| Please Remember the Holocaust
The Holocaust was sucha tragic even that there have been numerous memorials and museums set up to honor the men and women who were engaged in such a horrific event.
| Holocaust Remembrance Day |
 | Remember the Victims of the Holocaust This Yom Hashoah
It has been over 50 years since the Holocaust. To survivors, the Holocaust remains real and ever-present, but for some others, fifty years makes the Holocaust seem part of ancient history. Year-round we try to teach and inform others about the horrors of the Holocaust. We confront the questions of what happened? How did it happen? How could it happen? Could it happen again? We attempt to fight against ignorance with education and against disbelief with proof.
But there is one day in the year when we make a special effort to remember (Zachor). Upon this one day, we remember those that suffered, those that fought, and those that died. Six million Jews were murdered. Many families were completely decimated.
Why this day?
Jewish history is long and filled with many stories of slavery and freedom, sorrow and joy, persecution and redemption. For Jews, their history, their family, and their relationship with G-d have shaped their religion and their identity. The Hebrew calendar is filled with varied holidays that incorporate and reiterate the history and tradition of the Jewish people.
After the horrors of the Holocaust, Jews wanted a day to memorialize this tragedy. But what day? The Holocaust spanned years with suffering and death spread throughout these years of terror. No one day stood out as representative of this destruction.
Various days were suggested.
- The tenth of Tevet was proffered. This day is Asarah B'Tevet and marks the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem. But this day holds no direct relation or tie to the Holocaust.
- The Zionists in Israel, many of whom had fought in the ghettos or as partisans, wanted to commemorate the beginning of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising - April 19, 1943. But this date on the Hebrew calendar is the 15th of Nissan - the beginning of Passover, a very important and happy holiday. Orthodox Jews objected to this date.
For two years, the date was debated. Finally, in 1950, compromises and bargaining began. The 27th of Nissan was chosen, which falls beyond Passover but within the time span of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. Orthodox Jews still did not like this date because it was a day of mourning within the traditionally happy month of Nissan. As a final effort to compromise, it was decided that if the 27th of Nissan would affect Shabbat (fall on Friday or Saturday), then it would be moved to the following Sunday.
On April 12, 1951, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) proclaimed Yom Hashoah U'Mered HaGetaot (Holocaust and Ghetto Revolt Remembrance Day) to be the 27th of Nissan. The name later became known as Yom Hashoah Ve Hagevurah (Devastation and Heroism Day) and even later simplified to Yom Hashoah.
This year, the 27th of Nissan falls on Tuesday, April 19, 2001.
How is it observed?
Since Yom Hashoah is a relatively new holiday, there are no set rules or rituals. What kind of ritual could represent the Holocaust?
There are various beliefs about what is and is not appropriate on this day - and many of them are conflicting. In general, Yom Hashoah has been observed with candlelighting, speakers, poems, prayers, and singing. Often, six candles are lighted to represent the six million. Holocaust survivors speak about their experiences or share in the readings. Some ceremonies have people read from the Book of Names for certain lengths of time in an effort of remembrance and to give an understanding of the huge number of victims. Sometimes these ceremonies are held in a cemetery or near a Holocaust memorial.
In Israel, the Knesset made Yom Hashoah a national public holiday in 1959 and in 1961 a law was passed that closed all public entertainment on Yom Hashoah. At ten in the morning, a siren is sounded where everyone stops what they are doing, pull over in their cars, and stand in remembrance.
In whatever form you observe Yom Hashoah, the memory of the Jewish victims will live on.
What Day is Yom Hashoah This Year?
| Year |
Date |
| 2001 |
April 19 |
| 2002 |
April 9 |
| 2003 |
April 29 |
| 2004 |
April 18 |
| 2005 |
May 5 |
| 2006 |
April 25 |
| 2007 |
April 15 |
| 2008 |
May 1 |
| 2009 |
April 21 |
| 2010 |
April 11 |
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Memorial in Los Angels California
On the Yahrzeit walls at both sides of the monument are these poems:
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Where on this Earth
Shall I Put a Gravestone for You
My People?
