This spring, something changed in Woodruff Park’s landscape—where there was previously green space, 20,000 yellow daffodils began to sprout.
The daffodils were planted in honor of the one-and-a-half million children who died in the Holocaust. This particular flower was chosen because the shape and color represents the yellow stars the Jews had to wear—the one flower that represents hope for the future.
Am Yisrael Chai!, a new Atlanta non-profit Holocaust Education and Awareness Organization, contacted Central Atlanta Progress to partner with The National Center for Civil Rights on the daffodil project.
Am Yisrael Chai! will not open its doors until this summer. But Wilma Sothern, the vice president of marketing for Central Atlanta Progress came up with the idea to plant daffodils in Woodruff Park to launch the center’s efforts.
“We are always looking for great ways to activate the park, and we thought by planting these beautiful, yet meaningful, flowers, it would be a great way to attract people to the park and show it in a very lovely light,” Sothern said.
“What is more beautiful than thousands of yellow flowers, blowing in the wind?”
Andrea Videlefsky, creator of the daffodil project, explained that this project is very meaningful for her personally. She believes it is a tangible way of passing the message of Holocaust remembrance to the next generation.
“The daffodils have a way of reminding us of this message, and they live on in our minds even as they become dormant, waiting to remind us again each Spring,” Videlefsky said.
Though Woodruff Park is owned by Central Atlanta Progress, students identify the park as being on campus.
“I would like the students at GSU to anticipate the beauty and the strength of the daffodils as the cycle of nature brings them back each year. [They] can get involved in this project by coming out in the fall to help plant more daffodils,” Videlefsky said.
Daffodils is an Atlanta project, but it is also a worldwide project for Am Yisrael Chai. There are currently over 22 areas around the world where daffodils are planted.
Being heavily involved in the project, Sothern could not be more thrilled about its results thus far.
“The visual impact and the beauty of a reminder of such pain, far exceeded any expectations that I had. I’m very happy,” she said.
Videlefsky explained that the daffodils serve a two-fold purpose.
“The daffodils create a magnificent green space and beautify the city, but they also serve to remind the people of Atlanta that we are all part of a greater project of remembrance and action,” Videlefsky said.
Check out these other Georgia locations where memorial daffodils are planted
Blue Ridge – 600
Congregation Beth Tefillah – 11,620
Savannah Jewish Educational Alliance – 250
Chabad of Cobb- 280
Hillel Kennesaw State University- 370
Congregation Or Hadash- 500
Marist School- 500
The Galloway School- 180
The Breman Jewish History and Holocaust Museum- 6,000
AA Synagogue- 1028
The Marcus Jewish Community Center- 5000
The Epstein School- 280
The Atlanta Botanical Garden- 25,000
