Israel comes to a standstill to mark its Holocaust Memorial Day

Tens of thousands of yellow candles were lit around the globe as Jews commemorated Yom HaShoah, the annual Jewish day of remembrance for the Holocaust.

In an project organised by Maccabi GB over 32,000 individual flames were lit worldwide to remember the lives cut short.

In Israel, the country collectively stood still for a moment as a single-torn siren sounded across the country.

Traffic stopped on the streets  at 10am local time and people emerged from their cars to pause, remember, and reflect.

The silence was also observed at railway stations and at major city centres.

Each Yellow Candle pack also contained a biographical card with information from the Yad Vashem archives, including the name, age, date, a photograph and the place of death of a particular individual who perished in the Shoah.

Maccabi GB said this helped connected each participant with one victim to make “both a deeply personal and communal act of commemoration.”

Many people chose to share images of their flames on social media.

Ashley Lerner, the CEO of Maccabi GB, said: “In homes and public ceremonies throughout the world, Yellow Candles were lit and seeds then planted, ensuring that we will never forget the horrors of the Shoah and constantly strive to revive and regrow.

Individuals can register their interest for the 2023 Yellow Candle Project by visiting www.yellowcandleuk.org/registration