Your Remains
Have Been Scattered
Upon a Thousand Cemeteries
Your Memory
The Graveyard Wind Blows Like Sand |
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Who Will Mourn for Us?
Those Who Gather Here to Remember
Who Will Understand?
Those Who Touch These Stones Tenderly
Who Will Erect a Monument for Us?
Those Who Survived
And Who Will Speak for Us?
All Those Who Perished |
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Most everyone has heard of the Holocaust. But, do you really know about the extermination of the Jewish people during the second World War era? It is real, it did happen, and it is one of the most terrible atrocities to ever happen. Recently, PBS aired the video produced by Steven Spielberg. The video, SCHINDLERS LIST, is about Oscar Schindler's work in saving hunderds of people from German infidels who believed the Jews to be a lesser 'form' of humanity. Spielberg wanted to produce a 'record' for people to always remember this Holocaust and what had happened. The inhuman treatment and hate for a 'people' starting in the mind of a maniac {Hitler} and spreading through a country is documented in historical fact. The movie stars Liam Neeson as Oscar Schindler and supported by Ben Kingsley.
The Register:
In 1939, Jewish families each would have to register their names and family members. During this time, Oscar Schindler {Neeson} was a businessman working in Germany. He loved parties {of which the Germans were famous for during the era} and he loved women. {to the point of being a womanizer.}. In the opening, to help you understand his popularity, you see him at all the dinners, parties and social events. He is becoming known by the German army and had likable qualities. At the time, you see the Jewish people being taunted in the streets. They are losing property rights, and being sectioned off as a 'specific people'. In the eyes of the German country, and seeing through the eyes of Hitler, they are becoming 'less human standard'.
They March:
The video, using documentation, allows you to realize how the Jewish people were being assigned to a specific region. Leaving behind homes and taking what they could carry, they are banned and slowly losing their identity. The further humiliation begins and all the while, Schindler was a businessman. The people are assigned jobs and all wages go to the special SS. {German soldiers.} Losing their true profession in the work force, they are assigned menial tasks. They become 'the essential' worker with food and shelter. They had a black market and Schindler used this market to get what he wanted to impress the business world of Germany. But, he 'sees' much more going on.
The 'killing fields':
The Jews have lost all luggage and possessions when they marched and boarded the trains to their new destination. All clothing, jewels and possessions were simply dumped in large piles and re-distributed. They were simply a 'work animal' to the German army. Soon, they are 'walled up' and hidden from view of the world. {These are the Krakow Jews} Evil shows from the depths of the soldiers as they kill, just because that is what you do....with Jewish people. No reason needed.....as the hate spills over from demented minds who follow Hitler's thoughts. The Jewish ghetto is raided and people are singled out and shot. That is that. All the while, Oscar Schindler sees...and begins to act. He dines with the SS, fishing for why or reason. And he fakes them out, allowing them to view his as just the simple businessman he 'is'. Oscar Schindler's factories become a HAVEN for Jewish workers...if you are lucky and selected. People look to him as survival and start to ask favors.
{Schindler has factories in Czechoslovakia.}
Devils come in pairs:
The video follows a story of a German soldier whose hatred for the Jews is extremely intense {if that is possible beyond the normal hatred.}. He does not need a reason to kill, and he enslaves a young Jewish girl to 'work' for him personally. This was a common 'deed' of the German officers. Keeping in mind the facts taken from documentation, you see the Jewish people divided and selected for being healthy or sick. The sick are not a 'use' for the Germans. They are exterminated quicker. Children are taken away from the 'community' and bodies are burned in mass graves and all the while Schindler sees. He finds ways to give them relief, to a degree. He befriends the German officers and wins favors for some. His involvement is increased.
