On May 5, Holocaust Remembrance Day took place in Israel, a special commemoration because it is the first after the attack on October 7, the largest massacre of Jews in one day since the end of World War II.
Within this framework, some of the largest and most influential technology companies in the world decided to carry out campaigns and provide tools to commemorate this day and teach younger generations the horrors experienced by the victims and survivors of the Shoah.
This was the case of Waze, a company created in Israel and now part of the giant Google, which decided to incorporate all Zikaron BaSalon events in Israel into its platform.
It is one of the most traditional commemorations in Israel, in which Holocaust survivors are invited to private homes to share their memories and experiences with people of all ages and backgrounds.
All Waze users were able to see all Zikaron BaSalon events in their immediate vicinity during the week of May 1-6, from a total of 1.200 locations nationwide. Each location pin was clickable, allowing people to register for individual events.
Gai Berkovich, CEO of Waze, said they were proud “to partner with Zikaron BaSalon for the second year in a row. Holocaust survivor gatherings offer Israelis the powerful experience of connecting with living witnesses, experiencing firsthand the profound courage and resilience that must never be forgotten; narratives that are more important now than ever.”
Meanwhile, Israeli startup Verbit is using its platform to transcribe survivors' oral testimonies, with new technology that makes it possible to analyze old, low-quality recordings.
On the other hand, Instagram encouraged more than 20 Israeli and Jewish content creators to share their Holocaust survivor stories on their accounts.