Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,
This Monday evening, April 13, marks the beginning of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, held annually since 1949, shortly after the end of World War II.
On this day, our DePaul community is invited to remember the six million Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust. We honor the individuals, families, and communities whose lives were forever changed and whose stories will continue to be remembered with care and respect.
Yom HaShoah serves as a solemn invitation for all to pause and acknowledge the tremendous loss and the cruel impact of the mass violence of this time in human history. It also provides us with lessons to apply to the challenging era in which we live.
At a time when incidents of hatred have been increasing at alarming rates, our Catholic, Vincentian mission requires us to uphold the dignity of all people. Yom HaShoah challenges us to walk in solidarity with those who continue to face the weight of systemic injustice and with the innocent people harmed by wars throughout the world.
This year, Chaplain Kayla Schneider-Smith and DePaul Jewish Life – Kehilla will host an event that will give our community a space to remember, connect, and learn. The Yom HaShoah memorial is on Monday, April 13, at 12:30 p.m. in the Jewish Life Center, followed by a free, docent-led private tour of the Illinois Holocaust Museum. We invite you to register to attend here.
Thank you for taking the time to remember and to honor the lives and legacies of those observed on Yom HaShoah, translating the lessons offered by the Holocaust into contemporary action.
Sincerely,
Robert L. Manuel
President
Mark Laboe
Interim VP, Mission & Ministry