State received award for Holocaust remembrance

The State of Indiana was presented with the prestigious Domont Award for the Enhancement of Jewish Life by the Jewish Federation June 19, in Indianapolis.

“This is a great honor and I am pleased to accept it, along with the Honorable Clayton Graham, on behalf of the State of Indiana,” Executive Director of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission Jamal L. Smith said. “This program, and ones like it, is vital to ensure issues of human and civil rights are always remembered.”

The award is for its 15th Annual Holocaust Day of Remembrance and Youth Summit program held on April 10, 2013.

Brad Meadows, communications manager for the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, said, “This year we had seven schools and over 300 students participated.”

The 15th Annual Holocaust Day of Remembrance program was entitled “Honoring the Rescuers.” The program examined those individuals who risked their lives in order to save the lives of Jews living in Nazi Germany.

“I have worked with the Indiana Civil Rights Commission on developing educationally sound programming that provides students with more than just a passive experience,” said Miles Roger, assistant director of the Bureau of Jewish Education.

The bureau, dedicated to promoting life-long Jewish education, has been involved with the State of Indiana Holocaust Remembrance for the past three years developing these programs.

The Youth Summit is a part of the Holocaust Day of Remembrance, where students from across the state took part in interactive learning sessions.

Afterwards, students proceeded to the Indiana Statehouse for the Holocaust Observance ceremony, which included remarks from Gov. Mike Pence and a special presentation from the Hasten Hebrew Academy.

The students from Hasten Hebrew Academy shared stories about their relatives who lived during the Holocaust.

“We were pleased to invite students from the Hasten Hebrew Academy to participate in this year’s program,” Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council Lindsey Mintz said. “Their personal connections and stories of relatives and loved ones who lived in the period of the Holocaust moved the entire audience.”

The Holocaust Day of Remembrance is held annually during a larger national remembrance week.

The program is organized by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Indiana Holiday Commission, the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, the Bureau of Jewish Education and the Jewish Community Relations Council. For more information about Indiana’s Holocaust Day of Remembrance visit in.gov/mlkihc.

“The collaboration between the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, Jewish Community Relations Council and Bureau of Jewish Education has truly enriched Jewish life in Central Indiana,” Rogers said.