A Reflection on the Holocaust Remembrance Assembly

I spoke at the Holocaust Remembrance assembly on January 26, 2024. Leading up to the assembly, I had the chance to reflect on what I believe Holocaust remembrance means.

As someone whose great-grandparents survived the Holocaust, the stories of their survival pass through my family. As a part of my remembering, I listen to my mother and father recount these stories. Even though they are hard to hear, I know their value in my understanding of the world. For me, listening is a way to remember. For my parents, sharing is a way to remember. However, I have realized that my role in remembering has evolved. Recently, I found myself retelling the same stories shared with me. I am responsible for educating others inside and outside of my community. So, I developed a sharing role in my remembering process.

Outside of the education role I choose to take on, it is also a time for me to grieve. My family is one of the millions of people who have been affected by the Holocaust. Sometimes, I can’t help but imagine what life would be like if it never happened. My grief can become a blinding and debilitating wave of emotions. When my feelings are very strong, I cannot educate others. 

I believe that my listening, educational, and grieving roles in remembering are all equally valuable. Remembering can be painful, but forgetting is intolerable. We each play a role in remembering and we mustn't allow ourselves to forget the truth about the horrors of the Holocaust.