Survivors and dignitaries have heaped praise on the co-founder of Laxton’s Holocaust Centre for his “outstanding work” after he received a national honour.
Actress Maureen Lipman joined Holocaust survivors and supporters of the National Holocaust Centre on Friday, March 21 in a surprise celebration for Dr James Smith.
The co-founder of both the centre and of the Aegis Trust for genocide prevention had recently visited Buckingham Palace to be presented with a CBE by Prince Charles.
The CBE, awarded for services to Holocaust education and genocide prevention, was announced in the Queen’s New Year Honours.
The celebration was held in the National Holocaust Centre’s Memorial Hall.
Chief rabbi Ephraim Mirvis was unable to attend the event, but wrote to wish Dr Smith ‘heartfelt congratulations on your most well-deserved honour’.
“Together with your brother Stephen, your selfless devotion to founding and maintaining the Holocaust Centre contributes significantly to Holocaust education and genocide prevention in this country and around the world,” rabbi Mirvis said.
“May the centre and all your outstanding work go from strength to strength.”
Maureen Lipman, who visited the centre in 2012, told Dr Smith: “It’s a great day, and although there is no empire, I wear my badge with pride and you will yours, because what you’re doing is making the British Empire – such as it isn’t – into a healing place all over the world, and that is unique.
“I am proud to be a member of this wonderful family, and to watch it go forward.”
The actress, best known for her roles in Coronation Street and the award-winning Roman Polanski film The Pianist, added: “I go to a lot of events, and I make people put their hands up and say whether they’ve been to the Holocaust Centre.
“It’s astonishing to me how many Jewish people have not, because they don’t think they need to. And I say, ‘but this is different. This is a place about hope, and changing, and the future’.”
Holocaust survivors were also full of praise for Dr Smith’s honour.
“We’re all extremely proud. James’ achievements are quite outstanding and I’m very pleased to see that they’ve been recognised officially,” said Steven Mendelsson, who fled Nazi Europe as a child refugee.
“It’s very well deserved,” added Dorothy Fleming. “We owe a great deal to James as survivors.”
Dr Smith thanked everyone for their support.
“This award that was bestowed for Holocaust education and genocide prevention is truly a collective award for all our efforts, and nothing gives me greater reward than seeing children at the Holocaust Centre knowing some may have been touched by your stories,” he said, particularly addressing the Holocaust survivors present.
“I think you’re all aware of the ripples that go out from this place, but the award was also given to the genocide prevention work of Aegis in places like Rwanda. Our education work there is becoming a tool for preventing societies being torn apart.
“I’m just so proud of what the National Holocaust Centre achieves, and I’m so proud of the Aegis Trust and the work that is done not only in Rwanda but throughout the world. We know it’s only just beginning.
“The next fifty or hundred years beyond us, there will be new generations and more work to combat all these terrible threats, but we have to keep at it – just as we would with any infectious disease, any epidemic or cancer.”
