Yom HaShoah — Holocaust Remembrance Day

Yom HaShoah — officially Yom HaZikaron LaShoah v'LaGevurah ("Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust and the Heroism") — is Israel's national day of mourning for the six million Jewish men, women, and children murdered in the Shoah, and a day to honor the survivors, resisters, and Righteous Among the Nations.

What Is Yom HaShoah?

Yom HaShoah was established by the Knesset in 1951 as Israel's official day to remember the six million. The date — 27 Nisan — was chosen to fall near the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (which began on the eve of Passover, 14 Nisan, 1943), while placing sufficient distance from Passover itself to allow for mourning practices that are otherwise forbidden during the festive month of Nisan.

When Is Yom HaShoah?

Observed on 27 Nisan. If 27 Nisan falls on Friday, the day is moved earlier to Thursday, 26 Nisan; if it falls on Sunday, it moves to Monday, 28 Nisan — to avoid conflict with Shabbat preparation and observance.

Where Is It Observed?

In Israel — where the day is a state occasion. Places of entertainment are closed by law. The main ceremony is held at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, where six torches are lit by six Holocaust survivors. In the Diaspora, communities gather at Holocaust memorials, synagogues, JCCs, and schools for ceremonies, readings of names, and survivor testimony.

Why Do We Observe Yom HaShoah?

The Torah commands zachor — "remember" — as an active obligation. Remembering the Shoah is a moral, religious, and national imperative: to honor those who were murdered, to learn from what happened, to combat Holocaust denial and antisemitism, and to ensure that "Never Again" is not merely a slogan but a commitment.

How Is It Observed?

The Memorial Siren (Tzfira)

At 10:00 AM Israel time, a two-minute siren sounds across the entire country. Traffic stops. Pedestrians stand in place. The nation pauses together in silent tribute.

Six Memorial Candles

At ceremonies worldwide, six candles are lit — one for each million Jews murdered — often by survivors or their descendants.

Yizkor & El Maleh Rachamim

Special Holocaust versions of the Yizkor memorial prayer and El Maleh Rachamim are recited, naming the death camps: Auschwitz, Treblinka, Sobibor, Bełżec, Chełmno, Majdanek.

Reading of Names (Unto Every Person There Is a Name)

Communities publicly read the names, ages, and hometowns of Holocaust victims — often over many hours, sometimes for an entire day.

Survivor Testimony

Wherever possible, first-person testimony from survivors is featured. As the survivor generation ages, recorded testimony from Yad Vashem and the USC Shoah Foundation is increasingly central.

Study & Reflection

Schools and synagogues teach Holocaust history and ethics. Many communities read from Elie Wiesel's Night, Anne Frank's diary, or Pirkei Avot 4:1 — "Who is honored? One who honors others."

Yom HaShoah in the Religious Calendar

The Chief Rabbinate of Israel established 10 Tevet (Asara B'Tevet) as the traditional halachic day of Kaddish for Holocaust victims whose date of death is unknown. Many Orthodox communities observe both — Yom HaShoah as a national day of remembrance and 10 Tevet as the halachic mourning day. Yom HaShoah has nevertheless been widely adopted across denominations.