Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Ha’Shoah)
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The date for Yom Ha’Shoah varies each year. This is because Jewish Holidays are celebrated based on the Lunar Calendar, not the Gregorian Calendar.
The Holiday begins at sundown on the first day and completes at nightfall the next day.
This is a guest post written by our friends at Homeschool On the Range.
During World War II, the Nazis practiced genocide against the Jews, gypsies, and other ‘undesirables.’ Shoah, which means “catastrophe” or “utter destruction” in Hebrew, refers to the atrocities that were committed against the Jewish people during World War II. Yom Ha’Shoah is a memorial day for those who died in the Shoah.
First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me~Martin Niemöller
The Shoah (also known as the Holocaust, from a Greek word meaning “sacrifice by fire,”) was initiated by the members of the Nazi Party, which seized power in Germany in 1933. The Nazis believed in racial superiority, centering around the idea that people of Aryan descent were better than members of all other races – especially the Jews, who were “unworthy of life.”
Jews were forced to leave their homes and move into ghettos and slave-labor camps, where disease, brutality, and malnutrition ran rampant. Eventually, they were sent to death camps, where millions were murdered. In addition to the six million Jews who died, the Nazis also killed millions of others, including Roma and Slavs, political and religious opponents, the disabled, and gays and lesbians.
Yom HaShoah is commemorated by lighting yellow candles to keep memories of the victims alive, along with worship, music, and stories from survivors. Yahrzeit candles (for memorials) are also lit in the home. Yom HaShoah, also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day, occurs on the 27th of the Hebrew month of Nisan.
If you would like to learn more about Yom Ha’Shoa there is a complete Unit Study on THIS POST
Special thanks to Yvie for this post.
Yvie is a veteran homeschooling mom and high school counselor and teaches online co-op classes for upper grades at Sparks Academy. She helps to create unit studies and enjoys helping other families on their homeschool journey. When not teaching or counseling, she enjoys reading, spending time in her garden, and traveling the country with her boys. You can find her at Homeschool On the Range, on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Read more about Holocaust Remembrance Day in this post.
Jewish Year 5784: Monday, May 6, 2024
Jewish Year 5785: Thursday, April 24, 2025
Jewish Year 5786: Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Jewish Year 5787: Tuesday, May 4, 2027
Jewish Year 5788: Monday, April 24, 2028
Jewish Year 5789: Thursday, April 12, 2029
Jewish Year 5790: Tuesday, April 30, 2030
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