Yorktown holds Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony
The ceremony featured a speech from Holocaust survivor Annie Leiser-Kleinhaus, who was born in Belgium in 1936.
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Yorktown held a Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony at Town Hall on Wednesday.
The ceremony featured a speech from Holocaust survivor Annie Leiser-Kleinhaus, who was born in Belgium in 1936.
"My memories from that time are still very raw, even though I tried to forget and had a very positive and good life," Leiser-Kleinhaus said.
She lives in Westchester now and opened up to News 12 about why it was important for her to share her story.
"Well, it's important for me to share my story everywhere because unfortunately, the event that occurred during World War II...are being either forgotten or denied," Leiser-Kleinhaus said.
Town Supervisor Ed Lachterman said Yorktown has been hosting a ceremony that commemorates the Holocaust for years.
However, he said this year's event comes at a critical point in modern history as the war between Israel and Hamas continues.
"Unfortunately, it is timely, but it shouldn't be. We should be moving away from it," Lachterman said.
The supervisor said it's crucial to keep this event going to keep the history of the Holocaust alive.
"It's a lesson that we need to remember. The hatred, the fear, the lack of education. Just to see the message get out is really what this is all about," Lachterman said.
Education is the reason why Lilly Gusikoff and her twin brother said they attend the ceremony whenever they can.
"This will be our seventh or eighth year coming," Gusikoff said. "I feel like as us being raised Jewish, I feel like it's important to come here and listen to the survivors and hear their story."
Gusikoff said she is moved emotionally by each survivor story that she hears.
