We were very fortunate today to have Holocaust survivor, Leslie Carter, come to school as we marked Yom Ha'Shoah.  Born in 1935, she grew up under the shadow of Nazi Europe and experienced its worst atrocities.

The LJFS and Brodetsky Key Stage 2 Pupils were spell bound as they listened to her speak.  I was moved by almost the first thing she said.  As she started to talk and referenced life under the Nazi party she stopped and said that she didn't want to talk about them (The Nazis) anymore and instead she wanted to talk about herself.

This personal approach emphasised the true meaning of today.  We must remember the victims, the survivors who lived on with the physical and mental scars, and care for those few who still survive today. Most importantly of all, in remembering, we are also working to ensure it does not happen again.

I led an assembly for the reception and Key Stage 1 pupils which focussed on having pride in their Jewish identity (or in that of their Jewish friends).  This followed Mr Scheftz who spoke to them about valuing themselves and each other, irrespective of faith, ethnicity or family.

I finished the assembly by reminding the children of a Jewish tradition, that of placing a stone on a visited grave, and reminding them to bring in their stones to be set into our own memorial wall. This will help us move our remembrance from single days to all the year round.