Yo m H a S h o a h , officially recognised in 1959, takes place on 27 Nisan, with a date adjustment allowed for Shabbat, eight days before Yom Ha’atzmaut, or Israeli Independence Day. This year Yom HaShoah fell on 1 May. In Israel, flags are flown at half mast and there is a state ceremony held at Yad Vashem the Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes Authority. At 10am air-raid sirens are sounded for two minutes and all activity comes to a halt.

Ohad Ashkanazi

Sharon Ser

In the Diaspora, the day is marked with ceremonies and rituals that include the lighting of memorial candles and the recitation of Kaddish. Throughout Asia, Jewish communities banded together and solemnly observed this important holiday.

Despite differences and diversity, the regional Jewish communities truly united and shared in the collective grief over the tragedy of the Holocaust.

Hong Kong’s Jewish community held their Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony on Wednesday 30 April at the Jewish Community Centre. It was coordinated by Ms. Riki Shemesh.

The event was very well attended and, as in past years, members from all of Hong Kong’s Jewish congregations were represented and involved. The programme included prayers, readings and music.

Six candles were each individually lite by community members representing collectively the memory of the six million Jews that perished during the Holocaust.

The Carmel School Choir

Kaddish was recited by Rabbi Michael Schwartz from the UJC community. Ohad Ashkanazi’s singing of Sh’ma Israel, moved many of the attendees to tears.

Addresses were made by Mr. Clive Grossman and Consul General of Israel, Dan Ben- Eliezer, who spoke about Yom Hashoa from the context of the current threat of a second ‘Holocaust’ echoing from modernday Iran.

The ceremony was completed with the Hatikva, the national anthem of the State of Israel.