Minute for Mission: Holocaust Remembrance Day

“I wonder why our flags fly in different directions. Freedom must be in a different spot in your dictionary.”

Three men who stood in the same line in Auschwitz have nearly consecutive
numbers. Uriel Sinai for The New York Times (provided by Isabella Ramos)

Today, people around the globe are observing Yom HaShoah or Holocaust Remembrance Day. Across the world, candles are lit, names are spoken, and silence holds the weight of the past. I remember learning about the Holocaust in school, studying how entire communities were targeted. Jewish people, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ people, religious minorities and countless others. The images of history we often see tell a truth that words fail to carry. No lesson, no movie, no photo can recount the suffering that occurred. We hear survivors speak with voices heavy with memory. Wind moves through the ruins whispering names only it remembers. The world swore “never again,” yet the echoes of hatred settle in new corners, wearing new disguises. We think about the ones who survived, who rebuilt lives from nothing. We think about the ones who didn’t, who believed until the last moment that surely humanity would not let this happen. Still, the wind does not forget. Still, the earth holds footprints of those who never walked home. The impact of the atrocities that were witnessed years ago still ring across the globe, and “never again” feels further away than ever.

On this Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations has a powerful opportunity to honor the memory of those who suffered by standing up for justice in today’s world. We must share the stories of survivors and their families, making sure their voices continue to be heard. We must work alongside others to speak out against antisemitism, hatred and violence wherever they appear. By lifting prayers, creating space for reflection, and pushing for real action through advocacy, we can help connect the past to the present, reminding us all why “never again” must be more than just words.

Isabella Ramos; Young Adult Volunteer; Compassion, Peace & Justice; Interim Unified Agency

Let us join in prayer for:

• Janeen Lush, Accountant 1, Accounts Payable Office, Administrative Services Group (A Corp)
• Catherine Lynch, Senior Relationship Manager, Presbyterian Investment & Loan Program 

Let us pray:

God of justice and mercy, we remember the lives lost in the Holocaust and the deep wounds still carried today. Let us never forget. Give us courage to speak out against hate, to stand with the oppressed, and to be instruments of your peace. Amen.