As the sun dawns on May 6th, 2024, the State of Israel will pause in a profound reverence. It is Yom Hashoah, Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, where the echoes of a dark past are remembered—six million Jewish lives extinguished in the monstrous fires of Nazi hatred.

For the 147,199 Holocaust survivors who call Israel home, this day carries the weight of an unspeakable history, the shadows of their stolen loved ones, and their own harrowing tales of survival. They had thought the horrors they witnessed during their youth were the darkest the world could offer. Yet, the tragic events of October 7th have torn at their old wounds, as the sirens’ wail that pierced through the tranquility of that Sabbath morning rekindled the fear and anguish from decades past.

However, let us not dwell only on the night. With the dawn, there is light and renewal.

This Remembrance Day is also a testament to an enduring legacy, a day when the tears of the past water the seeds of the present and future. We bow our heads in memory, yes, but we also lift them in tribute to the undying spirit of survival that defines every soul who endured the Holocaust’s unspeakable trials.

The scars they carry are deep, but they are also marks of victory—of life over death, hope over despair. As we honor those who were lost, we simultaneously celebrate the relentless courage of those who remain. Each wrinkle on their faces is a line in the story of a people who refuse to be defined by their suffering.

On Yom Hashoah, let us gather to say with full hearts and resolute voices, Am Israel Chai—The People of Israel Live! It is not merely an anthem; it is a declaration that despite the darkest of nights, our spirit, our resilience, and our commitment to remembrance will forever light our way. This is our legacy. This is our triumph.