As the Jewish world continues to grapple with growing ethical, practical and moral questions on the coronavirus, the Tzohar Rabbinical Organization is calling on people all over the globe to commemorate next week's Holocaust Remembrance Day with individual ceremonies in their own homes.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
The organization is specifically suggesting that a protocol of candle-lighting and the reading of texts be accepted as a traditional Jewish commemoration of the day.
At present, while Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) is observed across the world, there are no universally-adopted personal Jewish traditions that mark the day.
"Holocaust remembrance is becoming increasingly challenging due to the passing of more and more survivors, so we need to be extra careful to ensure that this year is marked with an appropriate observance that takes the obvious challenges into account," Rabbi David Stav, Founder and Chair of Tzohar, said in a press release.
Tzohar is calling upon people to hold individual commemorations in their homes. The universal commemoration entails lighting six memorial candles followed by the recitation of the "Kel Maleh" memorial prayer and Nizkor, a poem written by Abba Kovner. Kovner survived the Vilna Ghetto and fought as a partisan before becoming one of the most respected poets in modern Israel.
"The Shoah represents the worst national tragedy for the Jewish people in modern times and therefore deserves to be recognized in a formal way that is in line with traditional modes of Jewish practice and memorial," Rabbi Stav says.
"Our hope is that what will begin this year, under these difficult circumstances, will become accepted throughout Jewish communities all around the world for years to come and serve as a fitting way to remember and mourn."
