Yom HaShoah

Yom HaShoah Flags halfmast

YomHashoahJerusalem

File:Tsfira Mvi3790.ogv

March of the living-in-auschwitz

Yom Hashoah candle

Yom HaShoah (Hebrew: יום השואה), officially known as Yom HaZikaron laShoah ve-laG'vurah (Hebrew: יום הזיכרון לשואה ולגבורה‎, lit. "Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day"), is observed as Israel's day of commemoration for the approximately six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust, as a result of the actions carried out by Nazi Germany and its Axis allies, and for the Jewish resistance in that period. It is observed on the 27th of Nisan, a month in the Hebrew calendar, which usually falls in April or May in the Gregorian calendar.

History

The concept of Yom HaShoah was first proposed in 1949, a year after the establishment of the State of Israel, by Mordechai Shenhavi, a member of Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek and a Holocaust survivor. The date was selected by the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) on April 12, 1951. The choice of date was influenced by the timing of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, which began on the eve of Passover, April 19, 1943 (the 14th of Nisan, 5703 according to the Hebrew calendar). However, to avoid clashing with Passover, the date was moved to the 27th of Nisan, which usually falls a week after the end of Passover.

Observance

Yom HaShoah is marked by ceremonies and memorial services at schools, military bases, and by public officials across Israel. The central state ceremony is held at Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem. At 10 a.m., air raid sirens sound throughout Israel, and people observe two minutes of solemn silence, standing still to honor the memory of the dead. Flags are flown at half-mast, and radio and television programming is adjusted to reflect the solemnity of the day.

In addition to the national observance in Israel, Yom HaShoah is observed by Jewish communities around the world. Ceremonies often include the lighting of memorial candles, the recitation of Kaddish (the Jewish prayer for the dead), and the reading of names of Holocaust victims.

Significance

Yom HaShoah serves as a day to remember the victims of the Holocaust and to reaffirm the importance of human rights and the prevention of genocide. It also honors the resilience and courage of the Jewish people, who, despite the great tragedy, established the State of Israel and rebuilt their lives.

Controversies

There has been some debate over the date of Yom HaShoah, particularly among Orthodox Jewish communities. Some argue that commemorations should be held on traditional Jewish days of mourning, such as Tisha B'Av, which commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. Others maintain that the Holocaust warrants its own day of remembrance given its unprecedented scale and impact on the Jewish people.

See also

• Holocaust Remembrance Day
• Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
• Yad Vashem