gb) that matches this video:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18g67tFpg0YpKtAp2dtSX1J1CyUTOsVeQ/view?usp=sharing

I can also run an online ZOOM presentation for your school or organisation.   Please contact me at  eli@elirab.com to arrange this. There is no charge for this or the accompanying lesson plans and films.

Here is a pdf of the List of Slides on my presentation:

A List of Slides

 

Here is more information for you:

Yom Hazikaron laShoah ve-laG’vurah or Holocaust Remembrance Day.

In Israel, flags are lowered to half-mast, there is no public entertainment; ceremonies are held, and a siren at 10:00 signals the start of two minutes of silence.

The ceremonies held, usually conclude with Zog Nit Keynmol, the Partisans’ Song and Hatikvah.

 

Zog nit keyn mol” (Never Say; Yiddish: זאָג ניט קיין מאָל‎, [zɔg nit kɛjn mɔl]) or “Partizaner lid” (Partisan Song) is a Yiddish song considered one of the chief anthems of the Holocaust survivors and is sung in memorial services around the world.

The lyrics of the song were written in 1943 by Hirsh Glick, a young Jewish inmate of the Vilna Ghetto. The title means “Never Say”, and derives from the first line of the song. Glick’s lyrics were set to music from a pre-war Soviet song written by Pokrass brothers, Dmitri and Daniel, “Терская походная” (Terek Cossacks’ March Song), also known as “То не тучи – грозовые облака” (Those aren’t clouds but thunderclouds), originally from the 1937 film I, Son of Working People (story by Valentin Kataev).

Glick was inspired to write the song by news of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. During World War II, “Zog nit keyn mol” was adopted by a number of Jewish partisan groups operating in Eastern Europe. It became a symbol of resistance against Nazi Germany‘s persecution of the Jews and the Holocaust.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

For more information on the WE ARE HERE! Foundation, a not for profit organisation, please visit:

WE ARE HERE! For Upstanders

WE ARE HERE! For Upstanders

For Upstanders – Founded by Eli Rabinowitz

Source: wah.foundation

 

WE ARE HERE! at SA Friends of Beth Hatefutsoth

  

On Friday 13 March 2020, the South African Friends of Beth Hatefutsoth will be hosting a presentation by Eli Rabinowitz, from Perth.

Eli, who is the founder of the education project the We Are Here Foundation, will be giving a talk accompanied by video footage about the programme for youth across the globe. The foundation focuses on the importance of educating Jewish youth about the Jewish partisans during the World War II. He will be giving an update on the success of this project, which is funded by the US government.

The project which started at schools in Australia is now functioning in Belarus, Lithuania, Israel and the USA.  Communities across the globe have been taught to sing the famous Partisans Song (Shir HaPartizanim).

His message is loud and clear: WE MUST NEVER FORGET!

If you would like to attend please email us at museum@beyachad.co.za

For more information please visit the website:  https://wah.foundation

WE ARE HERE! An Education Program That Inspires Upstanders

 

With Barbara Miller and Ken Wyatt, Federal Minister 2019
With Vince Connelly MP 2020

Kristallnacht Cantata Melbourne – World Premiere 2019

With Benny Rabinowitz in Birzh, Lithuania 2019
With Ambassadors of of China, Israel and Japan in Birzh, Lithuania 2019
Ground Turning at Lost Shtetl Museum, Seduva Lithuania
With Finnish, UK and US Ambassadors in Lithuania 2018
Yad Vashem, Jerusalem 2019
With Ian Stein and Dimitri Coutras at Sea Point School in 2019
At Beyachad meeting in 2019

Vale Simonas Dovidavicius

Vale Simonas Dovidavicius. 

Standing between Laima Ardaviciene and me in Kėdainiai, Lithuania on 15 June this year. Simon passed away last week and was laid to rest on the 18th December 2019. 

With Rimantas Zirgulis

In Kaunas at Sugihara House on 11 June 2019

Simon was the Executive Director of the Sugihara Foundation in Kaunas.

Long Life to his family, and may his memory be for a blessing.

My video of Simonas from 2015

Sugihara

Sugihara

By Simon Davidovich

Source: youtu.be/VWCW4H47vlQ

A previous post:

Sugihara House Museum

Sugihara House Museum

My second visit to the Museum, but first time meeting with Simon Davidovich, director of the Museum and Jewish tour guide. Also visiting the Museum were Richard Freedman of the Holocaust Centr…

Source: elirab.me/sugihara-house-museum/

My first visit:

Chiune Sugihara And His Legacy

Chiune Sugihara And His Legacy

This post is in honour of Chiune Sugihara. Contents 1. A profile of Sugihara 2. Photos of  my visit to the Sugihara Museum in Kaunas, Lithuania in May this year 3. Nine Forth, Kaunas. May 2012 4. T…

Source: elirab.me/chiune-sugihara-and-his-legacy/

 

Bielski Reunion in Novogrudok 2019

8 July 2019, Novogrudok

A Day with the Bielskis – Day 1

Arrival in Novogrudok

at the RC Church where some of us lodged

the ceremony

Some short video clips

The Memorial 

Robert

Lunch

Arriving for the concert

The Concert

Some short clips

 

Tamara with Aron Bell

My presentation – almost!

