Ben Carter
Candles are a symbol of remembrance and education about the Holocaust. The CANDLES Holocaust Museum & Education Center, founded by Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor, is one such example of using candles as a symbol of remembrance. The museum's name, CANDLES, stands for Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors. The Yellow Candle™ program is another example, where candles are used to remember the six million people who perished in the Holocaust. The yellow colour of the candle is a reminder of the yellow stars Jews were forced to wear during the Nazi regime.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the candle | Shoah Yellow Candle |
| Year of creation | 1981 |
| Creator | FJMC clubs in Canada, New England, and elsewhere |
| Purpose | To keep alive the memory of the six million who perished in the Holocaust |
| Colour | Yellow |
| Symbolism | The yellow star that Jews were forced to wear during the Nazi regime |
| Occasion | Yom HaShoah Day |
| Date | At sundown on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 |
| Type of candle | Traditional Jewish memorial Yahrzeit candle |
| Burning time | 24 hours |
| Organisations that use the candle | Synagogues, schools, museums, military bases, churches, and government offices |
| Related organisations | CANDLES Holocaust Museum & Education Center |
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What You'll Learn
The Holocaust Remembrance Day
Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) is an international day of remembrance observed on 27 January. The date was chosen to align with the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp by the Red Army in 1945. The day commemorates the genocide of one-third of the Jewish people, or six million Jews, who were murdered during the Holocaust, alongside the deaths of millions of others perpetrated by the Nazi regime and its collaborators.
The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust encourages remembrance and stresses the importance of challenging prejudice and hatred, which remain prevalent in our world. Each year, people across the UK come together to learn about the past, empathise with those affected by persecution, and work towards a better future. This often takes the form of lighting a candle in their window to remember those murdered and to stand against hatred.
The Shoah Yellow Candle™ is another symbol of remembrance, created by FJMC leaders 44 years ago. It is lit at sundown on Yom HaShoah, which is observed by the State of Israel and much of the broader Jewish community. The yellow candle and its container evoke powerful symbols of the Holocaust, such as the yellow stars Jews were forced to wear and the armbands bearing the word "Jude".
Additionally, the CANDLES ("Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors") museum and organisation, founded by Eva Mozes Kor and her twin sister Miriam, serves as a permanent exhibit detailing Eva's story as a survivor and her journey of forgiveness. The museum was established to locate other surviving Mengele twins, with Eva and Miriam successfully finding 122 individuals across ten countries and four continents.
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The Shoah Yellow Candle™
The candle is yellow to evoke the memory of the yellow stars that Jews were forced to wear during the Nazi regime, which identified them as Jews and subjected them to persecution. The yellow wax serves as a powerful reminder of that dark chapter in history. The candle is modelled after the traditional Jewish memorial Yahrzeit candle, which burns for 24 hours during mourning periods and on the Yahrzeit anniversary of a family member.
The FJMC recognised the importance of Holocaust Remembrance in homes, allowing families to come together and reflect on the Holocaust's impact. The Shoah Yellow Candle™ is a way to ensure that the memory of the six million who perished in the Shoah is kept alive. It is a timeless symbol, shining a light on the truth of that tragic era. The program has gained international recognition, with organisations across North America and beyond sponsoring it.
The logo of the program features a yellow Magen David (Star of David) outlined with barbed wire and the word "Jude" in the centre, reminiscent of the armbands or cloth patches Jews were forced to wear. The Shoah Yellow Candle™ Guide is a valuable resource for those wishing to enhance their observance of Yom HaShoah and participate in this act of remembrance.
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The CANDLES Holocaust Museum
CANDLES, Inc. was founded in 1984 as a nonprofit organization by Eva Mozes Kor, with help from her twin sister, Miriam Mozes Zieger. The organization was created to locate other surviving Mengele twins. As a result of their efforts, Eva and Miriam were able to locate 122 individual Mengele twins living in ten countries and on four continents. The search for more twins continues to this day.
The museum draws increasing numbers of visitors every year, many travelling long distances. Through the lens of the Holocaust, visitors of all ages can learn about the consequences of choices, the importance of never giving up, the dangers of prejudice, and the need for genocide prevention today. The museum's permanent exhibit, "Choices: The Holocaust Through Eva's Story," details the story of Eva Kor, a Holocaust survivor and Mengele twin, from before the war and through the rise of Nazism, to surviving the Auschwitz concentration camp and her journey of forgiveness.
