Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Memorial Day, is a relatively recent addition to the Jewish calendar. Its observances are still evolving, with very different approaches taken and little agreement on the best way to mark the day. In Israel, Yom HaShoah, is an official holiday. In the Diaspora, more Jews have taken to observing this memorial day, as a way of deepening their understanding and connection to the tragedy. Yom HaShoah V'HaGevurah: Israel Yom HaShoah begins in the evening, according to the Jewish calendar. Throughout Israel, all places of entertainment are closed, except those featuring special programs on the Holocaust. In the evening a siren is sounded throughout the country, and all stand for two minutes of silence to reflect upon the tragedy. Yad Vashem, the national organization for Holocaust research and education, hosts programs each year. Generally schools present special programs for the students on the Holocaust and related issues. Ceremonies usually feature the lighting of memorial candles, and a presentation by a survivor. Sometimes memorial prayers are recited, and poems, writing, and other artwork of victims of the Holocaust are displayed. Often names of victims are read aloud, along with programs on the destroyed Jewish communities of the Holocaust. Holocaust Memorial Day: The Diaspora Outside of Israel, the Holocaust has become a more familiar concept to Jews and non-Jews, through the publication of hundreds of books, the erection of museums and memorials, and even through popular films and t.v. series. As the importance of remembering the tragedy has been emphasized, more and more people are using Holocaust Memorial Day as a time for learning and reflecting on the Holocaust. Many Jewish communities host their own ceremonies, contact leaders of your own community to find out what your community has planned this year. For those who don't have the opportunity to participate in a communal ceremony, Yom HaShoah can be a time for personal introspection, for lighting candles, for memorial prayers, and for learning the history of the Holocaust. Beyond just remembering the victims of the Holocaust, we can also consider how we can strengthen Jewish life and community. Hitler's goal, to destroy Jewish life from the planet, and the assistance he received from so many sources, should strengthen our resolve, not to grant him a posthumous victory. The Arch of Titus boasts of the Roman conquest and destruction of the Jewish nation, while the ancient Romans have vanished from the face of the earth. We must work so that when those that initiated and participated in the Holocaust are disappeared from the world's stage, the Jewish people will continue in dignity to play their role in history. Memorial Prayer for Holocaust Victims. Back To Yom Hashoah Homepage