Past Yom Hashoah commemorations
May 6, 2024
Candlelighting ceremony
Pastor Victor and Cynthia Hardy
Pastor Victor Hardy sang the National Anthem and Sammi Morris sang “Hatikvah.”
In this year’s candle-lighting ceremony, those lighting the candles included representatives from the City of Chandler, local faith leaders, Early Learning Center Director Pam Morris and guest speaker Björn Krondorfer. Those lighting the candles were Chandler Police Assistant Chief Dave Ramer; Bob and Melanie Shaha from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; Pastor Victor and Cynthia Hardy of the Congregational Church of the Valley; and Riann Balch, City of Chandler Community Development and Resources Senior Manager. IDF Lone Soldier Chaim Price lit an additional candle for victims of Oct. 7 and fallen soldiers.
Bob and Melanie Shaha
Bjorn Kröndorfer, director of the Martin-Springer Institute at Northern Arizona University, was the featured speaker.
Rabbi Michael Beyo, EVJCC CEO, recited memorial prayers and shared reflections about Oct. 7 and Holocaust education.
This year’s program also included a photo exhibit memorializing Oct. 7 and a tribute to the hostages.
“Voices Silenced: Music from the Holocaust”
Professor Hannah Creviston presented a lecture-recital highlighting work by Erwin Schulhoff, Pat Budai and Leo Smit, three composers who were killed in the Holocaust. The piano duets were performed by Hannah Creviston and Baruch Meir.
Hannah Creviston, piano
Baruch Meir, piano
April 17, 2023
Candlelighting ceremony
In this year’s candle-lighting ceremony, those lighting the candles included representatives from the City of Chandler and local faith leaders. Pictured, from left, are David and Peggy Schlesinger, members of the Bahai faith community; Dan Shkapich, president of the Chandler Arizona West Take of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and his wife Donna; Commander Zachary Cummard of the Chandler Police Department; Chandler City Manager Joshua Wright, an EVJCC board member; Iman Ahmad Salman of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community; and Holocaust survivor Dirk Van Leenen. Pastor Victor Hardy sang the National Anthem and Sammi Morris sang ‘Hatikvah.”
Members of the local faith community, including Iman Ahmad Salman of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, lit candles in memory of the Six Million.
Holocaust survivor and author Dirk Van Leenen shared his story of being a child in Holland during the Holocaust. In back is Karen Perna, Generations After coordinator.
Rabbi Michael Beyo, EVJCC CEO, spoke about the importance of effective Holocaust education.
“Voices Silenced: Music from the Holocaust”
Professor Hannah Creviston presented a lecture-recital highlighting work by three composers who were killed in the Holocaust: Leo Smit, Laszlo Weiner and Viktor Ullman. The songs were performed by Hannah Creviston on piano, Nancy Buck on viola and Sabrina Hu on flute.
Hannah Creviston, piano
Nancy Buck, viola
Sabrina Hu, flute
April 27, 2022
Candlelighting ceremony
Rabbi Michael Beyo, East Valley JCC CEO, and Holocaust survivor Bodo Schrader.
Karen Perna and Barbara Burman, coordinators of the East Valley JCC’s Generations After group.
Chandler Police Chief Sean Duggan
Rich Kasper, president and CEO of the Jewish Community Foundation and the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix
Niki Tapia of the City of Chandler
Robin Finlinson of JustServe and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chandler
Event photography courtesy of
Exhibit: “Lost Voices: Greek Jews and the Holocaust”
“Branded Degenerate: Voices Silenced”
Pianist Hannah Creviston, soprano Amanda DeMaris and saxophonist Christopher Creviston presented a lecture-recital highlighting work by those killed in the Holocaust.
Sammi Morris led the group in “Hatikvah” during the ceremony.
May 2019
Holocaust survivor Marion Weinzweig, author “Lonely Chameleon,” pictured with her daughter Cindy Katz.
“Through the Eyes of Youth: Life and Death in the Bedzin Ghetto,” an exhibit created by the Martin-Springer Institute at NAU, was on display.
Presenters included Chandler Vice Mayor Terry Roe, right.
The evening Yom Hashoah Commemoration ceremony included a candlelighting ceremony. Pictured is Chandler Police Chief Sean Duggan.
Gerald Lamb and Melissa Cohen, representatives of the Martin-Springer Institute at NAU, presented a morning lecture and an afternoon educators’ workshop. There was also a screening of documentary “Shalom Italia.”