Most people are aware of the Holocaust, its coinciding with WWII, and its conclusion with Hiroshima and the liberation of the death camps. But what truly unfolded within those death camps? Why is it crucial for us to gain this knowledge? Holocaust survivors possess all these answers and more.
The Significance of Remembering
There’s a compelling reason why January 27 is recognized as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It serves as an opportunity to pay tribute to our ancestors, provide solace to survivors, and impart knowledge to future generations. In 2020, the Holocaust survivors still alive exemplify the power of community-building activities through storytelling.
Remembrance of the Holocaust serves as an ongoing admonition of the consequences when we avert our gaze from fear, anger, hatred, and ignorance. The Holocaust epitomized antisemitism in its most extreme manifestation, with the appalling exhibition of anger, ignorance, fear, and hatred directed towards Jews.
Listening to firsthand accounts from survivors and their descendants establishes a real human presence and life story within the context of the Holocaust experience. This humanization makes the Holocaust less conceptual and significantly more intimately relatable.
The Value of Honoring Holocaust Survivors
It is challenging to ascertain the precise number of Holocaust survivors worldwide. In 2020, the global population of Holocaust survivors still living numbered in the hundreds of thousands. Approximately 400,000 survivors from Auschwitz were scattered across the globe, and over 160,000 survivors from various camps resided in Israel.
Through live interviews, recorded testimonials, documentaries, and dialogues, survivors share their narratives to ensure that we never forget and always remember. These discussions aid survivors and their audiences in integrating memories of horror and loss into a coherent life narrative. For further information, please visit the ZACHOR Foundation at ZACHORFoundation.org.
