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Holocaust Remembrance Evening at Good Shepherd Catholic

Recap

On Monday evening, January 16, 2023, the ICGS general community was invited to a Holocaust Remembrance Day presentation at the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Elk Grove.

The guest speaker was Dr. Michael Berenbaum. A Rabbi, American scholar, professor, writer, and filmmaker, Dr. Berenbaum’s work spans decades and offers an exacting look at the Holocaust. He was recently appointed to the Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education. Without sparing any details, he gave a broad scope of the Holocaust to an audience that may have never heard the details of this atrocity. It was eye-opening.

Dr. Berenbaum’s presentation was followed by insights from Rabbi Emeritus Reuven H. Taff of Mosaic Law Congregation and Bishop Emeritus William K. Weigand, Diocese of Sacramento. Once again, we were reminded of the blessings of Interfaith associations and the bond that exists between these two fine gentlemen.

Moreover, Monsignor James T. Murphy, the former rector of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, authored a book due to be released on January 19, 2023, “Beauty and Horror in a Concentration Camp: The Story of Etty Hillesum.”  Monsignor Murphy’s comments explained how he found the story of Etty Hillesum and set out to write a book about her. We were given the opportunity to purchase advance copies.

We were blessed to have closing comments and Prayers of the Faithful by Most Reverend Jaime Soto.

Above all, this was a perfect conclusion to a very educational and touching program.

Lastly, we thank the Good Shepherd Catholic Church leadership for hosting the evening. In attendance were members of ICGS and guest of honor, Liz Igra, the recipient of last year’s “Power of One” award as a survivor of the Holocaust and one of the few left to bear witness to this atrocity.