Department of Defense Education Activity

Holocaust Remembrance

Image Illustrating Liberation from Concentration Camps

The U.S. Congress established the Days of Remembrance as the nation’s annual commemoration of the Holocaust. DoDEA joins the world in honoring the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, as well as the millions of non-Jewish victims of Nazi persecution.

This year, the Holocaust Days of Remembrance week will be observed from April 16 - 23, 2023. Holocaust Remembrance Day will be Tuesday, April 18, 2023. This day is observed each year during the week of Remembrance that runs from the Sunday before Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Hashoah) through the following Sunday. DoDEA students from the Americas region will be participating in the Holocaust remembrance ceremony again this year by providing questions that will be asked to the two panelists.

In 1980 through Public Law 96-388, the United States Holocaust Memorial Council was established to lead the nation in commemorating the Holocaust, and to raise private funds for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The Council consists of 55 members, who serve for five-year terms, and are appointed by the President. Additionally, five members each from the Senate and House of Representatives, and three ex-officio members from the Departments of Education, Interior, and State complete the Council.

The 2023 theme Rays of Hope is a testament to the resiliency of Holocaust survivors, a tribute to their protectors and liberators, and a memorial to the fallen. This year, we pay tribute to two Holocaust survivors, Peter Gorog and Manny Mandel.

Peter Gorog was born in Budapest in 1941. He defected to the United States in 1980 and spent his career working for the federal government as a contractor, including at the Department of Justice, where he supported the FBI’s Image Restoration Project. Peter also worked at the Department of Defense, the Nation Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and for NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, where he worked on the James Webb Space Telescope.

Manny Mandel was born in 1936 and grew up in Hungary. The impact of the Holocaust came later in the war years, through unexpected deportation to Bergen Belsen and family separation. In 1945, Manny and his mother immigrated to Palestine, where they were reunited with Manny’s father. They then moved to the United States, settling in Philadelphia, where Manny attended the University of Pennsylvania. He was a practicing psychotherapist in Maryland until his retirement in 2014.

As we remember the innocent Jewish men, women, and children murdered by the Nazi regime, we also recognize the valiant non-Jewish individuals who risked their lives, families, and livelihoods to save people fleeing imprisonment and death. Known as the Righteous Among the Nations, they have a special place of honor and gratitude.

Recording of Live-Stream Event: “Rays of Hope”

Eli Rosenbaum hosted the 30th Annual Federal Inter-Agency Holocaust Remembrance Program, “Rays of Hope” on April 18, 2023. The program featured two Holocaust survivors, Manny Mandel and Peter Gorog.


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American Jewish Historical Society

American Jewish Historical Society

Established in 1892, the mission of the American Jewish Historical Society (AJHS) is to foster awareness and appreciation of American Jewish heritage and to serve as a national scholarly resource for research through the collection, preservation and dissemination of materials relating to American Jewish history.
Anti-Defamation League

Anti-Defamation League

ADL is a leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion.
Jewish American Heritage Month

Jewish American Heritage Month

May is Jewish American Heritage Month The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of Jewish Americans who have helped form the fabric of American history, culture and society.
Jewish War Veterans

Jewish War Veterans

The Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A. (JWV) were founded in 1896 by a group of 63 Jewish veterans from the Civil War after a series of anti-Semitic comments about the lack of Jewish service in the Civil War. Since then, JWV has been working hard to be the voice of American Jewry in the veteran community.
National Museum of American Jewish Military History

National Museum of American Jewish Military History

Chartered by an act of Congress in 1958, the National Museum of American Jewish Military History, under the auspices of the Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A., documents and preserves the contributions of Jewish Americans to the peace and freedom of the United States, educates the public concerning the courage, heroism and sacrifices made by Jewish Americans who served in the armed forces, and works to combat anti-Semitism.
Planning Observances for Military Audiences

Planning Observances for Military Audiences

This template is based on The Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute format for organizing special observances. Military organizers can adapt the structure and order of the program when designing their Holocaust Days of Remembrance observance. A variety of theme options are available at ushmm.org/ remember/days-of-remembrance.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum inspires citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity. Federal support guarantees the Museum’s permanent place on the National Mall, and its far-reaching educational programs and global impact are made possible by generous donors.

Proclamation and Memorandum

A Proclamation on Days Of Remembrance Of Victims Of The Holocaust, 2023

A Proclamation on Days Of Remembrance Of Victims Of The Holocaust, 2023

On Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, and throughout this week of remembrance, we reflect on the horrors of the Holocaust when the Nazi regime systematically murdered 6 million Jews and millions of other innocents, political dissidents, and many others.
Memorandum: Holocaust Days of Remembrance

Memorandum: Holocaust Days of Remembrance

The Holocaust Days of Remembrance observance calls our Nation together to remember the victims of the Holocaust, honor the survivors, and pay tribute to those who risked their lives to rescue them. This year, the Days of Remembrance observance will take place between April 16, 2023 and April 23, 2023, with April 18, 2023, designated as Holocaust Remembrance Day.