As antisemitic protests erupt around the world, Stetson’s Jewish community and its supporters choose instead to celebrate Jewish heritage with the approach of Yom HaShoah — or Jewish Holocaust Remembrance Day — which will be commemorated from sundown May 5 through May 6.

“I turn to the observation of Yom HaShoah as a reminder of what can occur when hatred goes unacknowledged,” Hillel Program Director Reed Barkowitz said.

Officially established in 1953, Yom HaShoah acknowledges the murders of 6 million Jews in World War II and pays tribute to the Jewish resistance during the Holocaust.

“Yom HaShoah serves as a solemn but crucial moment for the Stetson Community to reflect and remember,” said Erin Doggette, PhD, Director of Diversity and Inclusion. “At the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, we see this day as a catalyst for fostering empathy, understanding, and a commitment to social justice. By honoring the victims of the Holocaust, we recommit ourselves to creating a more inclusive and equitable campus environment, one where hatred and intolerance have no place.”

The holiday, framed in the context of current events, makes Stetson Hillel even more grateful for the support of the Stetson community.

“It is an honor to be a part of a community that can celebrate our accomplishments,” Barkowitz said.

With finals corresponding with the holiday’s observance, Stetson’s Jewish community took what the Hillel director calls a “nontraditional” approach to commemorating it.

“At our last Shabbat dinner of the semester, which occurred on April 26, we marked the end of the year and celebrated our accomplishments,” Barkowitz said. 

In Israel, a siren signals two minutes of silent devotion as the holiday begins, and again, the following morning. Though moments of silence and fasts typically mark the commemoration of Yom HaShoah, the Stetson alum said that he thinks that “our celebration of our accomplishments is an observance of this holiday too.”

Throughout the school year, Barkowitz said about 100 students of various backgrounds participated in Stetson Hillel activities. 

“We celebrated holidays, we studied Torah, we shared countless meals and prayers together, and we provided a safe space for Jewish students to embrace their identities and embrace each other,” he said.

—Cheri Henderson

Read: On Yom HaShoah, Reflecting on the Family I’ve Lost and Found, Hillel International

A touching, first-person, reflection on Judaism by Stetson student Sheridan Macon that portrays a plethora of emotions that will help readers reflect on the importance of the observance of Yom HaShoah for the Jewish community.

“I grew up feeling disconnected from my Judaism. I was raised in a household with one Jewish parent, and after my maternal grandfather’s death while I was in elementary school, my family’s engagement with Judaism fizzled away. It wasn’t until I was in my senior year of high school, on the cusp of graduation and adulthood, that I began to think about my future legacy and role in my family.” …

Sheridan Macon is a first-year English and creative writing student at Stetson University, where he will serve as the Religion and Ritual Chair for Stetson University’s Hillel in the upcoming 2024-2025 academic year.