THE LIST:
Oscar Schindler uses a list {aided by his accountant Kingsley} to 'hire' over 1100 Jews for his factories, insuring their survival. Because of what he did, their offspring was ensured. The people could sometime prosper again. His factories allowed religious practices, clean food and shelter. Families were united. While millions {over 6 million} were killed, because of this LIST, a people lived to tell the story....with all documented facts. SCHINDLERS LIST is a history on film...preserved. The video is simply a guide to following the extermination and survival of the Jewish people. When the war was over, Jewish people preserved a stone monument to the man who allowed over 1100 Jewish people to survive.
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The Following is an example of many of the museums, books, and memorials that have been set up to remember the Holocaust
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- AMCHA - A healing resource for Holocaust survivors and their decendants.
- Anne Frank - an Oasis of Innocence - Narrative of events in the Diary of Anne Frank.
- Anne Frank Foundation - (Administers the copyright to Anne Frank's writings) Introduction to the diaries; contact information.
- Anti-Semitism and Holocaust - Extensive directory of sites on anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, the Holocaust, Holocaust denial, and related topics.
- Auschwitz and Birkenau - Virtual museum of the Holocaust and Nazi Germany's death camps. Includes map of the camps, chronology, and photo archives depicting facilities, life and death in the camps, and the Nazis' exploitation of remains.
- Auschwitz Study Foundation - The physical museum (Orange County, California) has information about the Holocaust, but this website has none.
- The Avalon Project - Supporting documents for the Nuremberg War Crimes Trial.
- A Belgian Family's Story - The story of the Deloge family from Belgium through two world wars, ending in death in Auschwitz.
- Biography of Anne Frank - Short biography of Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl, who lived in Holland during the Second World War and was forced to hide from the Nazis.
- C.A.N.D.L.E.S. Holocaust Museum - Dedicated to the children of the Holocaust and those subjected to the experiments of Dr. Joseph Mengele.
- Christian Holocaust - Facts, figures, documents and testimony by high ranking Nazis officers and otherson the extermination of Christians during the Second World War.
- Cybrary of the Holocaust - Forum for Holocaust survivors and their descendants, to promote remembrance.
- Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site - History of the camp and details of the fates of former prisoners.
- Did Hitler know about the holocaust? - A psychological assessment considering indicators that Hitler was fully aware of the implementation of the Holocaust. Provides references.
- Divided Lives - Untold stories of Jewish-Christian women in Nazi Germany. A commercial site providing excerpts and ordering information.
- Forgotten Camps - History of Nazi camps in Amersfoort, Vught, Breendonk, Drancy and Plaszow.
- Gedenkstaetten fuer NS-Opfer in Deutschland - Details of memorials for the victims of Nazism. In English and German.
- Gulag and Holocaust Memoir - A journey through prisons and camps where millions died, in search of loved ones.
- 4Holocaust - Holocaust and World War Two-related links from 4anything.com.
- Holocaust - Articles, email newsletter, online discussion and links selected by an About.com guide.
- Holocaust and War Victims Tracing and Information Center - A national clearinghouse from American Red Cross that assist persons seeking the fates of loved ones missing since the Holocaust and its aftermath.
- The Holocaust Chronicle - Companion site to the not-for-profit book.
- Holocaust Essays By Louis Bulow - Stories of Auschwitz and biographies of the major names of the time.
- Holocaust Essays By Louis Bulow - Stories of Auschwitz and biographies of the major names of the time.
- Holocaust History Project - Archive of documents, photographs, recordings, and essays.
- Holocaust Links - Directory of websites providing information, literature, lesson plans, organizations, memorabilia, resistance, and other topics related to the Nazi genocide.
- Holocaust Memorial at MELRC - A virtual memorial to the holocaust, with links to other holocaust sites.
- Holocaust Memorial Center - Documents the horror of the period and the rich culture and history that was lost.
- Holocaust Research Resources - Annotated links and original material on the Holocaust.
- Holocaust Teacher Resource Center - Lesson plans and related materials for teachers.
