achor is a forceful word in Hebrew; it does not ask or suggest, it commands. It commands that the people remember those who were held dear and were lost. Not only during the Holocaust, but during the long history of the Jewish people.

In fact, this type of remembrance has been celebrated for centuries on the Sabbath before Purim. The Shabbat Zachor is a day of remembrance. While Shabbat Zachor specifically remembers the treachery of Amalek during the flight from Egypt so long ago, the emotion behind the word applies to the Holocaust as well.

Bearing witness to those dark times are Holocaust centers and nonprofit organizations that act as museums and learning centers. A Holocaust center allows the victims to speak, through displays, as well as written and recorded material.

Remembering the Holocaust not only has historical value, but it is also of great ethical and psychological importance as well. Those who were persecuted have recorded their collective trauma so that future generations will not forget; to forget history is to repeat it. Zachor serves as an ethical and moral reminder of the sins of the past, and what we can do in the future to ensure it never happens again.

Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, the ZACHOR Holocaust Remembrance Foundation offers the public free educational programs and online resources to remember the Holocaust.