Israelis, Americans mark Yom HaShoah Holocaust remembrance

People across Israel observed a national two-minute silence on Tuesday to honor Yom HaShoah, Israel’s national holiday honoring the 6 million Jews killed during the Holocaust. Videos showed pedestrians stopping in the streets, drivers getting out of cars mid-traffic, and public transportation halting as sirens rang out at 10 a.m. local time. The remembrance takes place between Passover and Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s equivalent of Memorial Day, on the Hebrew calendar.

What about people in the United States? Many American leaders released messages observing the holiday, including North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherill, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Dozens of members of Congress from both sides of the political aisle honored the day, along with various members of President Donald Trump’s administration, including State Secretary Marco Rubio and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani released a Tuesday statement, underscoring the horror, hatred, and dehumanization wrought under German dictator Adolf Hitler. As anti-Semitism is rising, Yom HaShoah serves as a reminder that anti-Jewish hate must be confronted, he wrote.

Dig deeper: Read Emma Freire’s report in WORLD Magazine, breaking down the meaning of fascism.