Memory Evening “Remembering the Past”
On January 29, volunteers in Chișinău tried to make memory tangible.
In the history of our country, the Holocaust stands out as a tragic chapter that cannot simply be turned like a page — and once read, can never be forgotten. This year, we chose to honor the memory of those who suffered in this catastrophe in a special way, by immersing ourselves in those distant and painful events. On January 29, JCC KEDEM together with Artcor Creative Hub brought together 60 participants for a unique journey through time.
Instead of a traditional lecture format, guests experienced a full immersion into the past, surrounded by authentic objects, historical photographs, artifacts from the Sennaya Synagogue, and archival materials from Agudat Israel. Together, these elements created an atmosphere in which history seemed to speak directly, without intermediaries.
Historian Ion Ștefăniță guided participants through a map of the Chișinău ghetto — a city within a city, often forgotten in everyday life. At the “Timeline” station, Svetlana Zakatova helped participants reflect on how the world allowed such a catastrophe to happen. Rivka Safronova invited everyone to reflect on the preservation of traditions, sharing how the Jewish community continued to uphold its customs and values even during the most difficult times.
One of the most powerful moments of the evening came from personal testimony. The story shared by Georghetta Pavlovna Pronina, a client of Hesed Yehuda, about her family’s experience during the Holocaust, left the audience in profound silence. Irina Shikhova, Director of the Museum of the History of Jews in the Republic of Moldova, continued this narrative, emphasizing the importance of preserving every document and personal memory.
The atmosphere of the evening was further enriched by artifacts provided by the administration of the Sennaya Synagogue and exhibition materials from Agudat Israel in Moldova. The visual experience was complemented by works from artist Mrs. Untilă, paintings by Anastasia Gladchenko, and materials from the program “Fragments of Broken Lives,” created at the initiative of journalist Denis Borshevich.
We express our sincere gratitude to Artcor Creative Hub for their active support in organizing this memorial evening. We also thank everyone who joined us, sharing the pain of loss and honoring the memory of those who perished during the Holocaust. As long as we remember, we strengthen our responsibility to prevent such tragedies from happening again.