Yom Hashoah V'Hagvurah | Holocaust & Heroism Remembrance Day

Yom Hashoah V’Hagvurah (Holocaust & Heroism Remembrance Day) is designated by the State of Israel on the Hebrew date of 27 Nisan. It is observed as Israel’s memorial day for the approximately six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust by Nazi Germany and its collaborators, and for the Jewish resistance in that period. The first official commemorations took place in 1951, and the observance of the day was anchored in a law passed by the Knesset (legislature of Israel) in 1959. Globally, Jewish communities and individuals commemorate Yom Hashoah with ceremonies and memorial services to coincide with the date designated by Israel. In Toronto, the Museum (former Holocaust Education Centre) has been spearheading the annual memorial (yizkor) service for decades, which is presented in partnership with several community organizations. The program often includes remarks from dignitaries, choirs, survivor testimony, and a candle-lighting service to memorialize and pay tribute to the victims of the Shoah and to honour the survivors.