Yom HaShoah: Remembering the Holocaust and the Weight of “Never Again”
Today (April 24, 2025) marks Yom HaShoah, a solemn day of remembrance for the horrors of the Holocaust. In Israel, life comes to a standstill as a siren wails at 10 a.m., calling the entire nation to pause for two minutes of silence. People stop in their tracks – drivers pull over, exit their cars, and stand in tribute to the six million Jewish men, women, and children murdered by the Nazi regime during World War II. Across the world, millions of Jewish people will reflect on the families that were shattered, the communities erased, and the lives stolen by Hitler’s “Final Solution.”[1]
The Holocaust remains unique in history for its deliberate, systematic attempt to eradicate an entire people. In its wake, terms like “genocide” (the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group) and “holocaust” (destruction or slaughter on a mass scale, especially caused by fire or nuclear war) emerged to describe the scale of suffering. And from that suffering arose a promise:
“Never again.”
Never again will silence be an acceptable response.
Never again will the Jewish people stand alone in the face of hatred.
Never again will we allow evil to flourish because of our complacency.
But in the decades since 1945, something deeply unsettling has happened. We find ourselves having to convince the world of “never again.” And as Jewish people look at the world today, we are painfully reminded of the terrors of the past that threaten our lives even now.
There are four very real parallels that we cannot ignore.
In Nazi Germany, Jewish people were accused of exploiting the economy, controlling businesses, and ruining society. Today, we hear the same slanders – only now, the “exploitative Jew” has become the “genocidal Jew,” collectively blamed for the suffering of the Palestinian people. There is a resurgence of “Jew-blaming”.
The Nazis framed Jewish people as a threat to Germany’s survival, making their persecution seem justified. Today, when the world looks at the events of October 7, 2023, an alarming number of people believe the massacre was deserved. The voices of brutalized women and kidnapped children are dismissed, and history is being rewritten in real time. There is a justification of violence against Jewish people.
A chilling photograph from the 1930s shows German soldiers blocking Jewish students from entering universities.[2] Today, Jewish students are once again targeted – this time by university encampments that bar them from classrooms and terrorize them on campus. Universities are turning into battlegrounds again.
Another well-known Holocaust image shows a Nazi soldier aiming a gun at a Jewish mother clutching her child.[3] We look at it and say, “Never again.” And yet, we open our phones and see Shiri Bibas, holding her red-haired babies and shielding them as Hamas terrorists dragged her family into Gaza. Jewish mothers and children are being attacked as the world watches.
Maybe you feel challenged to do something, but aren’t sure what action you can take. What can we do as individuals to take a stand?
As a first step, something we can all do is be vocal in our support for Israel. This could look like bringing it up in our conversations or responding to posts we see on social media. Even if we do not agree with all the decisions that the State of Israel makes, we do believe and uphold Israel’s right to exist and remember God’s unconditional promise to the Jewish people (Genesis 12 and 15).
A second thing we can do is refuse to be silent. We can speak up if we hear people use the words “genocide” and “holocaust” to demonize Israel. The world tolerates antisemitism when it disguises itself as “anti-Zionism,” but we can recognize it for what it is: the same old hatred in a new form.
We recently celebrated Purim, the story of another tyrant who sought to destroy the Jewish people during the time of Esther. Instead of Haman, today we face Hamas. But history has shown one truth: Enemies rise and fall, yet the Jewish people endure because of God’s faithfulness.
As Albert Einstein once said, “The world is not dangerous because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” So the next time we hear someone make a sweeping statement against Israel or the Jewish people, let’s speak up. We can share the truth with firmness, love, and respect. One conversation at a time, we can ensure that “never again” is not just a slogan – but a reality.
Written by Hannah, Life in Messiah staff
Can you think of a time when you stood up for someone or something you care deeply about? What was the situation, and what was the response?
The welfare of the Jewish people is a matter close to God’s heart. As the prophet Zechariah wrote, whoever touches Israel “touches the apple of His eye” (2:8). As a follower of Yeshua (Jesus), what is one way you can speak up for Israel and the Jewish people during this time when lies and misinformation are rampant?
Sometimes it’s hard to engage others in crucial conversations when we don’t have enough information. If you want to learn more about the Israel–Hamas war through the lens of biblical truth, this two-part message given by Levi Hazen titled “Hamas and Israel: What Does the Bible Say?” is a great place to start. You can watch Part 1 here and Part 2 here.
Endnotes:
[1] This term is shorthand for the “Final Solution to the Jewish Question,” the Nazis’ plan to systematically murder the Jewish people of Europe.
[2] See this photo at https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/photo/nazis-prevent-jewish-students-from-entering.
[3] See this photo at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Einsatzgruppen_murder_Jews_in_Ivanhorod,_Ukraine,_1942.jpg.