By Ron Benvenisti. The Holocaust has had a deep effect on society both in Europe and the rest of the world, and today its consequences are still being felt, both by children and adults whose ancestors were victims of this genocide. The Holocaust and its aftermath left millions of refugees. Many Jews lost most or all of their family members and possessions, and often faced continued antisemitism in their home countries, which made returning “home” a death sentence.

Holocaust survivors were living below Israel’s poverty line with little assistance. There were heated and dramatic protests on the part of some survivors against the Israeli government and related agencies.

The average rate of cancer among survivors is nearly two and a half times the national average, while the average rate of colon cancer, attributed to the victims’ experience of starvation and extreme stress, is nine times higher. The population of survivors worldwide is dwindling every year.

A recent resurgence of interest among descendants of survivors researching the fates of their relatives has led to Yad Vashem providing a searchable database of three million names, about half of the known Jewish victims. Yad Vashem’s Central Database of Shoah Victims Names is searchable over the internet at yadvashem.org or in person at the Yad Vashem complex in Israel.

Holocaust Remembrance Day, started Wednesday evening, after sundown,on April 27.  The date is set in accordance with the Hebrew calendar, on 27 Nisan, so that it varies in regard to the Gregorian calendar.

Observance of the day is moved back to the Thursday before, if 27 Nisan falls on a Friday (as in 2021), or forward a day, if 27 Nisan falls on a Sunday (to avoid adjacency with the Jewish Sabbath, as will be in 2024).

A poll was conducted just days ahead of Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is observed today, by the Pnima movement and first published in the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom.

The poll significantly shows that religiously observant Israelis are more worried about an ensuing Holocaust: Israelis who define themselves as haredim (ultra-Orthodox) said they were very concerned about the likelihood, of another Holocaust as opposed to just 11% of Israelis who identify themselves as secular.

The continuous threat from the Iranian regime and their proxies, who have repeatedly declared their intent to destroy the Jewish state, is the top concern to Israelis’ distress over another Holocaust.

The poll was conducted just days ahead of Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is observed today, by the Pnima movement and first published in the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom.

The Pnima survey found that women expressed more anxiety about another Holocaust compared to men (55% versus 42%) and that younger Israelis are especially fearful – 24% of Israelis under the age of 24 said that they were very worried about a second Holocaust, in contrast to just 12% of Israelis over the age of 45.

Despite the phrase “Never Again” which has been the slogan of Holocaust commemoration, close to half (47%) of the Israeli public are concerned that another Holocaust will strike the Jewish people, according to the new survey.

Some of us may recall that Nobel Prize winner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel spoke at a special session of the UN General Assembly back in 2005 where, even at that time, teachers were stunned that students knew little or nothing about the Holocaust.

Israelis were asked how they think Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is widely observed in Israel as a day to memorialize the six million Jews murdered in the Shoah, will be commemorated in the future.

Telling the stories of the victims and survivors is becoming very challenging as survivors are now in their 80’s and 90’s. Soon there will be no living firsthand accounts of the attempted genocide.

Participants suggested that increased exposure to recorded testimonies of survivors will ensure  Holocaust Remembrance Day will remain relevant. Continuing subsidized trips to former Nazi concentration and death camps must be continued. 19% of respondents expressed the belief that it is inevitable that Holocaust Remembrance Day will lose its significance over time, despite these efforts.

Forty-five percent of respondents said that within 30 years, the day would be observed by events alone; 13% thought that it would not be marked at all and would be just another day.