Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, is observed in Israel on the 27th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, commemorating the approximately six million victims of the Holocaust. This day of remembrance was inaugurated in 1953, with the date chosen to avoid proximity to Passover. Public commemorations include a state memorial ceremony at Yad Vashem, Israel's official Holocaust memorial, and the sounding of air raid sirens to signify a two-minute silence for reflection. Ceremonies are also held at military bases, schools, and community organizations, often incorporating religious elements such as reciting kaddish, memorial prayers, and the lighting of memorial candles. If Yom HaShoah falls on a Friday or Saturday, its observance is adjusted to the previous or following day.