As part of International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2026, the Federation of Jewish Communities (FJC) Darkeinu Jewish heritage curriculum launched a powerful and creative interactive activity game titled “Rabbi Yoav and the Secret of the Paper Candles,” reaching thousands of students across hundreds of “Or Avner” Jewish schools in the FSU.

Designed as a quest-based educational experience, the program encourages participants to reflect on memory and intergenerational connection through the symbolic story of Rabbi Yoav and his mentor, Reb Mendel—a Holocaust survivor whose eternal window light becomes a source of riddles and learning. The story draws on the metaphor of the shamash candle, representing those who preserve and pass on the light of Jewish tradition, memory, and faith.

“This is more than a game,” said Chana Rynkov, Director of the “Or Avner” School Network and the Darkeinu curriculum. “It helps children understand that remembering the Holocaust is not only about grief—it’s about responsibility. Today, they become the ones who carry the torch. As the Torah commands, ‘And you shall tell your child…’”

The activity unfolds through a series of puzzles and symbolic challenges, culminating in a creative, hands-on project in which each child crafts and displays a symbolic paper menorah in their home window. According to the facilitator guide, the 60-minute program is structured into three stages: a story-based opening, a graphic quest using illustrated posters and QR-coded tasks, and a concluding activity in which children reflect on their role as bearers of memory.

The Holocaust Memorial Quest was produced in both Russian and Ukrainian.