CLUB DEDICATE TONIGHT’S FIXTURE TO HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY

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Clarets helping to raise awareness of Holocaust Memorial Day

2023-01-20T12:30:00.000Z

CLUB DEDICATE TONIGHT’S FIXTURE TO HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY

Clarets helping to raise awareness of Holocaust Memorial Day

2023-01-20T12:30:00.000Z

Clarets helping to raise awareness of Holocaust Memorial Day

In conjunction with the EFL’s Inclusion campaign, and as part of the Club’s own aims surrounding Equality, Diversion & Inclusion, we are proud to dedicate this evening’s game against West Bromwich Albion to Holocaust Memorial Day which takes place on 27th January.

The Club have earmarked this fixture as the nearest home game to that date, and in the run up to it were privileged to get a visit from Holocaust survivor Ike Alterman.

Ike attended the Burnley Training Centre earlier this week with representatives from ‘The Fed’, a social care charity for the Greater Manchester Jewish Community, and his partner Diane.

The U18s squad, players from the first-team, representatives from Burnley FC Women, Club staff & Chairman Alan Pace were all in attendance for the session with 94-year-old Ike, who provided first-hand his accounts of harrowing experiences throughout the Holocaust.

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Jack Cork was one of those in attendance, and spoke afterwards about his admiration for Ike, saying: “He just wants to spread the message so that something like the Holocaust never happens again.

“What he’s been through, he has every right to be angry at people, but his mentality on everything is unbelievably positive.

“You learn in school about it [the Holocaust], but that was 20 years or so ago for me now and you don’t know the sheer numbers of those affected until you hear it from someone like Ike. It was nice to refresh the memory and for him to come in, because as he said if things aren’t talked about then they can fade away.”

Jay Rodriguez also wanted to share his own thanks to Ike for making the trip to East Lancashire and sharing his story, adding: “This is the first person I’ve ever met who went through it. Hearing the pain he’s been through just shows you how horrific it was.

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“What we’ve all learned, and I think to an extent we still don’t know, just how he managed to keep going, he’s simply an incredible person.

“To be content and do so well in his life after all this is truly inspiring. He wants people to look after each other, that’s all. To go through so much evil and pain, and come out and tell his story is incredible. I’m thankful he’s come today and shared his experiences with us.”

Youth team midfielder Wiktor Gromek was born in Poland, moving to the UK when he was three years of age. He spoke after the session, saying just how much Ike’s story had touched him.

“It’s good to speak to Ike as I didn’t know everything that had happened during the Holocaust, I only really knew a bit about it. I come from Poland so I think it’s perhaps even more important, or better, that I can understand fully what happened.

“It hit me when Ike was talking because it’s a real disaster, and I don’t think people now perhaps have it as tough in any walk of life despite the struggles some of us face today.

“I used to go to Polish school in London when I first moved here, and after Ike’s talk it really has made me want to learn more.”

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Head of Education Conor Craddock meanwhile believes the chat with Ike will be one that is remembered by all in attendance including the youth team squad. He said: “It was a privilege for us to hear first-hand Ike’s incredibly moving and inspirational story.

“I think collectively there was an awareness around the Holocaust and the atrocities that took place during that period. However, to hear Ike share his experiences and to talk so candidly about his life, was so powerful.

“Ike is an inspiration to all and the fact that, despite his experiences, he harbours no ill-feeling and instead chooses to promote love and a care for humanity as one, promotes a message that will resonate strongly with us all.

“I would like to thank Ike, Diane, Raphi and the team at The Fed for arranging this opportunity for us.

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Ike presented a copy of his book – ‘Rest Their Souls’ – to the Club at the end of his talk having opened the floor to a Q&A session which was engaged with by various attendees.

Tonight at Turf Moor you will see branding relating to Holocaust Memorial Day in and around the ground, and we urge you to find out more about the subject via the Holocaust Educational Trust.