Four rabbis from local synagogues joined other community representatives, Southgate school pupils and the council leader at Dugdale Arts Centre
An event at Dugdale Arts Centre was held yesterday (Tuesday 27th) to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day, bringing together local religious and civic representatives.
Guests were welcomed with a speech from Enfield Council leader Ergin Erbil, while pupils from Wolfson Hillel Primary School in Southgate began the ceremony with a presentation called ‘Bridging Generations’ that was the theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2026.
The event saw speeches from Rabbi Emanuel Levy from Palmers Green and Southgate Synagogue, Rabbi Rich from Southgate Progressive Synagogue, Rabbi Shindler from Cockfosters and North Southgate Synagogue, and Rabbi Toby Weiniger of the Hadley Wood Jewish Community.
Holocaust Memorial Day marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp, in 1945.
Cllr Erbil said: “It was my privilege to welcome our guests to such an important event and to remember one of history’s darkest chapters, to honour the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, and to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that such atrocities never happen again.
“This year’s theme, ‘Bridging Generations,’ reminds us that remembrance is something we must actively carry forward. From those who lived through the darkest chapters of history to those who will shape our future.
“Bridging Generations encourages us all to engage actively with the past. To listen, to learn and to carry those lessons forward. By doing so, we build a bridge between memory and action, between history and hope for the future.
“As Olivia Marks-Woldman of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust has said, at a time when prejudice is rising, Holocaust Memorial Day brings people from all backgrounds together. Not only to remember the past, but to stand against hatred in the present.
“As a council, we reaffirm our commitment to these values. Through education, dialogue, and partnership, we will continue to work to strengthen community cohesion across Enfield.”
Residents are also invited to a Holocaust Memorial Day exhibition which is currently on display at the Museum of Enfield, situated within Dugdale Arts Centre. It is free to visit.
The display features 15 new acquisitions on loan from Jewish Museum London, exploring the relationship between Grete Rudkin (nee Gauber) and her adoptive mother Olive Rudkin. Grete was sent to Enfield on the Kindertransport in 1939.
The poem To A Child Refugee in a Foreign Land written by Olive is on display for viewing. The artefacts will be on display until Saturday (31st).
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