As this year's Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) draws closer, many Jews, minorities and world faith groups hope people will come together to reflect and pray.
The annual day is a poignant reminder of the six million Jews and millions of others who perished during the Holocaust and subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur. This year's theme, "The Fragility of Freedom," invites reflection on the importance of safeguarding freedom in the face of adversity.
The Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ), a national body fostering dialogue and action between Jews and Christians, plays a pivotal role in commemorating HMD. With both the Archbishop of Canterbury and The Chief Rabbi as Presidents, the CCJ has released a short prayer for Christian communities to use in remembrance. The prayer is shared at the bottom of this article, along with links to guidance on how to mark HMD specifically tailored for Christian communities.
For additional inspiration and ideas, the CCJ resources pages offer valuable resources to help communities engage in meaningful dialogue and remembrance activities. Furthermore, the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust provides a wealth of resources for educational purposes, accessible online.
As we approach Holocaust Memorial Day, let us collectively honour the memory of those who suffered and perished by engaging in thoughtful reflection and meaningful actions. Through remembrance, dialogue, and education, we can contribute to a world that learns from the past and strives for a future built on the principles of tolerance, understanding, and freedom.
Eternal God, we come before you, conscious of the fragility of freedom, to remember the victims of the Holocaust.
We lament the loss of the six million Jews who were killed in the Holocaust, the millions of other victims of Nazi persecution, and victims of all genocides.
Remembering the past, help us today to use what freedom we have to stand up for those whose freedom is denied.
We pray for a day when all shall be free to live in peace, unity and love.
Amen.
Further links and resources to the Council of Christian and Jewish Communities can be found online we also wish to recognise the ongoing conflict between Palestinians and Israelis and continue to pray for and end to fighting and the important work of peacekeeping initiatives in this region.