Yom Hashoah Event Brings Richmond Community Together
Congregation Or Atid (COA) proudly hosted its fourth annual community wide Yom HaShoah Heroism and Commemoration Day event, this year honoring Tommy Baer who escaped Nazi Germany with his parents in 1939.
Rabbi Sherry Grinsteiner welcomed everyone to the event and led Motzi over a beautiful challah followed by a moment of silence and then the blare of a siren as sounded in Israel.
Emcee for the program was Dr. Sam Richardson, Director of the Jewish Community Relations Committee at the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond, who introduced a host of enlightening guest speakers. Those speakers included Rabbi Yossel Kranz of Chabad of Virginia, who introduced the Yom HaShoah event and highlighted the importance of memory of the past and how active memory is linked to action.
Other speakers included Samuel Asher, Director of the Virginia Holocaust Museum, who spoke about the VHM and the importance of community education, and Rabbi Elisha Paul of RTA who addressed the importance of education and was accompanied by his RTA students in the singing Hatikvah.
Additional speakers included Rabbi Menachem Lessoff, Director of Jewish Life at VCU Chabad who, with his wife Daniela, chanted the El Molei. Sheri Rodman, Executive Director of Hillel at VCU, led the yellow candle blessing and Hillel student president, Cal Newmann, also accompanied the Survivors.
Rabbi Rachel Salston of Temple Beth-El led the Holocaust Kaddish as a responsive prayer and Rabbi Grinsteiner recited the poem “Ashrei Hagafrur” (Blessed is the Match) by Hannah Senesh in Hebrew and English. The morning included Eli Wiesel’s “Never Shall I Forget” a poem from Night read by BBYO member Zach Lowenstein.
Theo and Sebastian Mendez recited from the song, “Peace Will Come” by Tom Paxton, a song that is relevant to the event given the lyrics “let it begin with me” and which is connected with the 2026 Yom HaShoah national theme of “Bridging the Generations.”
In his keynote presentation, Baer emphasized that fighting antisemitism and hate begins at a young age. Ben Ipson (grandson to Jay and Elly Ipson) spoke at the end of the program and invited all ages to learn the history of our people and lessons of the Holocaust so it is not forgotten. He encouraged all to attend the Emek Shalom annual Kristallnacht event in November.
The Survivors, refugees and liberators of the Shoah in attendance were called to participate in the candle lighting memorial ceremony. A thirteenth candle was lit in remembrance of the six million.
This Yom HaShoah event was conceived by co-chairs Alex Mendez-Zfass and Terry Schultz along with Rabbi Grinsteiner to recognize local Holocaust Survivors, refugees, liberators and their families. All ages were represented at the event, and our youth were encouraged to participate because it is incumbent upon us to educate our future generations about the Shoah to combat antisemitism and hate, and to create Jewish identity.
Student essay contest winners, Noah Alton and Noah Marcus, were present during the event and were recognized for their work.
As Rabbi Kranz stated in his remarks, “Jewish memory does not end in the past. It demands something of us now. To build. To show up. To speak. To give. To live as Jews proudly, publicly, without apology.”
Or Atid Volunteers for FeedMore
Six dedicated congregants from Congregation Or Atid volunteered to help pack food for school children as part of the school year food drive through FeedMore. This was our final session of the school year, as the program pauses in May before resuming in late August or September.
Thank you to all who volunteered this year – your efforts truly mattered.
Preparations Underway for Growing Season
Planting has begun for the 2026 season of Or Atid’s Gan Chesed Kindness Garden.
As always, how well the garden produces will depend basically on weather conditions during the season. So far planting is underway for onions, cabbage, carrots and spinach.
The garden’s organic vegetables and herbs will continue to be delivered to the Jewish Community Center’s Elmer Toth Food Pantry along with similar donations from the JCC’s grocery store partners during the 2026 harvest season.
Updates will be reported as the season progresses.
For more information on involvement with the garden project at Or Atid, contact Sue Geller at (804) 387-7643 or email her at susanrgeller@gmail.com.
Or Atid to Hold Israel-Themed Musical Shabbat with Dinner
On Friday, April 24, Congregation Or Atid will be holding an Israel-themed musical Shabbat service and dinner from 6-8:30 p.m. As a special part of the evening’s celebration, Or Atid will be hosting members of NextGen, the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond’s initiative for young adults to connect, lead and make an impact.
Join us for a heartfelt worship experience, beautifully accompanied by musical instruments to warmly welcome Shabbat. After the service stay and enjoy a tasty meal surrounded by familiar faces and new friends.
For more information and registration, call (804) 740-4747 or check out our website at www.oratid.org.
Shir Delight: a Shabbat of Music with Hazzan Dr. Evlyn Gould
Immerse yourself in a truly one-of-a-kind Shabbat experience – where the beauty of our liturgy and prayers comes alive through the power of music. Let your soul be moved, your voice be heard and your spirit renewed.
✦ Friday, May 15 | 6 p.m. – Musical Kabbalat Shabbat and Dinner
Usher in Shabbat with uplifting melodies and a warm communal dinner followed by gathering for an intimate evening of soulful Shabbat Z’mirot (Shabbat songs)
To register go to https://www.oratid.org/event/May-2026-Kabbalat-Shabbat
✦ Saturday, May 16 | 10 a.m. – Shabbat morning service and Kiddush lunch followed by “Raise Your Voice: Songs of Hallel” from 1-2 p.m.
To register, go to https://www.oratid.org/event/May-2026-Shir-Shabbat
✦ Sunday, May 17 | 6-8 p.m. – The Gift of Mincha and the Joy of Rosh Chodesh. Welcome the new month of Sivan with the Rising Song Circle featuring an evening of songs, learning, and reflection – culminating in the mitzvah of counting of the Omer, a beautiful close to a weekend full of music and meaning.
To register, go to https://www.oratid.org/event/2026-May-Rising-Song-Sivan.html
