RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Holocaust Museum observed Yom HaShoah, the annual day of remembrance, to honor the memory of millions of Jewish Holocaust victims during a special program.
Survivors and their family members from Central Virginia gathered to light memorial candles during the afternoon program.
The six candles, one of which is shorter to represent the 1.5 million children who died, represent the 6 million Jews killed during the Holocaust.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger spoke at the event, along with families whose lives were forever changed by the Holocaust.
"It is our job, everyone in this room, to stand up against hatred," one speaker said. "The racist attacks against synagogues, mosques, and churches are out of control. And we need to ensure that everybody knows that houses of worship are sacred places. These are places where peaceful people gather to pray and participate in community activities."
As part of its ongoing mission to educate others about the Holocaust, the museum now has a permanent exhibit called Dimensions in Testimony, which showcases a collection of interactive Holocaust survivor biographies.
Yom HaShoah ends Monday at sunset.
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