By: Times of Israel Staff – Times of Israel; timesofisrael.com
Public life stops during 2 minutes of silence dedicated to memory of 6 million Jews killed, as daytime ceremonies honoring those persecuted by the Nazi regime get underway
Israel came to a standstill at 10 a.m. on Thursday as sirens wailed throughout the country in memory of the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis during World War II.
The annual Holocaust Remembrance Day is one of the most solemn days on Israel’s national calendar, with much of the country all but shutting down for those two minutes to honor those who suffered under the Nazi killing machine.
It also heralded the start of the main daytime ceremonies for the somber day that began the night before with an official opening event at the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem.