Eight Long Island Campus students enrolled in a World Religions class through the campus’ Honors Program took part in an Interfaith Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony at Temple Beth El in Patchogue last month.
“My experience at the Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony was one that I will probably remember for the rest of my life,” said Abigail Walsh, a nursing major with a minor in psychology. “Knowing that my generation will be one of the last to hear about the Holocaust from survivors made me appreciate this moment even more.”
The St. Joseph’s University, New York students were invited to light some of the memorial candles during the Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony. A number of clergy from other Patchogue churches attended the event, along with Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri.
“The service allowed me to reflect on history, and how faith has been highly influential in a multitude of major events, like the Holocaust,” said Victoria Corcoran, a sophomore majoring in English with minors in legal studies as well as journalism and new media studies.
“It is important to reflect on tragedies like the Holocaust in order to make sure events like this don’t happen again,” she added.
The students also visited the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City and a mosque in Shirley earlier this semester as part of their World Religions class with Thomas Petriano, Ph.D., professor and chair of religious studies at St. Joseph’s.
“One of the key things I was able to take away from this day was to not take anything I have for granted because nothing in life is guaranteed,” Walsh said.
