Organisers of the Yellow Candle Project, which remembers victims of the Holocaust as part of Yom Hashoah, said they hope to double the number of candles given out next year.
Thousands of people across the country took part in the initiative, which was established in the USA more than 30 years ago, and introduced to this country last year by Masorti Judaism.
Paul Harris, chair of the UK project, said he wanted to double the amount of candles given out to individuals and organisations and expand it outside the Jewish community.
He said: “It is important that remembering the victims of the Holocaust is not just a Jewish community project.
“I would like to see non-Jewish schools and organisations getting involved.”
This year 13,000 yellow candles were lit across the UK to remember victims.
The candles, which come with the name, age, date and place of death of a victim of the Holocaust, were distributed to more than 50 cross-communal organisations and lit last night as Yom Hashoah commenced.
Mr Harris said the project needed to raise £25,000 to double the amount of candles it would hand out.
“This year we were funded by an individual donor who gave us £11,000. The whole point of the project is that we want to be able to give the candles out for free,” he said.
“The extra money would allow us to make more candles and market the project on a bigger scale.”
Mr Harris said he was overwhelmed by this year’s response and urged people to support the project next year by donating to the fundraising page.
He said: “When donating on the link people must state they want the money to go towards the Yellow Candle Project.”
Thousands of people posted images of their lit candles on social media.
Jeremy Corbyn was among those who lit one a candle to remember a victim of the Holocaust.
On Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, we remember the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust. Our thoughts are with their surviving families.
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) April 11, 2018
I have lit a candle for 5-year-old Arlette Kaim who died at Auschwitz in 1942. pic.twitter.com/LiiB0S5ZPo
🕯️Earlier today, I lit my @YomHashoahUK #YellowCandle in memory of Yuzik Filler, a 5-year-old from the Ukraine: one of the million Jewish children & six million Jews murdered by the Nazis & their collaborators.
— Mark Regev (@MarkRegev) April 11, 2018
My message for #YomHaShoah, the Jewish Holocaust Remembrance Day👇 pic.twitter.com/TuH4ZrGKfe
Remembering 6-year-old Velvele Valoon and 8-year-old Yelena Kruk who both perished in the Holocaust #YomHashoah pic.twitter.com/32eqPjuLBU
— Board of Deputies of British Jews (@BoardofDeputies) April 12, 2018
Menorah is taking part in the Yellow Candle Project, lighting memorial candles on the eve of Yom HaShoah in memory of the 6 million Jews murdered in the Shoah. Each candle has the name of an individual who died. pic.twitter.com/8HFiBamBl0
— #shofar (@shofarbymenorah) April 11, 2018
#YellowCandle @Alythsyn Each candle was lit by an Alyth Synagogue member here for Erev Yom HaShoah. We lit six yellow candles and remembered the boys and girls murdered by the Nazis recorded on the cards - and heard personal testimony from Alyth member survivors. pic.twitter.com/i6ULBqdHYM
— Mark Goldsmith (@RabbiMarkG) April 11, 2018
FZY distributed 30 candles among its younger members.
Joe Woolf said: “It is the simplest of ideas that make the most impact.”
The 21-year-old said he was “moved to find candles with kids’ names on them as young as two”.
Anthony Gee, 52, who attends Radlett United Synagogue, also took part in the initiative.
He said: “I’ve lost family in the Holocaust, I’ve traced family, I’ve found out what happened to them.
“When you pack up a candle for a one year old who died in Auschwitz it really makes you think.
“These are people and they need to be remembered.”
Donate to the project here.
