International Holocaust Remembrance Day: A Personal Reflection from Dr. Peter Chester

Every year, January 27th marks a solemn day of remembrance for the millions of lives lost in the Holocaust. In 2005, the European Union unanimously designated this day as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day to honor the victims of Adolf Hitler’s genocidal campaign against the Jewish people and other minority groups during World War II.

Dr. Peter Chester, the President of The Board of Directors at Langfield Avenue Synagogue in Monticello, NY, and the son of Holocaust survivors, holds this day in particularly deep regard. The son of Leo Chester, a survivor who was tattooed with the number “A 133497” at Auschwitz, Dr. Chester is intimately connected to the history of this tragic period. His father, along with his older brother Randolph, endured the infamous “Death March” from Auschwitz to Gross Rosen and Buchenwald in January of 1945. Tragically, 25,000 fellow prisoners did not survive the journey, succumbing to exhaustion or murder at the hands of Nazi soldiers.

Dr. Chester’s father survived to tell his story, and today, his son continues to ensure that such stories are never forgotten. He stresses that the significance of January 27th extends beyond reflection—it is a call to action, particularly for Jews, to reaffirm their commitment to their faith and communities.

Image: International Holocaust Remembrance Day also marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. (Credit: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)