Light from the Darkness: A Ritual for Holocaust Remembrance

How do we continue to commemorate the Holocaust? How can we draw any light from such darkness?

As the fragile window of witness closes, here is a powerful new way to commemorate the Holocaust in our homes, our schools, and our communities.

Filled with song and story, ritual and remembrance, Light from the Darkness is a guided 45-minute, seder-like experience that helps us fulfill the responsibility that Holocaust survivors have entrusted to us to remember, to tell the story, and to act.

Just as at our Passover seders we recall our suffering so that we may celebrate and protect our freedom, this new seder-like experience helps us remember our pain so that we can honor the memories of those we lost, renew our commitment to uphold life, and declare ensure history never repeats.

Designed to be used in a group setting (from teens on up), such as with school groups, a family, an intergenerational or interfaith community, or as a synagogue-wide program. Includes first-person accounts of daily life before, during, and after the Holocaust; questions designed for personal reflection or group discussion; and a guide for leaders to plan and direct the experience.

Light from the Darkness includes a Leader's Guide and full list of materials to aid planning. We've also created a guide to help you organize this program and engage participants remotely. Download the guide here.

"How to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive without living witnesses poses a critical dilemma for those who care deeply about the history of the Jewish people. Light from the Darkness offers a powerful tool to help future generations bear witness, to understand the history of the Shoah, and to apply its universal themes to modern times."
--Abraham H. Foxman, National Director Emeritus of the Anti-Defamation League and Holocaust survivor

"A poignant and ultimately hopeful ritual.Using the words and visual artwork of the victims and survivors creates a deep and humanizing connection, reminding us to preserve and share the echoes of this tragedy to inspire future generations to ensure 'never again.' "
--Lindsay Friedman, director of Echoes & Reflections, a Holocaust education program of ADL, USC Shoah Foundation, and Yad Vashem