NEW YORK - Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, commemorates the 6 million Jews, including 1 million children, who perished in the Holocaust. To memorialize those lives lost and to focus on the survivors, The Jewish Federations of North America released this statement today by JFNA Chair of the Board of Trustees Michael Siegal:

“Holocaust Remembrance Day offers a profound opportunity to gather together, as a community, to mourn those we lost in the unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust. As Jews and non-Jews alike gather at memorials, synagogues, and community centers across the Diaspora and in Israel, we remember those who perished and we think of those who managed to somehow survive.”

Of the approximately 120,000 Holocaust survivors living in the United States today, three-quarters are over the age of 75 and about two-thirds live alone, placing them at risk of isolation. This special population, which has contributed so greatly to humanity, often relies on the assistance of Jewish Federation-supported local agencies to age in place and to live with dignity.

“Holocaust Remembrance Day also allows us to focus on those who endured the Holocaust. It is imperative that we continue to do our utmost to aid and support those who continue to bear witness to this horrific period in our history. We shoulder a tremendous responsibility to ensure that survivors continue to live in comfort and security.”

To learn more about the work of Jewish Federations and how they help support Holocaust survivors, please contact William Daroff at william.daroff@jewishfederations.org.
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