January 27 is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day to commemorate those whose lives were lost in one of the world's largest genocides.

Designated by the United Nations in 2005, International Holocaust Remembrance Day is a time to mark the anniversary of the liberation of the largest death camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, where roughly 1 million Jews were murdered alone. 

"It's the worst atrocity in Jewish history. It's one of the worst atrocities in human history," said Rabbi Matthew Liebel. " On that level, talking about it and not shying away from discussing it and remembering it is important."

Liebel says we're entering a new era where, because of the time that has passed, there are fewer survivors to share their stories. 

"When I was a kid, I went to Jewish day school. I had several friends whose grandparents had survived the Holocaust. They had stories about being in camps, escaping, fighting in the resistance, and being in the force," said Matthew. "I remember having assemblies where survivors would come and share first-person accounts of the terror they lived through. We're getting to a point where that's not possible anymore because there has been too much time."  

Rabbi Matthew Liebel says there are many ways to mark this day, including watching movies and reading books that share the history of the Holocaust. 

"It's important to find stories that teach and remind us, but also remind us that there were these glimmers of hope and goodness that came out of a dark time."

In Winnipeg, people interested in learning more about the Holocaust can visit the Canadian Museum of Human Rights or the Holocaust Education Centre at the Jewish Heritage Centre.