Barnet Shul unites generations with VR Holocaust testimony and survivor story on Yom HaShoah

More than 60 members of the Barnet Synagogue community came together this week for a moving Yom HaShoah commemoration, focused on remembrance and passing stories to the next generation.

Held both in person and online, the evening combined traditional acts of remembrance with new ways of engaging younger members of the community.

A youth programme led by Youth Director Ofira Brunert introduced children and teenagers to Letters from Drancy, a virtual reality film created by synagogue member Micaela Blitz. The immersive experience follows Holocaust survivor Marion Deichmann’s journey across Europe, including her separation from her mother, her escape with the French Resistance in Paris and her memories of the D-Day bombings.

The film has been recognised at major international festivals, including London, Venice and SXSW, and reflects a growing effort to use technology to help younger audiences connect with Holocaust history.

A candle-lighting ceremony was at the heart of the evening, as community members of all ages lit candles in memory of the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust. Barnet councillor David Longstaff was among those who took part.

One of the most personal moments came from 15-year-old Ella Behar, who shared the story of her great-grandmother Eva, a survivor of Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen, who later made her life in the UK. Several members of her family were there to hear her speak.

The community also heard from Holocaust survivor Hedi Argent, who spoke about fleeing Austria in 1939 as a child and rebuilding her life in Britain.

Her testimony was a powerful reminder of why it is so important that younger generations continue to tell these stories as the number of survivors declines.