Public Library Of Youngstown & Mahoning County: Holocaust Remembrance Day

Press release from the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County:

Kelly

April 8th, 2021

Holocaust Remembrance Day is a solemn occasion, commemorating the 6 million Jews and 5 million others who perished in the Holocaust at the hands of Nazi Germany.  This day is a time to reflect on the lives lost, as well as the heroism and the Jewish resistance during that terrifying period (1933-1945).

Holocaust Remembrance Day begins at sunset on April 8 and ends at sunset on April 9.  It is a national day of memorial and a public holiday in Israel.  Though established by Israel, it is also recognized by the United States and Canada, and celebrated by Jewish communities and individuals worldwide.

This day is also known as “Yom HaShoah” or fully “Yom HaShoah Ve-Hagevurah” in Hebrew, which translates literally to the “Day of Remembrance of Holocaust and the Herosim.”  It is held on the 27th day in the month of Nisan (according to the Jewish calendar).  It also marks the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising (1943).

The President of the State of Israel and the Prime Minister, dignitaries, survivors and families of survivors gather together to take part in the official ceremony.  Six torches (representing the six million Jews) are lit, and a siren sounds for two minutes.  All work is halted and people stand at silent attention and reverence.  Afterward, wreaths are laid at the foot of the six torches.

Take time to remember the Holocaust; keep the memory alive for generations to come.  There are many activities and rituals you can partake in to commemorate the occasion and the people lost.  Learn about the Holocaust, about Jewish history, view a film or documentary about Holocaust; pray or read or share stories.  There are many other rituals that people and synagogues around the United States, Canada and Israel partake in, including programs and candle-lighting and other memorial services and ceremonies.

There is also an International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27, which was designated by the United Nations for all UN members to commemorate.  The date is the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Learn More About Yom HaShoah and the Holocaust

To read more about Yom HaShoah, visit the site Jewish Virtual Library.

To read more about ways to commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day, visit the site Holocaust Center for Humanity.

To learn more about the Holocaust, visit the site for The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

To request Holocaust materials from the library, visit the library catalog.

Kelly

Kelly is a librarian at the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County. As the Adult Programming Specialist, her focus is bringing adults the library programs they love.  (Kids can’t have ALL the fun!).  She reads strictly nonfiction and picture books.  She believes that anything you could ever need or want is located somewhere in the library.  Including friends.

This press release was produced by the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County. The views expressed here are the author’s own.