Why International Holocaust Remembrance Day isn't marked in Israel — haaretz.com

It may seem ironic that International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which takes place on the anniversary of Auschwitz's liberation, is not marked in Israel. And yet, considering the timing and character of the commemoration, Israel's choice to pay tribute to the Shoah on a different anniversary is somehow appropriate. For most cultures, a memorial day is a day for transcending sadness. Pomp and ceremony keep the events in people's minds, while allowing them to rise above the pertinent emotions. And yet, there are no such memorial days in the Jewish calendar. Instead, we have days of mourning and fasting. The difference is important. There's an old joke that explains Jewish holidays: “They tried to kill us; we won; let’s eat!” It's funny precisely because it expresses a deeper truth. But the corollary is also true when it comes to our days of grief: “They tried to kill us; they won; let’s not eat.”

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