Picture of the Bielski Brigade partisan group who saved the Jews from Lida surrounding regions
Our
history starts many years ago. The Jews from Lida and the
surrounding regions lived there in peace for centuries.
They established a thriving community but during world
war two all was taken away.
On
May 8th 1942 there was a mass slaughter of the innocent
residents
of
Lida
at the
hands
of the Nazi
party.
A horrific
total of 5,670
lives were taken - unarmed men, women, and children. This tragic
day was followed by an unspeakable amount of executions and
further horrors until the final liquidation of the Lida
ghetto took place
in September of 1943. Countless lives were lost, buildings
destroyed, and families torn apart. Thanks to many heroes
such as Tuvia Bielski some managed to flee to the woods
and survive until the end of the war.
We
shall always honor and remember those who perished in
our hearts and minds. This
is an important time- it is over 60 years since the end
of World War Two and the liberation of the first concentration
camps that the American and Russian soldiers came upon.
At this milestone there are fewer and fewer people who
really
remember
what happened during those dark years.
Every
year we gather as one family to remember those lost to
us. Whether by blood or common history, we all have a
shared history and bond to Lida and to each other in
this organization. We will never ever forget those who
have been lost, and we will continue to celebrate those
who survived and rebuilt their shattered lives. We light
a candle in memoriam to all of those who were lost, share
stories, pictures, and proclaim proudly that “We
are from Lida and we are still here”. We intend
to keep the Lida spirit alive in the future generations.
Led
by the third generation of survivors from Lida - the
foundation aims to both cherish the memories of all
those who have been lost in Lida and neighboring communities
as well as commemorate all those who survived. The
Lida Holocaust Memorial Foundation is now officially
a recognized
501c3 non-profit organization in the United States.
Our
fundraising efforts support a vast a number of causes
including
gravesite
maintenance,
Holocaust
awareness/education events, memorial services and
much more.
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If
you have any stories, pictures , or would like more
information about us please contact
us. |
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