Hello My Friends,

Yom Hashoah

Holocaust Remembrance Day

It has been over 60 years since the Holocaust. To Survivors,, the Holocaust remains real and ever-present, but for some others, sixty years often makes the Holocaust seem to be a distant part of ancient history. Year-round we must try to teach and inform others about the horrors of the Holocaust. We confront the questions of what happened? How did it happen? How could it happen? Could it happen again? We must attempt to fight against ignorance with education, and against disbelief with proof.

But there is one day each year set aside on which to make a special effort to remember (Zachor). Upon this one day, we remember those that suffered, those that fought, and those that died. Six million Jews were murdered. Many families were completely decimated.

Why this day?

Jewish history is long and filled with many stories of slavery and freedom, sorrow and joy, persecution and redemption. For the Jewish people, their history, their family, and their relationship with God have shaped their religion and their identity. The Hebrew calendar is filled with varied holidays that incorporate and reiterate the history and the rich tradition of their people.

After the horrors of the Holocaust, Jews wanted a day to memorialize this tragedy. But what day? The Holocaust spanned years with suffering and death spread throughout these years of terror. No one day stood out as representative of this destruction.

So various days were suggested.

• The tenth of Tevet was proffered. This day is Asarah B'Tevet and marks the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem. But this day holds no direct relation or tie to the Holocaust.
• The Zionists in Israel, many of whom had fought in the ghettos or as partisans, wanted to commemorate the beginning of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising - April 19, 1943. But this date on the Hebrew calendar is the 14th of Nissan - the day before Passover, a very important and happy holiday. Orthodox Jews objected to this date.

For two years, the date was debated. Finally, in 1950, compromises and bargaining began. The 27th of Nissan was chosen, which falls beyond Passover but within the time span of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Orthodox Jews still did not like this date because it was a day of mourning within the traditionally happy month of Nissan. As a final effort to compromise, it was decided that if the 27th of Nissan would affect Shabbat (fall on Friday or Saturday), then it would be moved. If the 27th of Nissan falls on a Friday, Holocaust Remembrance Day is moved to the preceding Thursday. If the 27th of Nissan falls on a Sunday, then Holocaust Remembrance Day is moved to the following Monday.

On April 12, 1951, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) proclaimed Yom Hashoah U'Mered HaGetaot (Holocaust and Ghetto Revolt Remembrance Day) to be the 27th of Nissan. The name later became known as Yom Hashoah Ve Hagevurah (Devastation and Heroism Day) and even later simplified to Yom Hashoah.

This year, Yom Hashoah will be on April 12, 2010.

How is it observed?

Since Yom Hashoah is a relatively new holiday, there are no set rules or rituals. What kind of ritual could represent the Holocaust?

There are various beliefs about what is and is not appropriate on this day - and many of them are conflicting. In general, Yom Hashoah has been observed with candlelighting, speakers, poems, prayers, and singing. Often, six candles are lighted to represent the six million. Holocaust survivors speak about their experiences or share in the readings. Some ceremonies have people read from the Book of Names for certain lengths of time in an effort to remember those that died and to give an understanding of the huge number of victims. Sometimes these ceremonies are held in a cemetery or near a Holocaust memorial.

In Israel, the Knesset made Yom Hashoah a national public holiday in 1959 and in 1961 a law was passed that closed all public entertainment on Yom Hashoah. At ten in the morning, a siren is sounded where everyone stops what they are doing, pull over in their cars, and stand in remembrance.

In whatever form we observe Yom Hashoah, the memory of the Jewish victims shall and must live on.

(Please Click Below)

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Have A Blessed Day My Friends,

Phil

Phil,

I recently read a survivor account which had a huge impact upon me.

The strength that was shown by some was awesome.

We must never forget or allow the same to ever happen again.

Hi Roger,

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit and thanks for your kind words of Support. I can count on you to be one of my first Friends to visit a new Thread, and I appreciate your Friendship and your Support. Thanks my Friend.

I've always remembered the Children of the Holocaust because I think of all the promise and hope in those young lives that was wasted because of Hatred. This is the Childrens Holocaust Memorial at Temple Emanuel, in Great Neck, NY. Please click on the Monument for a Special Musical tribute by the late John Denver...

Actually, it was an Episode of Who Do You Think You Are, starring Lisa Kudrow of Friends fame, that got me to remembering Holocaust Remembrance Day. In the show she was exploring her Jewish heritage and discovered both the sadness and the happiness from her past.

Approximately 1.5 million Jewish children perished in the Holocaust. They are specially remembered in the Children's Memorial, an underground cavern in which the flickering flames of memorial candles are reflected in an infinity of tiny lights within the prevailing darkness. Next to the Museum of Holocaust Art lies an auditorium. Inside are shoes... empty shoes of women, men, and children whose lives were destroyed simply because they were Jews. There's a similar exhibit at the U.S. holocaust memorial museum in D.C.

Thanks again my Friends for stopping by, and Thanks for always Remembering the 6 Million.

God Bless,

Phil

Hi Peter,

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for your kind Comments. I'm glad that you appprove. Just didn't think that I could let the Day pass without Remembering. As you say, there are many attrocities going on around the world each and every day, many Genocidal Holocausts, where often entire Generations are being destroyed. I don't know why we often stand idly by unable, or worse yet, unwilling, to say stop the killing. I do know however, that unless we are constantly reminded of the deadly actions of the past, reminded of what Hatred can do when left unchecked, then we are destined to repeat these atrocities over and over again. The Old must teach the Young, so that together they will always remember, and together they will lock arms and Vow Never Again.

I'm glad that you mentioned your Article of Virtue. I reread it often, and I hope others will do so as well. It is a constant reminder to me of how blessed I have been to have had my Family around during my life, and also a reminder of how easily we can lose that Family, as well as our very own Humanity, if we allow Hatred to go unchecked. Here is also a link to Yad Vashem. We can all benefit from studying the valuable information on this excellent Website.

Jewish Children's Holocaust Memorial

Thanks Again My Friend & God Bless,

Phil