Yom Hashoah Yellow Candle™ Program

Yom Hashoah April 30 / May 1, 2008

What is the Yellow Candle™ Program?

The Yellow Candle™ was conceived in 1981 by members of the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs at Beth Tzedec in Toronto to help keep alive the memory of the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. It is modeled after the traditional Jewish memorial candle that burns for 24 hours during periods of mourning and on the anniversary of the death of a family member.

The candle's yellow wax and symbol depicting a Jewish star and strand of barbed wire serve to remind us of the yellow arm band which Jews were forced to wear during the Nazi regime. The photo on the candle showing youngsters departing a concentration camp emphasizes the importance of teaching our youth the lessons of the Holocaust and of remembering the six Million.

Interest in the Holocaust is at an all time high. In an age of terrorism, violence, and 9/11, more and more people are sensitive to the fact that genocide is not a private matter limited to the Jewish community. For Jews especially, world events (including never-ending occurrences of anti-Semitism) make memorializing the Holocaust more important than ever. We encourage everyone to take a fresh look at the candle program this year. The timing couldn't be better. It is today's news. In today's terror-filled world, the lessons of the Holocaust are as timely and relevant in the year 2005 as they were half a century ago - and it is critical that these lessons be learned by the Next Generation.

Who benefits from the Yellow Candle™ Program?

• Men's Clubs. The program provides the Men's Club (or other participating group) a purpose and a significant project upon which to focus. The program is an excellent vehicle for training its members and cultivating volunteers.

• Synagogues. The program benefits the synagogue because it unites the congregation through an inter-age effort and provides a focus for Yom Hashoah programming.

• Communities. The program benefits the community by bringing the resources that Men's Clubs have at their disposal to aid and assist community observances and to make the public more aware of the lessons of the Holocaust.

• Our Youth. The FJMC has established an international scholarship fund "From Darkness into Light," available to members of USY groups in participating synagogues to help offset the cost of attending the USY Poland or Eastern Europe/Israel Seminar.