OBSERVING HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY IN THE SHADOW OF CORONAVIRUS

Written by The Friends of Israel Today | Holocaust Remembrance Day, which begins Monday evening (20th), is usually observed in Israel with somber ceremonies and emotional public gatherings, often featuring a Holocaust survivor speaking to a crowd about his or her experiences. But this year, events will be virtual due to the coronavirus, as survivors battle loneliness, isolation and the threat of illness.

Today, 185,000 Holocaust survivors live in Israel. Seventy-seven percent of them are over the age of 80, with an average age of 83.9, putting them in the highest-risk group for the people who become infected with the coronavirus. Eight-hundred Holocaust survivors in Israel are over 100 years old.

Virtual events are set to happen in place of public ceremonies, like the “Memory in the Living Room Project,” where people can join an online meeting and hear a survivor tell his or her story. Zoom meetings will be organized by the municipalities of Jerusalem, Haifa and Ashdod, hosting discussions about the Holocaust and its impact.