Yom Kippur and Holocaust Remembrance Day in Lithuania

September 23rd is Holocaust Remembrance Day in Lithuania, commemorating the liquidation of the Vilnius Ghetto, located in present-day Lithuania. This year, September 23rd coincides with Yom Kippur, which is a day when we honor, repent, atone, and remember. It is a fitting day to remember the Lithuanian Jews.In 1941, 21,000 Jews were killed in an initial mass extermination campaign by the Nazis, and over two years of brutality, starvation, and disease reduced the remaining population of the ghetto from 40,000 to zero between 1941 and 1943. In 1994 Lithuania officially declared September 23rd as its official Holocaust Remembrance Day. As a way of continuing to make amends, Lithuania has since created memorial exhibits and has emphasized the importance of Holocaust education. They also hold an annual March of the Living to honor victims of the Holocaust. Read more about their initiatives here.