Hundreds of Jewish communities across the former Soviet Union came together on January 27 to mark the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, honoring the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust and as a referment of our shared commitment to the fight against antisemitism. The date commemorates the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau by Soviet troops in 1945.

From major cities to small towns, the commemorations took on varied and meaningful forms. Synagogues, Jewish Community Centers (JCCs), schools, youth groups, and cultural institutions held memorial gatherings where participants recited Kaddish and Yizkor prayers, lit memorial candles, recited Psalms, and paid tribute to the victims.

At the heart of many programs was a strong intergenerational focus. Elderly community members shared personal stories and testimonies with youth, emphasizing the importance of preserving historical memory. In educational institutions and initiatives, students participated in special classes and discussions designed to connect Holocaust history with contemporary lessons on tolerance, justice, and moral courage.
In several locations, community members visited Holocaust memorials, Jewish cemeteries, and historical markers honoring local victims. These visits were often accompanied by readings of victims’ names, poetry, and the laying of flowers or stones.

Artistic and cultural initiatives played a significant role. Exhibitions of wartime photographs, original artwork, and survivor testimony offered powerful visual narratives of endurance and loss. In some communities, youth presented musical or theatrical performances as living tributes to the resilience of the Jewish spirit.

This year’s commemorations continue a long-standing tradition of Jewish unity and remembrance across the FSU. For decades, hundreds of Jewish communities have organized January 27 events to honor Holocaust victims and ensure the transmission of memory to future generations. The broad participation in 2026 underscores the enduring impact of these tragedies on Jewish life and the unwavering commitment to the principle of “Never Again.”