What is Yom Hashoah?
Yom HaShoah is the Jewish Memorial Day for the Holocaust, observed on the 27th of the Hebrew month of Nisan, usually in April or May.
The full name, Yom HaShoah Ve-Hagevurah (Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust and the Heroism), links remembrance of the six million Jews murdered with the courage of those who resisted, especially during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.
It is primarily a day of internal reflection for the Jewish community, focused on mourning, education, and passing the torch of memory to future generations.
Note: Yom Hashoah is different to International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Click Here to find out more about IHRD.
When is Yom HaShoah?
Yom HaShoah falls on 27 Nisan in the Jewish calendar (usually April or May). In 2026, Yom HaShoah begins in the evening of April 13th concluding the evening of April 14th. Because Jewish days begin at sundown, observance starts the evening before. In some years the date is adjusted slightly so it does not fall directly before or after Shabbat.
How is Yom Hashoah Commemorated?
Around the world, Jewish communities gather for memorial services that may include lighting candles, reciting memorial prayers, reading names of victims, and sharing survivors’ stories. In Israel, a siren sounds and daily life pauses while people stand in silence to remember the victims. Many communities also highlight acts of Jewish resistance and rescue, honoring the heroism implied in the name Yom HaShoah Ve-Hagevurah.
How can I mark Yom Hashoah?
While Yom HaShoah is a day for the Jewish community to inwardly remember the loss of life in the Holocaust, there are a number of ways you can support your colleagues in marking Yom HaShaoh:
- Pledge to fight antisemitism in all of its forms. Learn more, from the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate.
- Ask your colleagues if they are comfortable sharing their family’s story.
- Hear a testimony of a Survivor. Organizations such as Museum of Jewish Heritage (New York) or March of the Living (UK) can organize a speaker visit
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