Israeli president to join 1941 Iași pogrom remembrance event in Romania

Israeli president Isaac Herzog is expected to attend this year's March of Life in the Romanian city of Iași, marking 85 years since the pogrom of June 1941. The commemorative event is scheduled to take place on June 28 and will bring together local authorities and members of the Jewish community.

Iași City Hall announced that the March of Life will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Jewish Cemetery in the city's Păcurari district.

The event is now in its 12th edition. This year's program will run between June 27 and 29 and is organized by Iași City Hall in collaboration with the Jewish Community of Iași.

The March of Life was initiated by Rabbi Josef Wasserman of Israel, president of the Foundation for the Promotion and Development of Judaism in Romania.

“Iași was among the first cities in Romania where the Jewish community settled, being particularly involved in the development of commerce, as well as the arts (the world's first Yiddish theater, 'Green Tree', operated in Iași, in the area of the current Theatre Park), medicine, science and architectural heritage, being a special city for members of the Jewish community in Romania and Israel,” the City Hall said.

The organizers said the commemoration is also intended to encourage reflection on a future built on mutual respect, understanding, and solidarity.

The Iași Pogrom, carried out in June 1941, resulted in the deaths of thousands of Jews and remains one of the most tragic events in Romania's modern history.

(Photo source: Facebook/Primăria Municipiului Iași)