The act of remembering is a mental act. It’s more of a thought than an act. Remembering friends and family members whom we’ve lost works on our minds. We think back to our moments with them, to their words of wisdom, to what they stood for.
Remembering the 6 million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust also works on our minds. We’re constantly reminded to confront the horrors, to think about the stories, to see the films, to “never forget.”
But then, what do we do?
For the past several decades, we have invested in memory. The industry of Holocaust remembrance is huge, and for good reason. The mere thought of people forgetting this singular atrocity is inconceivable. That’s why we have countless memorials, museums and community events devoted primarily to remembering this lowest point in Jewish history.
I’d like to suggest we add one element to this Jewish imperative to remember: to do a mitzvah, or good deed.
Specifically, every year at Yom HaShoah, we could encourage six million Jews to do one mitzvah they would not otherwise do, in honor of one Holocaust victim.
If you don’t light Shabbat candles, light them one Friday night. If you don’t go out to feed the needy, find a place to do that. If you don’t study Torah, take one class. If you don’t do Friday night dinner, do it once. If you don’t have a mezuzah in your home, put one on. If you haven’t visited an elderly person in a while, pay them a visit. And so on.
There’s no need to wait until next Yom HaShoah to make this a movement. Each one of us can start right now.
We grieve the 6 million Jews, and then we do something Jewish in their honor. What better way to ensure we’ll never forget?
