By Darren Schwartz
Jewish Federation of San Diego
SAN DIEGO — Soon – and every year around this time – the State of Israel and Jews around the world take part in a deeply emotional journey. Within the span of a few days, we move from grief to gratitude, from mourning to meaning, from darkness to light.
On Yom HaShoah (Wednesday, April 23), Holocaust Remembrance Day, we stand still – literally and figuratively – as sirens wail across Israel. We remember the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, the communities erased, and the worlds that vanished. We also honor the survivors and resistance fighters who showed unimaginable strength in the face of inhumanity. The day is heavy, as it should be. It reminds us of the depths of loss our people have endured.
Just a week later, we mark Yom HaZikaron (Tuesday April 29), Memorial Day for Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terror. Gravesites fill with grieving families. The nation pauses again. The cost of independence – often recited in numbers – becomes heartbreakingly personal. Each name represents a future lost, a dream unfulfilled, and a family forever changed.
And then, almost impossibly, the sun sets on Yom HaZikaron and rises on Yom HaAtzmaut (Wednesday, April 30) – Israel’s Independence Day. The mourning transitions to music, barbecues, and flags waving high. Some find the shift jarring. But that’s the point. Israel made a bold and intentional choice to juxtapose its national “day of grief” with its national “day of joy.” Because the two are inseparable. The price of freedom is not forgotten in the celebration of it. We dance not despite our losses, but because of them – determined to make meaning from our memory.
This sequence is not accidental. It reflects the very arc of Jewish history:
- From catastrophe (Yom HaShoah)
- Through sacrifice (Yom HaZikaron)
- To rebirth (Yom HaAtzmaut)
And in that arc lies a powerful lesson – one that must be passed to future generations. Which brings us to the essential role of Holocaust education.
Why teach the Holocaust? Because memory fades. Survivors age. And hatred, sadly, persists. Antisemitism has not been relegated to the past. Nor has the denial of the very atrocities that scarred the 20th century. Holocaust education is not just about teaching history; it’s about protecting the future. It’s about building empathy, cultivating humanity, and reminding the world what happens when silence triumphs over justice.
Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of longtime supporter Lee Goldberg and her family, our Federation is doing critical work in this area through the launch of the Goldberg Family Holocaust Education Program & Mobile Museum. Aimed at bringing modern Holocaust education to learners of all ages and backgrounds throughout San Diego County, this initiative is not only about preserving the past but actively engaging with the present and fostering hope for the future. I invite you to learn more here.
As we move through these days – from remembrance to resilience – let us recommit ourselves to telling the stories, preserving the truth, and standing up for dignity and decency wherever we are.
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Darren Schwartz is the chief planning and strategy officer of the Jewish Federation of San Diego.