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This evening is the start of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) in Israel. All restaurants, shops, fast-food places, and supermarkets closed early to give workers time to arrive home and attend remembrance ceremonies. The only programs on TV are the remembrance ceremonies and stories of survival by survivors. Tomorrow morning at all school children will go dressed in navy blue jeans/skirts with white tops to show respect and honor the 6 million who perished. At 10am tomorrow, a siren will sound for 2 minutes across the country, cars will stop, drivers will stand and bow their heads, bus drivers will stop and allow passengers to stand in silence, and everyone who was going about their business in streets stop too. The tram drivers will alert the passengers that soon the siren will sound and he will not drive off, allowing everyone to stand during the siren.

There are now 147,199 Holocaust survivors living in Israel as of 2023. 462 of them celebrated their 100^th birthdays last year. Among the survivors this year are 521 new immigrants who fled Ukraine and were recognized as survivors by THE Holocaust survivors Authority.  21% are over the age of 90, 60% of them are women.

This is a very painful time for survivors and their families, and I would ask you to remember all of them in prayer. The elderly survivors I know feel more and more guilt as they age, and often ask “why was I spared?” Many feel forgotten and wonder if the next generation will also join others who think the Holocaust never took place.  As these dear one’s age, they become very lonely and the most important gift to give them is taking time to sit and listen to their life stories.

352 times in the Bible God tells his people to remember, and Israel today is still showing respect to those who lost loved ones in the Holocaust, as we should too.