01 May 2024
Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Day will be observed this year starting Sunday evening, 5 May 2024 through Monday, 6 May 2024. The official State Opening Ceremony for Holocaust Remembrance Day will take place on Sunday 5 May, at 20:00, in Warsaw Ghetto Square, Yad Vashem, on the Mount of Remembrance in Jerusalem. Israel’s President H.E. Mr. Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu will both deliver remarks at the Opening Ceremony. Holocaust survivor and Chairman of the Yad Vashem Council Rabbi Israel Meir Lau will kindle the Memorial Torch. Haim Noy will speak on behalf of the survivors and Yitzhak Perlmutter will recite El Maleh Rahamim, the Jewish prayer for the souls of the martyrs.
During the ceremony, Holocaust survivors will light six torches. First torch: Pnina Hefer; second torch: Allegra Gutta; third torch: Arie Eitani; fourth torch: Raisa Brodsky; fifth torch: Michael Bar-On; sixth torch: Izi Kabilio. During the ceremony, short videos about each of the torch lighters will be shown. Produced and directed by Eli Levy, these videos will be available on the Yad Vashem website in the section dedicated to Holocaust Martyrs' & Heroes' Remembrance Day 2024.
Israeli singers Nofia Yedidya and Raviv Kaner will perform musical interludes at the ceremony, which will also include narrative pieces by Israeli actor Evgenia Dodina. The emcee for the ceremony will be Doria Lampel.
The ceremony will feature a traditional memorial service, including a recitation of the chapter from Psalms by Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi David Lau. The Rishon LeZion, Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef will recite the Kaddish mourner's prayer, and Holocaust survivor Yitzhak Perlmutter will recite El Maleh Rahamim, the Jewish prayer for the souls of the martyrs.
The live broadcast of the State Opening Ceremony will include simultaneous translation into English and Hebrew as well as French, Spanish, German, and Russian. Additionally, Yad Vashem will offer simultaneous translation in Arabic available on the Yad Vashem YouTube Channel in Arabic. The live feed will also be accessible via Facebook (only live in English and Hebrew)
The State Opening Ceremony will last approximately 90 minutes.
Memorial Candle Lighting Ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance:
Once again, Yad Vashem is partnering with the "Our 6 Million" organization to start a new tradition for Holocaust Remembrance Day: a memorial candle lighting ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance at Yad Vashem. Individuals attending the State Opening Ceremony are invited to light a memorial candle bearing the name of a Holocaust victim in the Hall of Remembrance before the start of the event. In addition, on Monday, 6 May 2024, Holocaust Remembrance Day, the general public is invited to light a memorial candle bearing the identity of a Holocaust victim in the Hall of Remembrance from 11:00 until 16:30.
Yad Vashem Online
Yad Vashem has created a special mini-site dedicated to Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Day 2024, containing information about the events and ceremonies taking place throughout the day.
Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, has launched an innovative initiative aimed at engaging individuals from diverse backgrounds to raise public awareness about the Holocaust. The "Who Is Your Holocaust Hero?" campaign invites international leaders, influencers, diplomats, and actors to personally connect with the Holocaust by sharing the story of an individual who serves as their "Holocaust Hero." Participants are asked to record a brief video clip, 1-2 minutes long video and share it on their social media platforms. In the video, they should introduce themselves, mention their chosen hero or heroine, and explain why this person inspires them.
Ongoing Campaigns
Yad Vashem continues to call on the public to fill out Pages of Testimony to commemorate every individual Jewish man, woman and child murdered during the Holocaust. Volunteers are available to help Holocaust survivors submit Pages of Testimony. Yad Vashem is also continuing its nationwide Gathering the Fragments campaign in an effort to rescue more Holocaust-related documents, artifacts, photographs and artworks, as well as to interview, document and record video testimonies of survivors. For more information on all of these ongoing commemorative projects, tel.: +972-2-6443888 or email: collect@yadvashem.org.il
Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Day
MEDIA ARRANGEMENTS
5 May 2024
** PLEASE NOTE: No firearms are permitted at Yad Vashem. **
Entrance for Journalists to the Official Opening Ceremony on Sunday, 5 May 2024 at 18:00.
ALL PRESS MUST PRE-REGISTER WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION AT YAD VASHEM BY THURSDAY, 2 MAY.
PRESS ATTENDING THE CEREMONY MUST BRING AND SHOW A VALID FORM OF ID AND A GOVERNMENT PRESS OFFICE CARD – NO EXCEPTIONS.
Private vehicles will not be admitted to Yad Vashem.
Shuttle Services will run from the Mt. Herzl Parking Lot starting at 18:00.
No firearms are permitted.
6 May 2024
** PLEASE NOTE: No firearms are permitted at Yad Vashem. **
Entrance for Journalists to the Wreath-Laying Ceremony on Wednesday, 6 May 2024
ALL PRESS MUST PRE-REGISTER WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION AT YAD VASHEM BY THURSDAY, 2 MAY, Tel: 02-6443412 or Email: simmy.allen@yadvashem.org.il
Journalists should arrive to Yad Vashem at 07:30.
Please note that cars will not be permitted to enter the site. Journalists and photographers can arrive via shuttle buses available for the public departing from the Mt. Herzl parking lot starting at 07:30.
PRESS ATTENDING THE CEREMONY MUST SHOW A VALID FORM OF ID AND A GOVERNMENT PRESS OFFICE CARD- NO EXCEPTIONS.
THERE WILL BE NO ENTRY TO THE CEREMONY AFTER 09:15.
The Wreath-Laying Ceremony on Monday, 6 May 2024 will take place in the Hall of Remembrance and start promptly at 10:02 immediately following the siren,
Private vehicles will not be admitted to Yad Vashem.
No Firearms Permitted.
GPO will provide live feed from the ceremony.
The Yad Vashem Campus will be accessible to the public from 11:00 via free shuttle services departing from the Mt. Herzl Parking Lot until 20:00.
Holocaust Remembrance Day Schedule6 May
10:00 Siren
10:02 Wreath-Laying Ceremony with the participation of Israel's President, Prime Minister, Speaker of the Knesset, President of the Supreme Court, representatives of survivor and fighter organizations and delegations from throughout the country—Hall of Remembrance
Admission by personal invitation only
11:00–12:45 “Unto Every Person There is a Name” Recitation of Holocaust victims’ names by members of the public—Hall of Remembrance (a similar event will take place in the Knesset in the presence of the Speaker of the Knesset)
11:00-16:30 Memorial Candle Lighting Ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance The public is invited to come to Yad Vashem, to light a memorial candle bearing the identity of a Holocaust victim in the Hall of Remembrance.
13:00 Main memorial ceremony—Hall of Remembrance
17:30 Youth Movement Ceremony will include a conversation between Holocaust survivor Miriam Troper and her granddaughter Mor Troper, as well as a social-musical event. Hundreds of youth movement members will participate in the ceremony, along with the Director General of the Ministry of Education Meir Shamoni and the CEO of Yad Vashem Brig. Gen. (res.) Tzvika Fayirizen. The assembly is organized by Yad Vashem in collaboration with the Youth Movements Council and the Society and Youth Administration at the Ministry of Education. — Warsaw Ghetto Square
Admission by personal invitation only
