The “Holocaust” was a period in European history (1933-1945) when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party masterminded and executed an antisemitic scheme to eliminate Jews from Germany, and then to annihilate them from all of Europe. This mass genocide resulted in the state-sponsored killing of six million Jews (by poison gas, shooting, and other means), because of their Jewish identity.
The international community observes Holocaust Remembrance Day to commemorate the Holocaust. In addition, in the United States, Congress established Days of Remembrance. It is held from the Sunday before Holocaust Remembrance Day to the following Sunday. The dates change each year because the observance is pegged to the Hebrew Calendar.
The United State Holocaust Memorial Museum recommends selecting of of the following themes for reflection during Days of Remembrance:
- American Responses
- Early Warning Signs
- Justice and Accountability
- Liberation
It is important for us all to remember that the Holocaust was rooted in antisemitism. Although the Holocaust ended more than 70 years ago, antisemitism persists and has resulted in recent fatal incidents at American synagogues.
For more information about the Holocaust and combating antisemitism, please visit: