City of Alexandria Observes 37th Annual Days of Remembrance for Victims of Holocaust

Page updated on March 31, 2026 at 9:01 AM
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Elizabeth “Barry” White, Ph.D., Ceremony Speaker 

The City of Alexandria will observe the Days of Remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust at noon on Tuesday, April 14, in the Frank and Betty Wright Reading Gardens located at the Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library, 5005 Duke Street.

The City hosts this annual ceremony as part of the national Days of Remembrance, a weeklong commemoration observed Sunday, April 12 through Sunday, April 19. This marks the 37th year Alexandria has held a Days of Remembrance ceremony. The event is free and open to the public. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held in the Beatley Central Large Meeting Room. 

Dr. Elizabeth “Barry” White recently retired from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, where she served as historian and as Research Director for the Museum’s Center for the Prevention of Genocide. Prior to her work at the Museum, Dr. White spent her career at the U.S. Department of Justice, where she worked on investigations and prosecutions of Nazi criminals and other human rights violators. She served as Deputy Director and Chief Historian of the Office of Special Investigations and as Deputy Chief and Chief Historian of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section. 

During the ceremony, Mayor Alyia Gaskins and members of City Council will light a candelabrum donated to the City by the late Holocaust survivor Charlene Schiff and her husband, Ed. The 54-inch high, solid brass candelabrum was donated in memory of Charlene Schiff’s parents and sister, as well as the six million Jews and millions of others who perished in the Holocaust. The Schiff candelabrum is also made available to schools and civic groups studying the Holocaust.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum leads the nation’s Days of Remembrance observance in accordance with a Congressional mandate.

For additional information on Alexandria’s Days of Remembrance ceremony, contact the Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities at 703.746.5565.

For reasonable disability accommodations, contact CherylAnne.Colton@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.5565, Virginia Relay 711.

If you prefer communication in another language, free interpretation and translation services are available, please email LanguageAccess@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.3960.