OPINION: The last witnesses: a once-in-a-generation call to remember
As the 80th anniversary of the Holocaust approaches, British Jews must unite in unprecedented numbers to honour our survivors – and take up the torch of memory
Neil Martin OBE is Jewish Lads and Girls Brigade (JLGB) Chief Executive and Chair of Yom HaShoah UK
Five years ago, on the 75th anniversary of the end of the Shoah, our community came together for the largest-ever virtual Holocaust commemoration. The pandemic forced us apart, but it didn’t stop us from uniting. From living rooms across the country, thousands of people logged on to honour our survivors, lighting yellow candles in their homes as a solemn tribute to those who perished.
Last year on Yom HaShoah, it felt important to stand together in person once more—gathered at Victoria Tower Gardens with the Houses of Parliament as our backdrop, shoulder to shoulder, in defiance and in unity. We had just witnessed the darkest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. The pain of 7 October was raw, yet as a community, we stood firm, ensuring that as proud British Jews our commitment to remembrance and hope remains unwavering.
Now, as we reach the 80th Anniversary, we stand on the cusp of history once more. On Wednesday 23 April 2025, the eve of Yom HaShoah, thousands will return to Victoria Tower Gardens for what will quite possibly be the last major anniversary where Holocaust survivors and refugees will be present in meaningful numbers. This will be a defining once in a generation moment—not just of commemoration, but of commitment.
For 80 years, Holocaust survivors and refugees have willing carried the burden of memory. They have spoken in schools, in synagogues, in Parliament. They have told their stories with unimaginable strength, not for themselves, but for us. To ensure we would never forget.
But in the years ahead, their voices will sadly fade. The responsibility of remembrance will no longer rest with them – it will be ours alone – and they want us to continue their legacy. It is said that every Jewish soul was present at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah.
This 80th Anniversary National Commemoration is our Mount Sinai moment. Future generations will ask us: Where were you when the last survivors bore witness? Did you stand alongside them? Did you hear their testimony? Did you take the flame of remembrance into your own hands?
Victoria Tower Gardens is not just any venue. It is the proposed site of the new UK Holocaust Memorial, a place where the memory of the Shoah will stand in the heart of British democracy. On this historic evening, we’re asking our community to gather there in unprecedented numbers.
Holocaust survivors, refugees, young leaders, dignitaries, and families will stand together in a solemn yet powerful act of remembrance. We will hear from some of the last of the witnesses. We will watch the next generation of British Jewish children perform a moving musical tribute—over 300 primary school children, lifting their voices in a solemn pledge that Never Again truly means Never Again.
And through the power of technology, our commemoration will be amplified beyond the park. Since lockdown, tens of thousands have joined via livestream—whether in care homes, schools, regional communities or from abroad. This will ensure that Yom HaShoah is not just seen and heard by those in the physically present, but by the entire Jewish world.
This is not just another event. This is not just another Yom HaShoah. This is the moment for our community to come together in numbers never seen before. If we don’t, when will we?
This 80th Anniversary National Commemoration is our Mount Sinai moment. Future generations will ask us: Where were you when the last survivors bore witness?
In 2015, 5,000 people came together for the 70th anniversary. Last year, thousands stood in unity following 7 October. This year, we must surpass them all. We need everyone – synagogues, schools, youth movements, charities, families—to make it their priority to attend. We need leaders—from every corner of our community—to mobilise, spread the word, and ensure no one is left asking “Why didn’t I go?” We need you!
In years to come, when people speak of the 80th anniversary, they will ask who was there. They will look to the images, the recordings, the testimonies of that night. They will see thousands of British Jews, standing before Parliament, standing before history, standing before our inspirational survivors and refugees – pledging that we will carry their memories forward.
And when the question comes: Did you stand with them? Let our answer be: Yes. In our thousands. We stood together, as one.
Join us on 23 April. Make history, honour the past and inspire the future.
Click here to book your free ticket
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