Holocaust Remembrance Day and Armenian genocide: A moment of shared remembrance - opinion

Jerusalem Post - 01:56
This shared date should stir more than remembrance. It should inspire a deep sense of kinship between two ancient peoples who have both endured existential trauma.

This April 24 marks a rare and powerful moment: for the first time in years, Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day coincides with the day internationally commemorating the Armenian genocide of 1915.

The overlap is more than symbolic. It offers Jews and Armenians a profound opportunity to recognize their shared history of suffering, survival, and the long struggle for justice and recognition.

In Israel, Holocaust Remembrance Day is a solemn day of national reflection. Sirens halt traffic and pierce the silence, honoring the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust — men, women, and children exterminated by the Nazi regime during WWII. It is not just a day of mourning, but a cornerstone of Israeli identity: the imperative to remember.

Likewise, April 24 marks the Armenian genocide, when in 1915 the Ottoman Empire began a campaign of mass deportations and slaughter against its Armenian population. Over 1 million Armenians likely perished, and the vast majority of the survivors were exiled from their ance...
[Short citation of 8% of the original article]