Here is a calendar of upcoming events, up and down the country. Some are organized by us, others by like-minded organizations and groups.
Shemini Atzeret (שמיני עצרת – “the Eighth [day] of Assembly”) is a Jewish holiday. It is celebrated on the 22nd day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei (first month of calendar). In the Diaspora, an additional day is celebrated, the second day being separately referred to as Simchat Torah. In Israel and Reform Judaism, the holidays of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are combined into a single day and the names are used interchangeably.
Simchat Torah or Simḥath Torah (also Simkhes Toreh, Hebrew: שִׂמְחַת תורָה, lit., “Rejoicing with/of the Torah,”) is a celebration marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle. Simchat Torah is a component of the Biblical Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret (“Eighth Day of Assembly”), which follows immediately after the festival of Sukkot in the month of Tishrei (mid-September to early October on the Gregorian calendar).
We invite you to join the next New Zealand Friends of Israel meeting and connect with people who share your interest in Israel and the Jewish world. NZFOI brings together New Zealanders who support Israel, value Jewish history and culture, and want to stay informed about today’s issues.
At the NZ Friends of Israel meeting you can engage with others, take part in thoughtful discussion, and grow your understanding of Jewish life, heritage, and current events. We look forward to welcoming you.
We invite you to join the next New Zealand Friends of Israel meeting and connect with people who share your interest in Israel and the Jewish world. NZFOI brings together New Zealanders who support Israel, value Jewish history and culture, and want to stay informed about today’s issues.
At the NZ Friends of Israel meeting you can engage with others, take part in thoughtful discussion, and grow your understanding of Jewish life, heritage, and current events. We look forward to welcoming you.
Auschwitz
Why We Remember: The Enduring Significance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Every year on January 27, the world pauses to honor the memory of the six million Jews and millions of others murdered during the Holocaust. This date—marking the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945—was chosen by the United Nations General Assembly in 2005 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. But this day is more than a historical marker; it is a solemn call to remembrance, education, and vigilance.
A Day of Memory and Meaning
The Holocaust was not only a genocide—it was a systematic attempt to erase entire communities based on ethnicity, religion, disability, and identity. Jews, Roma, disabled individuals, Poles, Soviet prisoners of war, LGBTQ+ people, and others were targeted in one of history’s darkest chapters.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day ensures that this horror is never forgotten. It’s a day to remember the victims, honor the survivors, and confront the ideologies that made such atrocities possible.
More Than a Memorial
This day is also a global educational mandate. The UN urges all nations to develop programs that teach the lessons of the Holocaust, combat antisemitism, and challenge all forms of hatred and intolerance. In a world where misinformation and denial still circulate, remembrance is resistance.
Each year, the UN and countries around the world host commemorative events—featuring survivor testimonies, exhibitions, and reflections on justice, resilience, and human dignity. Themes often focus on survivor legacies, youth education, or the role of justice in healing.
Why It Still Matters
In an age of rising extremism and polarization, the lessons of the Holocaust are more urgent than ever. This day reminds us that genocide doesn’t begin with gas chambers—it begins with words, with dehumanization, with silence in the face of hate.
Remembering is not passive. It’s an act of moral courage. It’s how we say, with conviction: Never Again.
Related Observances
While International Holocaust Remembrance Day is globally recognized, many Jewish communities also observe Yom HaShoah in April or May. This day focuses more specifically on Jewish resistance and mourning, often marked by sirens, silence, and public readings of names.
Let us remember not only what was lost, but what must be protected: truth, dignity, and the humanity of all people.
Auschwitz
Why We Remember: The Enduring Significance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Every year on January 27, the world pauses to honor the memory of the six million Jews and millions of others murdered during the Holocaust. This date—marking the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945—was chosen by the United Nations General Assembly in 2005 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. But this day is more than a historical marker; it is a solemn call to remembrance, education, and vigilance.
A Day of Memory and Meaning
The Holocaust was not only a genocide—it was a systematic attempt to erase entire communities based on ethnicity, religion, disability, and identity. Jews, Roma, disabled individuals, Poles, Soviet prisoners of war, LGBTQ+ people, and others were targeted in one of history’s darkest chapters.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day ensures that this horror is never forgotten. It’s a day to remember the victims, honor the survivors, and confront the ideologies that made such atrocities possible.
More Than a Memorial
This day is also a global educational mandate. The UN urges all nations to develop programs that teach the lessons of the Holocaust, combat antisemitism, and challenge all forms of hatred and intolerance. In a world where misinformation and denial still circulate, remembrance is resistance.
