Stolpersteine 2024 - Finchley Reform Synagogue

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Řičany Stolpersteine Ceremony 21 May 2024

Every year the town of Říčany runs an education programme to commemorate the Říčany Jews who were deported by the Nazis and died in the Holocaust. The programme culminates in a ceremony in May during which Stolpersteine are laid outside the houses where the Jews had lived.

When the Town Council leant that FRS had a scroll from Říčany, they invited a representative of FRS to attend the ceremony. Robert Stone went to the ceremony on 21 May 2024, where he brought greetings from FRS, and said Kaddish at the end of the ceremony. This is a video of the ceremony made by the Town Council.

A Stolperstein is a ten-centimetre concrete cube bearing a brass plate inscribed with the name and life dates of victims of Nazi extermination or persecution. Literally, it means 'stumbling stone'.

The Stolpersteine project, initiated by the German artist Gunter Demnig in 1992, aims to commemorate persons at the last place that they chose freely to reside, work or study before they fell victim to Nazi terror, forced euthanasia, eugenics, deportation to a concentration or extermination camp.

As of June 2023, 100,000 Stolpersteine have been laid, making the Stolpersteine project the world's largest decentralized memorial. The majority of Stolpersteine commemorate Jewish victims of the Holocaust.

Ceremony Details:

Opening address by the Mayor of Řičany, David Michalička

Speech by Robert Stone about the Řičany scroll

Performance of Hebrew and Yiddish songs by the children’s choir

Reading by young people of the names of the three people in whose memory the stolpersteine are set, and laying of single roses on the site

Kaddish said by Robert Stone

Fixing the stolpersteine

This year we gathered again to lay down more stolpersteine and, in so doing, commemorated the fate of Jews from Ríčany who were murdered in the Second World War.

This reverent act is the conclusion of a year-long project which was, as in previous years, aimed at pupils and students of schools in Ríčany. It is a way of introducing the young generation to a dark past, to guide them towards the future and to help them understand what is happening in the world today.

Our special guest was Robert Stone, a member of the Jewish community at FRS in London, which has in its possession, a Torah scroll from Ríčany. Dr Stone concluded the memorial service by reciting Kaddish, an old Jewish prayer for the dead.

A worthy highlight of the project was the theatrical performance of Alma Rosé with the wonderful Sarah Haváčová and a ladies' string quartet. The project was financed from the budget of the city of Ríčany, a contribution from the NFOH (the National Foundation for Holocaust Victims) and the firm, Zoeller. Thank you to all.

Sun, 22 December 2024 21 Kislev 5785