The Jewish Community in the Republic of North Macedonia and the Holocaust Fund of the Macedonian Jews commemorated the 81st anniversary of the Holocaust of 7,144 Macedonian Jews, who were deported to the Treblinka extermination camp from Skopje, Bitola, and Shtip on March 11, 1943.
The central commemorative event, paying tribute to the 7,144 deported Jews from the country, was held at the monument to the deported Macedonian Jews in Skopje.
President Stevo Pendarovski, caretaker Prime Minister Talat Xhaferi, Jewish Community President Pepo Levi, and the Israeli Ambassador to North Macedonia, Simona Frankel, laid flowers and addressed the commemorative event.
“Today we pay tribute to the 7,144 Jews from Macedonia. To Maria, Pepo, Zholi, Besale, Dora, David, Rufel, Yakov, Boena, Mari, Esther, and many other Jews from Macedonia, who were killed in the Treblinka death camp. 7,144 Jews from Shtip, Bitola, and Skopje never again saw their hometowns,” said Pepo Levi during the ceremony.
Numerous delegations paid their respects at the monument of the deported Jews from Macedonia and at the monument of WWII fallen fighters at the Butel cemetery.
Significant commemorative activities also took place in other parts of the country.
In Bitola, the commemoration of the deportation of Macedonian Jews began with a performance of the play “The Child in Striped Pajamas”. Attendees paid their respects at two notable monuments: the “Stone Menorah,” erected in memory of Bitola’s deported Jews, and the monument commemorating the Jewish partisan Haim Estreya Ovadya. Subsequently, a procession proceeded from the “Dr. Haim Abravanel” Health Center to the Railway Station, where Bitola’s Mayor, Mr. Toni Konjanovski, delivered an address to the audience.
In Shtip, activities commenced with a commemorative program at the City Council hall, featuring a speech by Mayor Ivan Jordanov and a musical-recitative tribute to the executed Jews of Shtip, involving students from primary and secondary schools. A procession proceeded from the City Council hall to the monument of deported Jews from Shtip, where floral tributes were laid, concluding with a performance of “The Child in Striped Pajamas” play.
