Holocaust Remembrance Day opened on Monday evening with a solemn ceremony at Yad Vashem, Israel's national Holocaust memorial.
President Isaac Herzog opened his address at the ceremony by noting that this year’s national days are being marked “during a time of war," offering “words of strength and encouragement" to both soldiers and civilians. He emphasized that while the conflict is prolonged, he is “confident that we will emerge from it strengthened and empowered."
He recounted the story of Master Sergeant Asaf Cafri, a 26-year-old IDF reservist who fell in Gaza a year ago, describing how the story of one family reflects the broader national experience. During a condolence visit to the family, Herzog met Magda Baratz, Cafri’s great-grandmother and a Holocaust survivor. He described her as sitting quietly, “her eyes…carrying a pain both old and new."
Herzog detailed Baratz’s experiences during the Holocaust, noting that she was deported from a ghetto in Transylvania to Auschwitz, where she was separated from her family for the last time. “We looked at each other and knew: ‘We will never see each other again,’" she had written. She endured forced labor, death marches, starvation, and extreme conditions, ultimately surviving and being liberated from Bergen-Belsen at age sixteen, weighing only twenty kilograms.
After the war, she immigrated to Israel, married a fellow survivor, and began rebuilding her life. Herzog highlighted her outlook, quoting her words: “This is my victory: to survive, to immigrate to the Land of Israel, and to establish a dynasty." He noted that she indeed built a large family spanning multiple generations.
He described the painful moment when, during a ceremony marking the liberation of Bergen-Belsen, Baratz learned that her great-grandson Asaf had been killed in battle. Herzog drew a connection between the generations, stating that despite the seventy years between them, “one spirit bound these generations: a spirit of heroism, of devotion, of determination."
Reflecting on a visit during the mourning period, Herzog said he saw “four generations in one home" and wondered whether any other people could bear “such a story of pain and heroism." He added that Baratz passed away shortly thereafter, unable to withstand the grief of her loss.
Turning to the broader historical context, Herzog recalled that approximately six million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust, stressing that the Nazis “made no distinction" among Jews. “To them, we were one people," he said, with annihilation decreed upon all.
He emphasized the centrality of family in Jewish identity, describing the Jewish people as “a large and expansive family, bound by history, by deep roots, by a shared destiny." He added that despite the devastation of the Holocaust, the Jewish people chose “not merely to survive, but to grow, to create, to rebuild."
Addressing current events, Herzog noted that Israel remains at war following the October 7 massacre, and pointed to the resilience of Israeli society. He said he has witnessed “solidarity, the heroism, the devotion, and the mutual responsibility" across the country.
At the same time, he highlighted a widespread call for unity, warning of the dangers of internal division. “A family may argue, but it must never tear itself apart," he said, adding that the Jewish people “did not rise from the ashes…only to be consumed by the fire of discord."
Herzog also referenced recent military operations, including cooperation with the United States, and ongoing deployments in multiple arenas. He acknowledged the heavy toll of the conflict and expressed support for bereaved families and the wounded: “I see you, I share your pain."
He praised first responders and security forces, and noted the symbolic transformation from Holocaust victims to defenders of the Jewish state, saying that “the striped prisoner’s uniform has been replaced by the IDF uniform."
Warning of rising antisemitism worldwide, Herzog called on global leaders to act decisively, stating that “empty words will not cover up inaction."
He concluded by reaffirming the enduring legacy of Holocaust survivors, describing them as “a source of inspiration…a symbol of the human spirit." He pledged that Israel would continue to preserve and transmit the memory of the Holocaust for future generations.
Recalling a final message from Magda Baratz, Herzog quoted her words of hope: “I continue to believe that it will be good here… I believe this with all my heart." He added that this faith is shared by the people of Israel, expressing confidence in the nation’s future: “Yes, yes, it will be good here."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the ceremony by greeting President Isaac Herzog and the citizens of Israel, with special emphasis on Holocaust survivors, whom he described as possessing “mighty spirits." He said the nation “embrace[s] you with love" and salutes those lighting the commemorative torches at Yad Vashem.
Netanyahu contrasted the Jewish people’s vulnerability during the Holocaust with Israel’s present-day strength, citing poet Uri Zvi Greenberg’s description of Jews as “an extinct people like a wild beast in a hunt." Today, he said, “our people fight back," adding that Israel now has “a state which is stronger than ever, which roars with power."
He highlighted recent military operations, stating that “through Operation Rising Lion, and even more so in Operation Roaring Lion," Israel, alongside the United States, stands “at the forefront of the free world." He asserted that together they had “crushed the evil regime in Iran," which he accused of pursuing nuclear weapons and supporting terror proxies aimed at destroying Israel.
Recalling his longstanding pledge, Netanyahu said that each year he vowed that Israel would not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons and that “there will not be a second Holocaust." He added that “this year, we turned that promise into reality," describing significant damage inflicted on Iran’s military capabilities.
Addressing historical reflection, Netanyahu noted the recurring question of “what if" regarding the Holocaust, including whether earlier intervention could have prevented the catastrophe. However, he stressed that “there are no what ifs in history," emphasizing the need to act decisively in the present to prevent future threats.
He detailed ongoing Israeli operations across multiple fronts, including Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Judea and Samaria, and Yemen, as part of what he called a sustained effort to counter the “Iranian Axis of Evil."
Netanyahu also recounted meeting Holocaust survivor Jake Waksal, aged 101, during a visit to the United States. Reflecting on that encounter, he reiterated the commitment of “Never Again," stating that Israel is actively fulfilling that promise.
He described the establishment of the State of Israel and its military as restoring Jewish self-determination after centuries of vulnerability, while acknowledging that antisemitism persists. However, he warned that those who seek to destroy Israel today would face consequences “on a scale they never could imagine."
Netanyahu stated that Israel had dismantled significant components of Iran’s military infrastructure, including nuclear facilities and advanced weaponry. He argued that without such action, sites like Natanz and Fordow might have become synonymous with destruction like Auschwitz and Treblinka.
He emphasized the strength of Israel’s alliance with the United States, describing unprecedented cooperation between Israeli and American forces. “Who could have imagined," he said, “that our daring air-force pilots and American military pilots would defend the Middle East, wing to wing?"
Turning to Europe, Netanyahu criticized what he described as a weakening moral stance, arguing that the continent must relearn “the sharp distinction between good and evil." In contrast, he said Israel remains committed to defending itself and contributing to global security.
He concluded by praising Israel’s transformation “from Holocaust to rebirth," describing the state as a “beacon of liberty, progress and prosperity." He cited a biblical verse referring to “mighty men of valor" and declared that Israel, “as a nation of lions," will continue “to roar the roar of eternity."
He ended his remarks with the declaration: “Am Yisrael Chai!"