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Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, was observed this past Monday, April 8. Last week, on Friday, April 5, 4th through 8th grades remembered the Holocaust. The full name of the day commemorating the victims of the Holocaust is Yom HaShoah Ve-Hagevurah, "Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust and the Heroism." Yom HaShoah is observed on the 27th of Nissan, a week after the end of Pesah and a week before Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day for Israel's fallen soldiers.)
In Israel, on Yom HaShoah, a siren is sounded throughout the country. Everything, including traffic, stops for two minutes. "All radio and television programs during this day are connected in one way or another with the Jewish destiny in World War II, including personal interviews with survivors. Even the musical programs are adapted to the atmosphere of Yom HaShoah. There is no public entertainment on Yom HaShoah, as theaters, cinemas, pubs, and other public venues are closed throughout Israel" (URJ website).
At school, the older students observed this solemn day beginning with singing HaTikvah (Israeli National Anthem) to remember that even though these horrible things happened, we always have hope. The 8th grade students read selected pieces of poetry written about the Holocaust. As each piece of poetry was read, a yellow candle was lit. In all, six candles were lit, representing the six million Jews who perished. We ended with the Mourner's Kaddish and a moment of silence. This was a powerful and meaningful experience for the 4th through 8th grade students and their teachers.
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