Together, with courageous survivors, descendants of victims, and people around the world, we observe Yom HaShoah and continue these Holocaust Days of Remembrance to mourn the six million people lost during the Holocaust. 1st Lt. Mendel Avtzon, a judge advocate for the Scott Legal Office, took time to share his family's story and explain why this day is so important to remember.
For those that don't know, the internationally recognized date for Holocaust Remembrance Day corresponds to the 27th day of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar. It marks the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. In Hebrew, Holocaust Remembrance Day is called Yom Hashoah. When the actual date of Yom Hashoah falls on a Friday, the state of Israel observes Yom Hashoah on the preceding Thursday. When it falls on a Sunday, Yom Hashoah is observed on the following Monday. In the United States, Days of Remembrance runs from the Sunday before Yom Hashoah through the following Sunday. More