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Remembering the Holocaust, Cultivating New Growth

20/01/2026

A softly lit, slightly grainy image showing a row of small translucent candle holders receding into the background on a dark surface, with the nearest candle in focus. On the right side, a cluster of small blue flowers and green leaves enters the frame, adding a gentle pop of color against the muted, dreamy atmosphere.
A softly lit, slightly grainy image showing a row of small translucent candle holders receding into the background on a dark surface, with the nearest candle in focus. On the right side, a cluster of small blue flowers and green leaves enters the frame, adding a gentle pop of color.

Each year on January 27, the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust calls on the world to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust. It is a day to reflect on the consequences of hatred and dehumanisation when left to grow unchecked and unbridled. The date marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945, and all over Europe ceremonies, educational programmes and moments of silence are held to honour victims and survivors alike.

This day is always in close proximity to the 15th of Shevat (usually late January or early February), the Jewish “New Year of the Trees”, or Tu BiShvat. It is a relatively minor festival that has tapped into modern consciousness as a day of environmental awareness. Though traditionally connected to agriculture and the life cycle of trees, Tu BiShvat today inspires reflection on our relationship with nature, climate change and one another.

Together, these two moments offer a powerful dual message. Holocaust Remembrance reminds us of the lives, cultures and communities lost, while Tu BiShvat points to rebirth, just as Jewish life in Europe continues to flourish decades after the Shoah.

In line with the NOA Guidelines for Fostering Jewish Life, communities are finding sustainable ways to commemorate the Holocaust that also engage local residents and environments. For instance, projects like MultiMemo – Multidirectional Memory and ReActMem bring together artists, neighbours and heritage practitioners to uncover forgotten burial sites and create inclusive, landscape-oriented commemorations that honour memory while nurturing relationships and public awareness.

Simple eco-friendly actions such as planting trees in memory of individuals or communities, organising community treks to historical sites or hosting educational walks are effective ways to tie the remembrance of our past to the renewal of our traditions. Indeed, Holocaust memory can be a just and worthy way to channel Tu BiShvat values, from caring for the world to interdependence and future growth.

By remembering our past and cultivating new growth, Europe’s Jewish communities and their partners strengthen public memory and contribute to building more inclusive, sensitive and resilient societies.

May our remembrance be active and our growth be rooted in justice, so that our communities may thrive and the world once again resemble the garden we lost in days of yore.