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 24 to May 1, 2022. Holocaust Remembrance Day will be Thursday, April 28, 2022. 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.

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 2022 theme Determination, Hope, and Honor 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 former U.S. Army Corporal and Medal of Honor recipient, Tibor "Teddy" Rubin. Born in a small town in Hungary, Tibor and his family were sent to the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria, when he was 13 years old, because they were Jewish. Both of his parents and one of his sisters did not survive the Holocaust. He survived in the camp for 14 months. On May 5, 1945, Mauthausen was liberated by soldiers from the U.S. 41st Reconnaissance Squadron of the 11th Armored Division. Their compassion for people in the camp made a deep impression on the teenager. After immigrating to the United States, Tibor Rubin sought to repay his new nation by enlisting in the U.S. Army. As a Jew and non-citizen serving in the Army during the Korean War, he experienced prejudice and saw that America did not always live up to its ideals. He, nevertheless, kept faith in the promise of the nation and, as a rifleman in the 1st Calvary Division, his heroic actions in combat and selfless acts on behalf of his comrades while a prisoner of war earned Corporal Rubin the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for valor.

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: “Courage Facing Evil”

Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen hosted the 29th Annual Federal Inter-Agency Holocaust Remembrance Program, “Courage Facing Evil” on April 28, 2022. The program featured two Holocaust survivors, Susan Warsinger and Rachel (Rae) Goldfarb.


Resources

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.