Why (and When) We Pause to Remember the Holocaust Throughout the Year

Around this time of year, as we commemorate Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, I often hear a familiar question: “Wait…didn’t we just commemorate the Holocaust in January?” It’s a fair question, and the answer is yes…and also no.

In Canada, there are three times during the year when we pause to remember the Holocaust, each with its own focus and purpose.

On January 27, Canada joins countries around the world in observing International Holocaust Remembrance Day (IHRD), marking the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945. A global day of reflection, IHRD is recognized by the United Nations and observed by governments, schools and many Canadian institutions.

Then, in the spring, Jewish communities in Canada and around the world observe Yom HaShoah, a date that changes each year according to the Jewish calendar but is also linked to a specific historical event — the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943, the largest single act of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust. The State of Israel established Yom HaShoah in the 1950s to commemorate not only the destruction of Jewish life but also the courage of those who resisted Nazi persecution even in the face of certain death. Because the 1943 uprising began on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Passover, Israel placed this solemn day of remembrance just after the holiday.

The third time set aside for remembering the Holocaust is in November, when many communities, schools and Holocaust museums across Canada hold Holocaust Education Week or sometimes Holocaust Education Month. This timing, too, is intentional. November 9–10 marks the anniversary of the November Pogrom of 1938, often referred to as Kristallnacht, when state-sponsored violence against Jews erupted across Germany and Austria. In a terrifying escalation from anti-Jewish policies, Nazis burned synagogues, destroyed Jewish homes and businesses and deported thousands of Jews to concentration camps. 

So yes, if it feels like we have more than one day on which we officially remember the Holocaust throughout the year, that’s because we do.

And perhaps this is exactly what is needed — some days are for global reflection, some are for education and some are for communal remembrance. Together, they help ensure that the history of the Holocaust and the voices of those who lived through it continue to be heard, here in Canada and beyond.

Jody Spiegel, Director
Azrieli Foundation’s Holocaust Survivor Memoirs Program