Weekly Parsha

Yom HaShoa, also known as Yom Hashoah VeHagevurah, literally means the “day of remembrance of the Catastrophe and the Heroism.” It is commemorated on the 27th day in the month of Nisan. The observance is held one week after the seventh day of Passover. It also falls one week before Yom Hazikaron, the memorial day for Israel’s fallen soldiers.

The day is also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day, for those who died in the Shoah. The word holocaust comes from a Greek word meaning “sacrifice by fire.”

When the 27th of Nisan occurs on a Friday or Sunday, Yom Hashoa is observed the previous Thursday or the following Sunday. This is done to avoid the commemoration of Yom Hashoa adjacent with Sabbath.

Since the 1960s, the sound of a siren on Yom Hashoa stops all activity throughout Israel and for two minutes a time of silent devotion is observed throughout. The siren also blows once at sundown and once again at 11:00am. All radio and television programming during the entire day is connected in one way or another with the events of World War II. There is no public entertainment on this day as almost every public business is closed on this national holiday.

Today many commemorate Yom HaShoa by trying to incorporate themes of personal social justice into their observances. Connections can be made with Holocaust survivors and their families. Donations can be made to Holocaust Memorial Museum. Time and money can be given to worldwide organizations that work toward preventing genocide and human trafficking and slavery.

Because Jewish festivals contain moments of remembrance and family, the modern holiday of Yom HaShoa is a perfect time to honor deceased family members as well. Lasting tributes such as contributions to charities, hospitals or hospices, synagogues or other organizations provide meaningful memorials for departed loved ones.

Today we remember the day that there was no love and piety, nor justice and equality. This day of Yom HaShoa, we remember that the holocaust came from a minority  infiltrated like a virus where people were infected by an evil and cruel ideal that killed millions of people. Today we fight Covid-19, a worldwide pandemic that we will fight and win. However it will be still very difficult to continue fighting the anti-Semitism and assimilation of our people.