What Is Yom HaShoah?

Yom HaShoah (יוֹם הַשּׁוֹאָה), Holocaust Remembrance Day, commemorates the six million Jews murdered by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during World War II. Observed on the 27th of Nisan, it is a day of mourning, remembrance, and reflection on the darkest chapter of modern Jewish history.

Establishment

(Day of Holocaust and Heroism), honoring both the victims and those who resisted.

Observances in Israel

The Siren

At 10:00 AM, air raid sirens sound throughout Israel. For two minutes, the entire country stops—people stand still, cars pull over, all activity ceases—in a collective moment of silence and memory.

Yad Vashem Ceremony

The central ceremony at Israel's national Holocaust memorial includes the lighting of six torches by survivors representing the six million murdered.

Flags

Israeli flags fly at half-staff.

Entertainment Restrictions

Restaurants, theaters, and places of entertainment are closed.

Observances Worldwide

Memorial Services

Communities hold remembrance services with prayers, readings, and survivor testimonies.

Candle Lighting

Six candles or one yellow candle (representing the yellow star) are lit.

Reading Names

Many communities publicly read the names of victims throughout the day.

Educational Programs

Schools and organizations host presentations, films, and survivor talks.

The Imperative of Memory

זָכוֹר אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְךָ עֲמָלֵק

Translation: Remember what Amalek did to you. (Deuteronomy 25:17)

The commandment to remember those who sought to destroy Israel takes on profound meaning after the Holocaust. As the survivor generation diminishes, the responsibility to remember falls increasingly on subsequent generations.

Not Despair, But Commitment

It calls for combating antisemitism, protecting the vulnerable, and affirming Jewish continuity. The existence of the State of Israel and thriving Jewish communities worldwide testify to survival against the intent of annihilation.