The Menorah, symbol of the State of Israel, is the candelabra suggested. Six candles represent the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis. These six candles are smaller and if possible either white or black.The seventh candle represents the State of Israel. The candle is bigger, stands taller and should be light blue, the color of Israel’s flag.

Before you light the next candle, you must blow out the previous ones lit, pause in silence to see the smoke go up, and then proceed to light the candles to that stage in the Seder. The lights should be lit in a darkened room.

The smoke represents the souls of the innocents killed, gassed and cremated. The relighting of the candles represents the resiliency and determination of the Jewish people. Lighting the candles in a darkened room shows that a single light can conquer all darkness.

The last candle, the seventh one, is lit with the room full of light. It represents the joy we feel in the re-birth of the State of Israel, the beacon for all the Jewish people. If appropriate, each person in the Seder should have a Bengal flare light and use it to collectively light the candle representing the State of Israel. Bengal flare lights are ashy-grey. They appear to be burnt and dead; however, when lit, they sparkle and shine. Am Israel rose from the ashes and keeps shining through the darkness.

Haggadah for the Seder for Yom HaShoah veHagevurah

By Jacobo Rubinstein