More than 400 people gathered for the 2026 Yom HaShoah Holocaust Remembrance on Sunday, April 12. The solemn ceremony was held at Congregation B’nai Amoona. The theme of this year’s program was “Where do I go; to whom do I belong.”
The ceremony included emotional testimony by survivor Oskar Jakob, whose son Jeff spoke on his behalf, and descendant testimony offered by Renee Silverstein. Myron Freedman, executive director of the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum, in opening remarks, said the end of the Holocaust was a beginning.
“The end of the war did not erase the trauma or bring back murdered loved ones,” Freedman said. “Survivors faced a confusing world of devastation, displacement, and grief. We’re here today to honor the memory of the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, the witnesses to Nazi atrocities, antisemitism, and hate. Antisemitism is not a relic of the past. And today, all of you become witnesses. By joining us at this program, you are participating in an act that makes memory visible.
“Our role as a community is to give that memory power,” Freedman continued. “Through your presence here today, you make it clear. This history matters, and it must never be forgotten. Let the stories of those we honor today not only teach us about what was lost, but about the courage it took to rebuild, the courage it takes to speak out and to live with purpose.”
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