On Wednesday (27 January), a crowd of some 50 people gathered in Grays Memorial Gardens (left) in an act of remembrance of the 6 million victims of the Holocaust during the Second World War.
Among those present were a number of local church ministers, councillors, representatives from local groups, and members of the Brentwood & Shenfield Synagogue.
Addresses were made by the Mayoress and Thurrock’s outgoing MP, Andrew Mackinlay. Prayers were said by members of the Jewish community.
Rev Ed Hanson, Area Dean of Thurrock, reminded us of one of history’s most cynical quotes, that of Joseph Stalin, who said, “One death is a tragedy, but one million deaths is a statistic”. Ed turned this around by saying, “The Holocaust wasn’t a statistic, but 6 million tragedies”.
Ed is pictured (right) standing at the far right with the Mayoress and folk from the Synagogue.
He led the communal reading of the commitment to Holocaust Remembrance and invited guests to place white stones in a deep bowl, and write a comment in a Book of Remembrance.
In the picture (left), Andrew Mackinlay can be seen standing front row, far right. At the back and nearest the camera is the Labour Parliamentary candidate for this year’s election (probably on 6 May), Carl Morris.
