Israel reflects on Holocaust tragedy

[Behind the Aegis]

Israel came to a standstill at exactly 10am on Tuesday morning as sirens wailed across the country to mark the annual Yom Hashoah – Holocaust Martyrs and Heroes Remembrance day.

Throughout the day ceremonies were held in schools all over the State to remember the six million Jews killed by the Nazis during WW2,

Events were held at the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem both on Tuesday morning and Wednesday evening, including a reading of the names of Holocaust victims which took place immediately after the siren.

Serious situation

Israel takes Yom HaShoah extremely seriously and across the country everyone stopped what they were doing and stood still as the sirens were sounded. Cars halted in the middle of the road and drivers got out and stood for a moment of reflection.

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[woo me with science]

1. I remember learning about the Holocaust in elementary school

but not really understanding how recent and real it was until a few years later. I interviewed a concentration camp survivor for a seventh grade class project and remember walking home from the interview in tears. Until that moment I had considered anything taught as "history" to be ages away.