On January 27, 1945, Nazi Germany’s largest concentration and extermination camp – Auschwitz-Birkenau – was liberated. For many, Auschwitz came to represent the horrors inflicted by the Nazi regime and its systematic effort to annihilate Europe's Jewish population.

Decades later, the United Nations established January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day – a day when we remember and commemorate the eleven million Jews,  Soviet civilians, prisoners of war, ethnic Poles, Romani, political and religious opponents, LGBTQ+ people, and Afro-Germans who perished, those who survived, and those precious survivors who are still with us.

Today’s Holocaust survivors are our heroes and most valuable teachers.

Just as we honor the memory of the six million Jews who were murdered, we must also honor and support those who survived – and time is running out. Most of the Holocaust survivors living in the US are over 85, and over one-third live in poverty. They deserve to live with comfort and dignity and to know that the stories of what they endured, and the horrors of the Holocaust will be remembered so that they may never be repeated.

Jewish Federation pledges to care for and learn from Holocaust survivors.

It’s a pledge that we live by as we continue to support Holocaust survivor services and aid each year. We’ve also advocated for state and federal funding to help survivors and legislation to improve Holocaust and genocide education.

We have a short window of time to hear first-hand from survivors. And there’s still so much for us to do. Here’s how you can help.

Learn. Share. Get involved.

• Hear a survivor telling their story. Listen now »
• Learn by reading a moving personal account of surviving Auschwitz or living in hiding during the Nazi regime. Learn about Elie Wiesel » | Learn about Anne Frank »
• Visit a Holocaust museum. Center for Holocaust, Human Rights & Genocide Education | U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (Virtual Tour)
• Donate to Jewish Federation’s Annual campaign which helps support Holocaust survivors and Holocaust educational initiatives. Donate Now »
• Urge your representatives to improve Holocaust education and thank them for funding Holocaust survivor services. Advocate for Holocaust survivor care » | Advocate for improved federal Holocaust education » | Advocate for improved state Holocaust education »
• Volunteer with Holocaust survivors in your local community via these organizations. Jewish Federations. Volunteer in Middlesex County » | Volunteer in Monmouth County »
• Watch live programs for International Holocaust Remembrance Day. US Holocaust Memorial Museum » | United Nations »
• Encourage conversations regarding the Holocaust by sharing knowledge and stories about survivors or liberators you have met or read about. Read an inspiring story »