Rabbi Sacks on the Holocaust

A project for Yom HaShoah in partnership with the Holocaust Educational Trust.

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To coincide with the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, Rabbi Sacks, in partnership with the Holocaust Educational Trust, launched a series of videos offering his perspective on some of the biggest questions posed by the Holocaust.

Click on a link below to explore one of the big topics Rabbi Sacks addresses. Each topic offers video content, transcripts, questions for further discussions and some additional historical and background information

This educational series was made possible thanks to the generous support of Richard Harris.

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God and the Holocaust

Where was God in the Holocaust? And how can we have faith in humanity given everything that occurred?

Humanity and the Holocaust

Did the Holocaust represent a failure in humanity? How can we continue to trust each other after the Holocaust?

Jewish Theology and the Holocaust

What should the Jewish theological response to the Holocaust be? And should it include the concept of justice?

Personal Faith and the Holocaust

How has the Holocaust impacted your personal relationship with God?

Just Punishment and the Holocaust

What should a just punishment be for those involved in the atrocities of the Holocaust? Is there a difference between vengeance and justice?

Forgiveness and the Holocaust

Is it ever possible to forgive the perpetrators of the Holocaust?

Jewish Identity and the Holocaust

To what extent do you think the Holocaust can or should be a key ingredient of Jewish identity in the 21st century? Was the Holocaust unique?

Israel and the Holocaust

What is the relationship between the Holocaust and the establishment of the modern State of Israel?

Interfaith Relations and the Holocaust

What impact does the Holocaust have on interfatih relations today?

Hope and the Holocaust

Is it possible to find hope in the Holocaust?


Rabbi Sacks in conversation with Karen Pollock MBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust

To mark the launch of the project, Rabbi Sacks held a recorded conversation with Karen Pollock MBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, on Yom HaShoah, 21st April 2020. This conversation was part of an online programme of educational events run by Yom HaShoah UK.