Planning Commemorations for Faith and Interfaith Communities

2013 Days of Remembrance: April 7–14

Days of Remembrance — the annual commemoration of the victims of the Holocaust — is observed by state and local governments, military bases, workplaces, schools, and faith communities across the country. The theme for 2013 is Never Again: Heeding the Warning Signs.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has created a new Planning Guide and Resources for Holocaust Commemorations, a CD/DVD set that provides a variety of resources for Days of Remembrance observances in diverse communities. This Planning Guide and Resources will be a valuable resource for clergy and other leaders in planning religious ceremonies.

Request a free CD/DVD Days of Remembrance planning resource »

The following resources are intended to provide support in planning remembrance activities for faith and interfaith communities.

• Read about the theme for Days of Remembrance, 2013, Never Again: Heeding the Warning Signs
• Read suggestions for Organizing a Holocaust Remembrance Day
• Download the historic 1981 Holocaust Commemoration for Days of Remembrance, from the United States Holocaust Memorial Council
• Print a poster to advertise your Days of Remembrance event(s)
• Create a poster display about the history of the Holocaust
• Play an Animated Map to provide historical context on the Holocaust and World War II
• Print Identification Cards describing the experiences of individuals who experienced the Holocaust
• Arrange a survivor presentation to experience the power of eyewitness testimony
• Share Your Ideas
• Sample Ceremony for Faith Communities [PDF]

To support your planned observance of Days of Remembrance, we encourage you to explore the following educational resources:

• Learn more about the issues related to the history of the churches and the Holocaust
• Podcasts about Holocaust history’s ongoing relevance to the faith communities: Christopher Leighton, Beverly E. Mitchell, James Carroll, Susannah Heschel, Father Patrick Desbois, Cornel West, Karen Armstrong, Eboo Patel, and Father John Pawlikowski.
• Learn more about the work of Father Patrick Desbois
• Antisemitism in History: From the Early Church to 1400
• Denmark
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer
• The German Churches and the Nazi State
• Le Chambon-sur-Lignon
• Martha and Waitstill Sharp
• Martin Niemöller: "First they came for the Socialists..."
• Martin Niemöller: Biography
• Corrie ten Boom
• Non-Jewish Resistance
• Quakers
• Rescue
• Browse additional general resources for planning educational programs