Each year, the UN and countries around the world host commemorative events—featuring survivor testimonies, exhibitions, and reflections on justice, resilience, and human dignity. Themes often focus on survivor legacies, youth education, or the role of justice in healing.
Why It Still Matters
In an age of rising extremism and polarization, the lessons of the Holocaust are more urgent than ever. This day reminds us that genocide doesn’t begin with gas chambers—it begins with words, with dehumanization, with silence in the face of hate.
Remembering is not passive. It’s an act of moral courage. It’s how we say, with conviction: Never Again.
Related Observances
While International Holocaust Remembrance Day is globally recognized, many Jewish communities also observe Yom HaShoah in April or May. This day focuses more specifically on Jewish resistance and mourning, often marked by sirens, silence, and public readings of names.
Let us remember not only what was lost, but what must be protected: truth, dignity, and the humanity of all people.
Auschwitz
Why We Remember: The Enduring Significance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Every year on January 27, the world pauses to honor the memory of the six million Jews and millions of others murdered during the Holocaust. This date—marking the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945—was chosen by the United Nations General Assembly in 2005 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. But this day is more than a historical marker; it is a solemn call to remembrance, education, and vigilance.
A Day of Memory and Meaning
The Holocaust was not only a genocide—it was a systematic attempt to erase entire communities based on ethnicity, religion, disability, and identity. Jews, Roma, disabled individuals, Poles, Soviet prisoners of war, LGBTQ+ people, and others were targeted in one of history’s darkest chapters.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day ensures that this horror is never forgotten. It’s a day to remember the victims, honor the survivors, and confront the ideologies that made such atrocities possible.
More Than a Memorial
This day is also a global educational mandate. The UN urges all nations to develop programs that teach the lessons of the Holocaust, combat antisemitism, and challenge all forms of hatred and intolerance. In a world where misinformation and denial still circulate, remembrance is resistance.
Each year, the UN and countries around the world host commemorative events—featuring survivor testimonies, exhibitions, and reflections on justice, resilience, and human dignity. Themes often focus on survivor legacies, youth education, or the role of justice in healing.
Why It Still Matters
In an age of rising extremism and polarization, the lessons of the Holocaust are more urgent than ever. This day reminds us that genocide doesn’t begin with gas chambers—it begins with words, with dehumanization, with silence in the face of hate.
Remembering is not passive. It’s an act of moral courage. It’s how we say, with conviction: Never Again.
Related Observances
While International Holocaust Remembrance Day is globally recognized, many Jewish communities also observe Yom HaShoah in April or May. This day focuses more specifically on Jewish resistance and mourning, often marked by sirens, silence, and public readings of names.
Let us remember not only what was lost, but what must be protected: truth, dignity, and the humanity of all people.
Auschwitz
Why We Remember: The Enduring Significance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Every year on January 27, the world pauses to honor the memory of the six million Jews and millions of others murdered during the Holocaust. This date—marking the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945—was chosen by the United Nations General Assembly in 2005 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. But this day is more than a historical marker; it is a solemn call to remembrance, education, and vigilance.
A Day of Memory and Meaning
The Holocaust was not only a genocide—it was a systematic attempt to erase entire communities based on ethnicity, religion, disability, and identity. Jews, Roma, disabled individuals, Poles, Soviet prisoners of war, LGBTQ+ people, and others were targeted in one of history’s darkest chapters.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day ensures that this horror is never forgotten. It’s a day to remember the victims, honor the survivors, and confront the ideologies that made such atrocities possible.
More Than a Memorial
This day is also a global educational mandate. The UN urges all nations to develop programs that teach the lessons of the Holocaust, combat antisemitism, and challenge all forms of hatred and intolerance. In a world where misinformation and denial still circulate, remembrance is resistance.
Each year, the UN and countries around the world host commemorative events—featuring survivor testimonies, exhibitions, and reflections on justice, resilience, and human dignity. Themes often focus on survivor legacies, youth education, or the role of justice in healing.
Why It Still Matters
In an age of rising extremism and polarization, the lessons of the Holocaust are more urgent than ever. This day reminds us that genocide doesn’t begin with gas chambers—it begins with words, with dehumanization, with silence in the face of hate.
Remembering is not passive. It’s an act of moral courage. It’s how we say, with conviction: Never Again.
Related Observances
While International Holocaust Remembrance Day is globally recognized, many Jewish communities also observe Yom HaShoah in April or May. This day focuses more specifically on Jewish resistance and mourning, often marked by sirens, silence, and public readings of names.
Let us remember not only what was lost, but what must be protected: truth, dignity, and the humanity of all people.