WHERE TO FROM HERE!

WE ARE HERE! For Upstanders

Bielski Partisans

A Human Rights project for Upstanders, funded by the United States Government, starting in Australia in August.

Source: wah.foundation

The Novogrudok KehilaLink

Bielski Reunion in Novogrudok 2019

 

8 July 2019, Novogrudok

A Day with the Bielskis – Day 1

Arrival in Novogrudok

at the RC Church where some of us lodged

the ceremony

Some short video clips

The Memorial 

Robert

Lunch

Arriving for the concert

The Concert

Some short clips

 

Tamara with Aron Bell

My presentation – almost!

WHERE TO FROM HERE!

WE ARE HERE! For Upstanders

Bielski Partisans

A Human Rights project for Upstanders, funded by the United States Government, starting in Australia in August.

Source: wah.foundation

The Novogrudok KehilaLink

Bielski Reunion in Novogrudok 2019

 

8 July 2019, Novogrudok

A Day with the Bielskis – Day 1

Arrival in Novogrudok

at the RC Church where some of us lodged

the ceremony

Some short video clips

The Memorial 

Robert

Lunch

Arriving for the concert

The Concert

Some short clips

 

Tamara with Aron Bell

My presentation – almost!

WHERE TO FROM HERE!

WE ARE HERE! For Upstanders

Bielski Partisans

A Human Rights project for Upstanders, funded by the United States Government, starting in Australia in August.

Source: wah.foundation

The Novogrudok KehilaLink

Bielski Reunion in Forest Jerusalem 2019

 

9 July 2019, Naliboki Forest

A Day with the Bielskis

9:00 – All the guests are brought to the village of Naliboki by minivans. 

11.00  – meeting Alexander Pilinkievich, the chairman of the village council of Naliboki, who takes care of the Bielski camp.

Presentation by Alexander Pilinkievich

Presentation by Alexander Pilinkievich

Alexander, the chairman of the village council of Naliboki, makes a presentation to the Israeli Ambassador to Belarus. 

Source: youtu.be/2GrL4Ju4H7A

A memorial stone to the Jews of Naliboki.

12.00– 18.00 – at the Bielski camp site in the Naliboki Forest

  • Tour around the camp with Tamara Vershitskaya and Alexander Pilinikievich
  • Introduction to the Naliboki Forest and how to survive in the forest (Ales Biely)
  • Workshop ‘Tell your parents’ story and Your Own Story’ led by Bella Rubin, senior lecturer at Tel Aviv University.

Violin Performance

Violin Performance

by Sevil Uluchan-Weinstein (Bielski) of Turkey

Source: youtu.be/i5J81aj7_f0

Violin Performance

Violin Performance

by Sevil Uluchan-Weinstein (Bielski) of Turkey

Source: youtu.be/v9E4pJ7FdsM

Asaela Bielski’s Message for the Kaplinskis

Asaela Bielski’s Message for the Kaplinskis

Source: youtu.be/jzl4hlGLKYE

Guidelines to the participants on how to be part of the story telling and discussion by Shachar Rubin of Israel.

Dancing in Naliboki Forest led by Shachar Rubin

Dancing in Naliboki Forest led by Shachar Rubin

Source: youtu.be/QtL0KDtdKtc

Guests tell stories about the partisan life as told by their parents. 

  • Commemoration of the last victims killed in the camp on the day before liberation (July 9, 1944) and buried in the camp.
  • Kaddish by Rabbi Grigory Abramovich from Minsk
  • Lament of Israel performed by Mikhail Dvilyanski
The Partisans’ Song in the Naliboki Forest

The Partisans’ Song in the Naliboki Forest

Introduced by Eli Rabinowitz. Sung in Hebrew

Source: youtu.be/3_b4V9Us_Z8

  • Partisan lunch
Performance at lunch

Performance at lunch

Source: youtu.be/P8Ff-yxMibk

Le Chaim At Lunch

Le Chaim At Lunch

Source: youtu.be/Fz2FrtyaUHY

Farewell 

Forest Jerusalem – 2018

Forest Jerusalem

My visit to the Naliboki Forest in Belarus on 16 May 2018, with Tamara, Alexander and Ivan. This is where the Bielskis and many other partisans had their camps in the latter part of WWII. Aptly nam…

Source: elirab.me/forest-jerusalem/

The Naliboki KehilaLink

Home

Source: kehilalinks.jewishgen.org/naliboki/Home.html

WE ARE HERE! For Upstanders

WE ARE HERE! For Upstanders

Bielski Partisans

A Human Rights project for Upstanders, funded by the US Government.

Source: wah.foundation

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