- The Holocaust World Resource Center - An international center for Holocaust resources; presents stories, articles, and resources on the Holocaust and Eastern European Jewry.
- Interfaith Committee of Remembrance - Honors Holocaust victims and survivors through a series of musical concerts and events
- Janusz Korczak Living Heritage Association - Disseminates information on Janusz Korczak and his lifework.
- Jasenovac - Project of the Serbian Unity Congress researching the system of Utasha death camps. Describes archaeological work, provides historical background, and includes related links.
- JSource on the Holocaust - An online encyclopedia covering anti-Semitism to Zionism.
- Links to the Holocaust - Subject directory on Holocaust-related topics such as art, audio, video, camps, children, denial, discussion groups, eye witness testimony, ghettos, restitution, recovery, teaching resources, remembering survivors, time line, war criminals.
- March of the Living - Personal site detailing a trip to Poland and Israel to discover the past, present and future of Jewish life.
- Meyer's Holocaust Links - Extensive listing of Holocaust/Shoah links from all over the world.
- Mr. Heitmann's Holocaust Page - Comprehensive collection of links, collected by an American schoolteacher.
- Museum of Tolerance - Museum focusing on racism in America and the history of the Holocaust.
- Natanson Memorial - A simple but moving Holocaust memorial page.
- Nizkor - US military film footage and other evidence of the reality of the Holocaust.
- Online History Project - The effect of the horrors of the holocaust on child victims.
- Poland's Holocaust - A Family Chronicle - Personal site with diaries, letters and photos documenting a family suffering under totalitarianism.
- Rescuers Portraits of Moral Courage in the Holocaust - Interviews with and portraits of people who rescued Jews from the Nazis; includes maps, historic images and essays on courage and altruism.
- Research and Study Center for Holocaust Education - Educational projects and programmes in today's Germany.
- Schindler Survivors - Of those who perished - and the few who survived ...
- Second Generation Connections and Resources - Contact page for a children of survivors discussion group in Framingham MA.
- Second Generation Connections and Resources - Contact page for a children of survivors discussion group in Framingham MA.
- Shoah: The Gale that Blew Every Shore - Basic Holocaust education; a slide presentation; topical discussions; church and Shoah info.
- Simon Wiesenthal Center - The continuing work of the famous Holocaust survivor.
- The Story of Oscar Schindler - Biography of a humane figure in amongst the horrors of Holocaust.
- A Survivor Reflects - Personal accounts of a Holocaust survivor's life in the camps and his post-holocaust experiences.
- Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation - Interviews with Holocaust survivors.
- The Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust - An overview of the people and events of the Holocaust.
- Teaching Guidelines - Information for educators.
- Teaching the Holocaust - Memorial to the Holocaust that teaches children about the topic using stamps, pictures, text and paintings. In English and Hebrew.
- Terezin Initiative Institute - Information on the Terezin (Theresienstadt) concentration camp in Bohemia and Moravia. Includes documents, studies, publications, library, and database of prisoners. Also in Czech and Dutch.
- US Holocaust Memorial Museum - Details of exhibitions and the museum calendar.
- Vatican Bank Claims - News and information about efforts to recover Nazi gold plundered from concentration camp and Holocaust survivors and transferred to the Vatican Bank and other banks after the end of World War Two.
- Voices of the Holocaust - Interviews conducted in 1946 in displaced persons camps around Europe and transscribed into English.
- Women and the Holocaust - Offers a collection of articles, reviews, essays, and testimonials about and by female victims of the Holocaust.
- The word Holocaust - Examines the history and meaning of the word "Holocaust". Argues that the term has long been in use and discusses the term's changing and various meanings.
- Yad Vashem - Israel's Holocaust museum and memorial. Includes information on the museum, its exhibits, remembrance services, collections, resources, education programs, research and publications, and people who helped save Jews from the Nazis.
- Zachor - A collection of links to Holocaust sites, arranged by category.
- Zipple.com Holocaust - Holocaust education and rememberance site with information on museums, history and the concentration camps.
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