In 2003, the museum was firebombed by an arsonist and burned to the ground. However, with support from the community and organizations, a new museum building opened in 2005 and remains an important part of the community today.
The Yellow Candle™ is another symbol of remembrance of the Holocaust. The candle is modelled after a traditional Jewish memorial Yahrzeit candle that burns for 24 hours during periods of mourning. The Yellow Candle™ program was created in 1981 by FJMC clubs in Canada, New England, and elsewhere to keep alive the memory of the millions who perished in the Holocaust.
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The Yellow Star
The Holocaust saw the extermination of six million Jews, half of the earth's Jewish population at the time. The Yellow Star symbol has been used in recent years by anti-vaccination protesters across Europe, who have drawn comparisons between COVID-19 restrictions and the Holocaust. These protesters have been accused of trivialising the Holocaust and engaging in antisemitic conspiracy theories.
The Yellow Candle™ program was created in 1981 by FJMC clubs in Canada, New England, and elsewhere to keep alive the memory of the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. The candle is modelled after a traditional Jewish memorial Yahrzeit candle, with yellow wax symbolising the yellow stars forced upon European Jews. The program logo is a yellow Star of David outlined with barbed wire and the word "Jude" in the middle.
The Yellow Candle is lit annually at sundown on Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), serving as a symbol for home observance of the day. The FJMC encourages families to gather and light the candle together, to remember and teach the next generation about the Holocaust.
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The Six Million
The Holocaust, a genocide of unprecedented proportions, resulted in the deaths of six million European Jews. This figure, representing the totality of innocent lives lost, holds profound significance and serves as a stark reminder of the horrors inflicted during World War II. To honour and remember these victims, various commemorative efforts have been established, including the lighting of candles as a symbolic act of remembrance and education.
The Shoah Yellow Candle™ program is one such initiative. Created in 1981 by FJMC clubs in Canada, New England, and other regions, it seeks to perpetuate the memory of the six million Jews who perished in the Shoah, or Holocaust. The yellow colour of the candle holds a profound meaning, recalling the yellow stars that Jews were forced to wear during the Nazi regime, marking them for persecution and ridicule. The candle is modelled after the traditional Jewish memorial Yahrzeit candle, which burns for 24 hours during mourning periods and on the Yahrzeit anniversary of a deceased family member.
The FJMC recognises the importance of Holocaust remembrance within homes and communities, providing an opportunity for families to gather, reflect, and educate younger generations about this dark chapter in history. The lighting of the Shoah Yellow Candle™ serves as a powerful symbol, shining a light on the truth of the Holocaust and honouring the six million victims. It is a solemn reminder of the fragility of freedom and the enduring strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity.
The CANDLES Holocaust Museum & Education Center, founded by Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor in 1995, is another testament to the remembrance of the six million. Through her organisation, Kor sought to locate other survivors of the Mengele twins experiments, ultimately finding 122 individuals across ten countries and four continents. The museum, located in Terre Haute, Indiana, serves as a space for education and reflection, welcoming thousands of visitors annually, including many school groups. By sharing her story and those of other survivors, Kor dedicated her life to teaching the lessons of the Holocaust, promoting forgiveness, and advocating for the prevention of future genocides.
The lighting of candles during Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27th is another powerful demonstration of remembrance. People across the UK participate in this annual event, placing candles in their windows to honour those murdered during the Holocaust. This collective act of solidarity transforms darkness into light, serving as a poignant reminder of the six million lives lost and a defiant stand against hatred and prejudice.
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Frequently asked questions
The yellow candles are a symbol of remembrance for the Holocaust, specifically the six million Jews who perished. The yellow colour is a reminder of the yellow stars Jews were forced to wear during the Nazi regime.
The yellow candle was created in 1981 by FJMC clubs in Canada, New England, and elsewhere. It is modelled after a traditional Jewish memorial Yahrzeit candle, which burns for 24 hours during mourning periods.
The Yellow Candle™ program distributes yellow candles to people and institutions such as synagogues, schools, museums, and government offices. The candles are lit annually to remember and teach the next generation about the Holocaust.
Yes, in 1995, Eva Mozes Kor, a Holocaust survivor and Mengele Twin, opened the CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Terre Haute. The museum was firebombed in 2003 but rebuilt and reopened in 2005. It continues to be an important part of the community, drawing thousands of visitors annually.
