ANCA Burbank Participates in World Kindertransport Day

December 18, 2017

Burbank, Calif. – On Sunday, December 3, 2017, ANCA Burbank Board members and supporters attended the commemoration for World Kindertransport Day  organized by Southern California Chapter of the Kindertransport Association.

In the months between the Kristallnacht Program of November 9-10, 1938 and the start of World War II, nearly 10,000 children were sent, without their parents, out of Nazi Germany, Austria, Poland and Czechoslovakia to safety in Great Britain. These children were saved by the Kindertransport rescue movement.

This year’s theme was “Celebrating Rescuers Then and Now” covering Children’s rescue efforts during the Holocaust, rescue during the Armenian Genocide and current refugee situation in Greece and other nations. The program started with an Invocation by Rabbi John Carrier followed by Candle Lighting ceremony on the steps of Burbank City Hall and proceeded by a candlelight walk to The Colony Theatre for presentations.

The following topics were presented:

-Holocaust Rescuer Varian Fry – presented by David Meyerhof

-The Near East Relief Foundation and their efforts during the Armenian Genocide – presented by Dr. Armond Aghakhanian

-Need for Rescuers Now, Refugees Today – presented by Michael Soehner and Bev Weiss.

The event was organized by Janet Diel and Rachel Rubin Green and attended by Burbank City Vice Mayor Emily Gable-Luddy, Councilman Bob Frutos and representatives of U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff, U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman, CA Senator Anthony Portantino and Assembly Member Laura Friedman.

The Armenian National Committee of America–Burbank advances the social, economic, cultural, and political rights of the area’s Armenian community and promotes its increased civic participation at the grassroots and public policy levels.