Holocaust Memorial Day
Holocaust Memorial Day is a solemn day of remembrance and reflection. Together, we remember the 6 million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, alongside the millions killed under Nazi persecution of targeted groups, and in more recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur, and against the Yazidi people.
Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) is an international commemoration which takes place each year on 27 January – marking the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp.
The Holocaust (also known as the Shoah) is central to HMD. Together, we remember the 6 million Jews, and millions of others, who were murdered by the Nazis.
It is also a day to remember the millions of people murdered in the genocides that followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Darfur, and against the Yazidi people.
Ways to mark Holocaust Memorial Day include:
- Attending services, commemoration events and talks held by, or in partnership with, a Progressive Jewish community.
- Watching the Holocaust Memorial Day Ceremony, the focal point of HMD in the UK, which is broadcast online and often on TV.
- Taking part in the Light the Darkness national moment by lighting commemorative candles and placing them safely in the windows of our homes and synagogues.
The Holocaust threatened the fabric of civilisation, and discrimination and persecution must still be resisted every day.
Our world often feels fragile and vulnerable and we cannot be complacent. Wherever it takes place, including in the UK, prejudice and the language of hatred must be challenged by us all.
Organising and taking part in HMD events and activities changes not only what people know about the Holocaust and genocide, but also how they think and feel about those affected by persecution. It has led people to take action to protect others at risk of discrimination today.
Listening to a survivor—or a second- or third-generation descendant—of the Holocaust, Nazi persecution, or a subsequent genocide share their testimony is a deeply powerful experience. Participants at HMD events often have a profound emotional response to hearing these stories. Please contact us if you want to be put in touch with an organisation that can help you find someone to speak.
Ultimately, Holocaust Memorial Day provides an important opportunity to reflect on the atrocities of history in the context of our lives today, a reminder of the importance of challenging hatred and discrimination.
If you want to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day in a welcoming, inclusive, and egalitarian setting, please contact one of our Progressive congregations.