Essential Program Enables Holocaust Victims to be Remembered as Individuals

B’nai B’rith is proud to again serve as the North American sponsor of “Unto Every Person There is a Name,” the essential Holocaust remembrance program of Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. B’nai B’rith has led the program in North America since its it began in 1989 to ensure each of the six million Holocaust victims is remembered.

“Unto Every Person There is a Name” is a fundamental part of the official Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) commemoration ceremonies across Israel. The Nazis tried to deprive victims of their individuality. “Unto” restores some measure of the victims’ humanity. The 2025 theme is, “Out of the Depths: The Anguish of Liberation and Rebirth Marking 80 Years since the Defeat of Nazi Germany.”

The program was inspired by the poem “Unto Every Person There is a Name” by Zelda, which begins “Unto Every Person there is a Name bestowed upon him by God and given to him by his father and mother.” The program is held each year on Yom HaShoah, which this year is the evening of April 23 through the evening of April 24.

As part of this global effort, B’nai B’rith International is represented on the international committee by Alan Schneider, director of the B’nai B’rith World Center-Jerusalem, who has long been involved in advancing Holocaust remembrance initiatives. B’nai B’rith encourages individuals, schools and synagogues to host name-reading ceremonies. We stand ready to assist those who wish to participate, providing the resources needed to hold meaningful commemorations.

“Unto Every Person There is a Name” was created to remind us that the victims of the murderous Nazi machine were not just a number. Every individual had a name, an identity and a life. They loved, worked, studied, worshipped and enjoyed their lives until they were murdered by the Nazis because they were Jews. During “Unto” commemorations, the names of the victims are read aloud, ensuring we remember them as human beings, not merely as numbers.

As the world marks 80 years since the end of World War II and the defeat of Nazi Germany, B’nai B’rith reaffirms its unwavering commitment to Holocaust remembrance through this global initiative. This sacred commemoration ensures that those murdered in the Holocaust are remembered not as a statistic, but as individuals—each with a name, a life, and a story.

This milestone serves as both a testament to resilience and a reminder of the work that remains. B’nai B’rith, a founding partner in this effort, calls upon our members, supporters, and communities around the world to take part in reading the names of the victims, ensuring their memories are preserved for generations to come.

The act of reciting names is an act of defiance against Holocaust denial and distortion. It is a means of reclaiming dignity for those lost and an opportunity to foster education and awareness.

To learn more, click here.

Or contact: acure@bnaibrith.org