Local remembrance opportunities

Holocaust Remembrance Day serves as a day for people to remember the victims of the Holocaust and to educate themselves about its history. In Palo Alto, the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center (OFJCC) hosts community events to observe the day, which feature stories told by descendants of Holocaust survivors.

OFJCC Director of Jewish Content Tova Birnbaum notes that for many Jewish people, remnants of the Holocaust still exist today. “A lot of Jews feel that the Holocaust is present on a daily basis, either with the survivors around us or the collective memory that the Jews have around this tragedy,” Birnbaum said. In addition to remembering the hardships and persecution the Jewish community has experienced, Holocaust Remembrance Day celebrates the perseverance of the Jewish people. “Many of them fought not only to stay alive, but to stay human and preserve their dignity,” Birnbaum said. “We celebrate the resilience of the Jewish people in general, the ability to rebuild and to heal, to remember, to say never again and to help other persecuted groups fight their persecution.”

Those who are not familiar with the day can observe it by educating themselves about the Holocaust and visiting Holocaust memorials or museums. “Learning and being educated about anything should be followed by action,” Birnbaum said. “Honor the victims. Learn from history and from the horrors that happened to other human beings. Take action and make sure that this never repeats itself and that other people can live freely and with dignity.”