January 27th  is Holocaust Remembrance Day. At the time of the Holocaust 11 million people were killed 6 million of those people were of Jewish descent the other 5 million were people who were part of a minority including members of the gay, disabled, and Gypsies communities. The date of Holocaust Remembrance days is an important one, it was chosen to be celebrated on the 27th of the Jewish Month Nissan because that was the date of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. When the Germans came to take the remaining inhabitants of the Warsaw Ghetto they resisted, although the inhabitants were taken it was the first movement against the Nazi Party by the Jews. The Warsaw Ghetto is now known as the largest uprising of Jews during World War II. On Holocaust remembrance day in most Jewish households, we light a candle called a yahrzeit candle this candle burns for 26 hours; meant to last the whole day the candle is lit in memory of survivors who have passed on and victims of the Holocaust. It is important to remember the victims of the Holocaust because we need to preserve their memory of them, and we need to pass down their stories to keep the past alive. Holocaust survivors have told their stories over and over again, they tell them to family, friends, and students in many places all over the world. Our generation is said to be the last generation to be told survivors’ stories firsthand as most Holocaust survivors are now passing on due to old age. Although this is the last generation to hear stories first hand many Jews in America have families that survived the Holocaust and if you ask them their story they could tell you almost all the details.  One common thing that I’ve been told by almost everyone is that Holocaust survivors thought everything they’ve been through was full of life, I saw that after the first time I talked to a Holocaust survivor. Even though it’s hard to learn their stories we need to preserve history as it sheds a light on the antisemitism and xenophobia that still happens all over the world.

Nearly 80 years after the demise of the Nazi Party religious hate crimes towards Jews are just climbing. Many groups resembling the Nazi Party; having the same views have been forming over the past years. Atomwaffen, The National Socialist Movement, National Social Club are just some of the many Neo-nazi organizations in America today. Neo-Nazis are groups with ideologies similar to the nazi party. The forces that fueled the Nazi Party such as anti-Semitism, homophobia, and white supremacy continue to be prominent in the present day, these Neo-Nazi groups as proof. The hate for Jews started long before the holocaust and the Nazi Party but through the almost ten years that the Holocaust took place, lies were being told about jews; blaming them for problems that were caused by the first world war. With Hitler’s ideology, the Aryan race was superior and the Jews were at the very bottom for nearly ten years ideologies about the Aryan race being superior and jews being dirty and disgusting were being spread through radio television, and even being taught in schools. The hate for Jews is being passed down from parents to kids as, during the Holocaust, Nazi idealogy, propaganda against Jews were being spread these religious biases were being passed down to the next generations and so on for almost 80 years these ideals are planted deep into these people that’s what they’ve known. With the rise of these hate crimes, people are becoming more and more afraid. in 2020 78% of hate crimes were committed against jews. Just a few weeks ago in Texas there was a hostage situation the rabbi (Religious leader) of the shul and three members of the congregation were taken thankfully they all made it out alive, but this is one of the many examples of hate crimes committed against people part of the Jewish community. Another example is just this past month in Miami some people had left anti-semitic fliers on the front lawns of homes blaming the jews for covid. With anti-Semitic hate crimes increasing it is even more important to remember the Holocaust.

Remembering the Holocaust is becoming more important now than ever we all need to remember the victims and recognize the lies that had been spread about Jews.