Today communities across the globe mark the fifth annual Holocaust Survivor Day — a moment to honor resilience, confront injustice and reaffirm our collective responsibility to the last living witnesses of the Holocaust.

Following the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, Holocaust Survivor Day holds even deeper meaning than ever before. The presence of survivors — especially those living in the Gaza envelope — feels particularly profound. These individuals were promised refuge, safety and the solemn vow of “Never Again.” But the trauma of that day reverberated far beyond Israel’s borders.

Holocaust survivor David Lenga, who survived the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, speaks with the media after a tour of the exhibition "Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away" with Ariel Ein-Gal, who survived Hamas' attack on Oct. 7, 2023, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif. on Tuesday, Nov 28, 2023. Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images

Holocaust survivors around the world watched in horror as Jews were once again targeted — murdered, kidnapped and brutalized — simply for being Jewish. For many, the atrocities of Oct. 7, 2023 echoed the darkest chapters of their own histories, reopening wounds they had spent decades working to heal.

These survivors endured unimaginable persecution and rebuilt their lives with extraordinary strength. Yet today, many of them face renewed vulnerability, compounded by poverty, isolation and the lingering effects of trauma. The promises made to them have not always been kept.

Too many survivors — both in Israel and in the United States — struggle to afford food, medical care and other basic necessities. Their health and personal safety remain at serious risk. The question we must ask ourselves is painful but urgent: How can we allow this to happen?

Over a decade ago, when Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Philadelphia reached out to Seed the Dream Foundation, we were confronted with a sobering reality: Holocaust survivors in our own community were living in poverty. We learned that nearly one-third of the 100,000 survivors in the United States at the time were living below the poverty line. This silent crisis demanded action.

In response, Seed the Dream Foundation partnered with Kavod, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing the urgent needs of Holocaust survivors. Together, we created Kavod SHEF (Survivors of the Holocaust Emergency Fund) to raise awareness and mobilize national and local philanthropic support. Every dollar raised nationally was matched by Seed the Dream, and local Jewish Federations matched funds in their own communities.

What began in just 12 cities has expanded to 43 communities nationwide. With the support of 20 national philanthropic partners, KAVOD SHEF has fulfilled over 126,000 emergency requests — ranging from food and medication to utility bills and urgent home care. No survivor should ever have to choose between groceries and lifesaving medicine.

But this crisis is not limited to the United States. In 2018, we turned our focus to Israel, where over 160,000 Holocaust survivors lived — 60,000 of them in poverty. Partnering with Latet, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, Jewish Federations of North America, the Foundation for the Welfare of Holocaust Victims and Aviv, we launched SHEF IL, a national effort to address the critical gaps in services.

SHEF IL began in southern Israel, a region underserved by existing programs and home to many survivors. Since then, it has grown into a robust network responding to real and urgent needs — including dental care, eyeglasses, home repairs, panic buttons, safety rails and accessible safe rooms to address security threats.

This year, Holocaust Survivor Day officially launched in Ashdod on Sunday when more than 100 individuals — survivors, service providers, philanthropic leaders and government officials — came together to affirm the vital role survivors continue to play in our communities and the difference we can make when we work together.

From Ashdod to Krakow, Los Angeles to Miami, Philadelphia to Sydney, communities are stepping forward to honor the bravery, resilience and humanity of Holocaust survivors. They are doing so not just in remembrance of the past, but with urgency for the present.

We cannot change history — but we can shape how we respond to its legacy. Holocaust Survivor Day is not only a moment to look back; it is a call to action. It asks us to cherish the living witnesses to history not just with our words, but with our deeds.

Today and every day, we honor the lessons they have taught us. Their bravery, resilience and unwavering determination to live life continue to inspire us with a resounding message of hope.

Talia Kaplan is the executive director of Seed The Dream Foundation, an impact-driven family foundation supporting Holocaust survivors, advancing education, fighting antisemitism and gender-based violence, and strengthening connections to Israel.