At exactly 10:00 AM local time, a piercing two-minute siren rang out across Israel, bringing the entire country to a sudden, collective standstill. In a tradition that is both heart-wrenching and unifying, traffic came to a halt on highways and city streets as drivers stepped out of their vehicles and stood in silent tribute. In schools, offices, homes, and public spaces, Israelis young and old froze in place, heads bowed in honor of the six million Jews who were brutally exterminated during the Holocaust.
This annual moment of silence marks the commencement of Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, a sacred national day of mourning and remembrance in Israel. Following the siren, ceremonies are held throughout the country — in military bases, schools, government institutions, and at Yad Vashem — the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem.
At the Kotel during the Yom HaShoah siren.
— Asian Kosher Cowboy 🇮🇱🇺🇸 אוריה שמואל (@0321K9) April 24, 2025
The entire country pauses for 2 minutes each year on Holocaust Memorial Day in remembrance of all those who perished.
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Trump Issues Stirring Proclamation Amid Rising U.S. Antisemitism
As Israel remembered, former U.S. President Donald Trump issued a poignant proclamation echoing the urgency of remembrance, drawing a sharp parallel between the past and present: “Never again means now.”
In his statement, Trump paid solemn tribute to the victims of the Nazi genocide, referring to it as “one of the bleakest hours in human history.” He underscored not only the murder of six million Jews, but also the suffering of countless others — the Roma and Sinti, Slavic and Polish people, disabled individuals, Soviet POWs, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and those persecuted for their sexual orientation.
We will NEVER forget. 🕯️
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) April 23, 2025
The walls of the old city of #Jerusalem lit up tonight marking Israel’s Holocaust Memorial Day.
📸 @ArnonBossani #YomHashoah #WeRemember pic.twitter.com/CS4Taf9MQk
“The price to humanity of the lives lost during the Shoah can never be fully grasped or understood,” Trump declared. “Yet, even in the wake of the Holocaust, a self-determined Jewish homeland rose from the ashes as the modern State of Israel.”
Trump’s message struck an urgent tone as he addressed the disturbing surge of antisemitic incidents across the United States since the Hamas-led massacre of October 7, 2023. He condemned the hate-fueled demonstrations and physical threats targeting Jewish Americans on American soil, emphasizing that antisemitism is not just a historical threat, but a present danger.
יום השואה תשפ"ה 🇮🇱
— Imshin (@imshin) April 23, 2025
Yom Hashoah 5785
Holocaust Remembrance Day 2025🕯 pic.twitter.com/TdEMlSqWjL
“Nearly every day since October 7th, Jewish Americans have faced intimidation and hatred on our streets and in our public square,” Trump stated, referencing the alarming wave of pro-Hamas sentiment that has permeated college campuses and public discourse.
A Firm Stand Against Campus Hate and Foreign Agitators
The former president pledged to hold institutions accountable, particularly “leftist, anti-American colleges and universities” that have allowed antisemitic rhetoric to flourish under the guise of protest. He also spotlighted efforts to deport foreign students identified as leaders of anti-Israel and antisemitic movements, making clear that intolerance will not be shielded by academic freedom.
President Trump’s presidential proclamation for Yom Hashoah:
— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) April 24, 2025
Asks Americans to observe Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust with study, prayers, and commemoration and to honor the memory of the victims by remembering its lessons so that it is never repeated. pic.twitter.com/NslMmD5iTM
“We are steadfastly committed to investigating and swiftly punishing all antisemitic discrimination,” Trump said, adding that the Department of Education under his administration has been directed to crack down on campus antisemitism with full force.
A Timeless Commitment: Never Again
Trump concluded his proclamation with a resonant vow:
“During these Days of Remembrance, we reflect upon the dark affront to human dignity posed by Nazis. We vow to never forget the atrocities of the Holocaust. Above all, we declare that never again means now.”
As Israel mourns and the world watches, this year’s Holocaust Remembrance Day serves as both a memorial to past horrors and a call to action — a reminder that the vigilance against hate must never waver, and that the lessons of the Holocaust are more relevant today than ever.
