Holocaust Memorial Day is observed in Alexandria

Monday was Holocaust Memorial Day, and the Central Louisiana community of all faiths gathered at the downtown Alexandria Holocaust Memorial to pay respect and remember the events of that time.

Renata Pilat, originally from Czechoslovakia, was among the crowd gathered at the memorial. She shared a very personal reminder of the Holocaust.

"My mother's parents sent her to Budapest, Hungary to hide,” said Pilat. “She was captured and sent to Auschwitz where the infamous Dr. Mengele did some research on her. She survived. She was liberated by American troops."

Liberated, married and, despite the cruel experiments, eventually pregnant. Pilat's mother never looked back. Pilat said her mother always refused to talk about her experience.

"She blocked that part of her life and threw the key away," said Pilat.

The facts, however, are not forgotten thanks to those who know the importance of remembering.

"Easy for this to creep back,” said Mike Tudor, a member of the board designated to take maintain the memorial. “That's why, in a community our size, I think every year on Holocaust Memorial Day, we need to gather together and say ‘never again.’"

Keynote speaker Dr. Jerry Sanson, from LSUA, pointed out that genocide and holocausts are found throughout human history. He said recognizing that this evil exists, is relevant right now.

"The Coptic Christians, Sunni against Shiite, the Jewish-Arab Holocaust, Cambodia, Bosnia,” said Tudor, naming groups being targeted and killed daily.

"As much as it sounds repetitive every year, the same thing, I think it is important for our children and grandchildren," said Pilat.

Rabbi Arnold Task said, through the years, he has had the opportunity to hear many stories from survivors, family members and liberators.

"To share the stories that I have learned, I think all of us have that responsibility," said Rabbi Task.

Tudor said education is very important, and the downtown monument is used to educate students.

"It’s up to each generation to remind them, unfortunately with some of the gruesome details, of state-sponsored genocide," said Tudor.

Knowing this, Pilat shares her mother's story. She lived her last years in Canada.

"We were able to lift her from communist Czechoslovakia to join us in Canada," said Pilat.

Pilat ended her story by saying she is proud to be an American, and proud to be in Alexandria.