I find it highly offensive that on the day they designate as ‘Yom Hashoa’, they make a big point about the brave fighters. Doesn’t this feed the famous ‘like sheep’ notion?
If they really feel it’s important to celebrate the uprising and partisans, why not set a special date for that?
That is one of the main Ta’anas that most of the Dati community have against Yom Hashoah. In fact, in many of the religious schools when they commemorate Yom Hashoah the don’t focus on that fact. I know of at least 3 dozen people who have told me that they never even knew Gevurah was in the name until they went to Eretz Yisrael.
Csar: I thought the designated date was Asara Bteves?
As fat as the question is concerned, it’s probably because they need a hero to hold on to and make you feel good about yourself. You can’t just mourn six million dead people all day; it gets too depressing.
Writersoul: There was an argument within the government when they created the day. The religious faction wanted to add Yom Hashoah to Asarah B’teves, which would have been a tremendous Kiddush Hashem and would have been recognized by almost everyone. Sadly, the government made the other choice. And they put it in Nissan, no less. But I think many now realize it was a mistake and if they could do it again even many of the more secular would choose Asarah B’teves.