On Yom HaShoah, we remember those who fell victim to the evils of the Holocaust, we honor the resilience of those who survived, many of whom continue to thrive around the world today, and we rededicate ourselves to the promise of Never Again.

If you are looking for meaningful ways to observe Yom HaShoah, consider these opportunities for reflection and action. 

• Light a 24-hour memorial candle starting on the evening of Sunday, May 5. If you don’t have one, light any candle to honor those who perished in the Holocaust.

• Read powerful stories that illuminate the heroism and the horror of the Holocaust

  • The Jewish Book Council presents a collection of fic­tion and non­fic­tion titles that explore the Holo­caust from var­i­ous angles and perspectives.

  • This Scholastic booklist is curated especially for grades 1 – 12, with many selections meaningful for adults too.

• Teach your children about the Holocaust to build a next generation of kind, empathetic, and inclusive individuals. This article from Psychology Today contains age-appropriate ways to approach this conversation with young children.

• Advocate for the passage of two New Jersey bills, which aim to combat antisemitism through the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism. Act now

• Attend local commemoration events, such as the JCC of Middlesex County's Understanding Antisemitism: Remembering the Past, Changing the Future. Details

• Visit Chhange, the Center for Holocaust, Human Rights, and Genocide Education located in Lincroft, NJ, and recognized as a regional center of excellence. Learn more

• Listen to survivors tell their own story in over 1,000 interviews collected by the Yiddish Book Center Oral History Project.

• Hear the music created by dozens of violins rescued from the Holocaust that have been collected and restored in the Violins of Hope collection.

• Donate to Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey to continue supporting programs and partners providing aid to vulnerable Holocaust survivors and educating young people about the Holocaust. 

Thank you to the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco for selected excerpted and adapted content.