International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Dear Grinnellians,

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is commemorated each year at Grinnell and in the world on January 27. This is a day to remember the lives lost in the Holocaust: the six million Jews who were murdered, as well as individuals of many marginalized groups, including, but not limited to, members of the Roma community, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, resistance activists and more.

A core component of how the Jewish community marks moments of mourning is through the act of remembering. As we remember, we give honor to what was lost; human life, culture, wisdom, and the possibility of future impact that was cut short. We know that these losses cannot be fully encapsulated, they are enormous. 

On this day each year, we remember the lives lost and the suffering of survivors. We also thank our fellow Grinnellians who continue to work for peace and justice. One inspiring example is Harold Kasimow, the George Drake Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies, Just four years old in 1942, when his father took his family into hiding in a shallow pit beneath a farmer’s cattle barn, his teaching and scholarship on interfaith dialogue are known around the world. A mentor to generations of Grinnellians, his advocacy for seeing the humanity in every individual is a source of hope.

In addition to today’s observance, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Jewish calendar creates time and space for remembering and honoring victims of the Holocaust on Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day), which falls on May 6, 2024. We encourage you to watch for an invitation to a community-wide event marking this additional observance. 

In Remembrance,

Anne F. Harris
President

Rabbi Sarah Brammer-Shlay Interim Dean of Religious Life, Chaplain and Rabbi
Center for Religion, Spirituality and Social Justice