Onondaga County Lights Up Yellow in Honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Onondaga County will illuminate County buildings, including the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center, in yellow on January 27, 2026, to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Onondaga County joins community partners to honor Holocaust victims and survivors and reaffirm a commitment to confronting antisemitism and hate.
Lighting public buildings yellow serves as a visible tribute to the victims of the Holocaust, recognizes the resilience of survivors, and reflects a community united in remembrance, education, and standing together against hate.
Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said, “Onondaga County is honored to participate in International Holocaust Remembrance Day by lighting up our county buildings in yellow. It is my hope that it will also serve as a visual reminder that there is no place in our community for antisemitism or hate and as a tribute to all those lost during the atrocities of the Holocaust.” McMahon continued, “Onondaga County is proud to stand with our Jewish neighbors today and every day.”
Dave Reckess, Executive Director of 3GNY, emphasized the importance of the County’s participation and its impact on the local community: “My grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, watched neighbors, friends, and even her government turn against her simply for being Jewish. She survived because people, Jewish and non-Jewish, made the brave choice to reject hate and affirm her humanity. Against a rising tide of antisemitism, othering, and extremism across our country, seeing our public buildings light up in honor of my grandmother and all Holocaust victims and survivors is a powerful reminder that the Jewish community today is not alone, and that we all share a responsibility to create a welcoming community grounded in safety, dignity, and respect for all people.”
January 27 marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration and extermination camp. In 2005, the United Nations designated this date as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a worldwide moment of remembrance, reflection, and education about the enduring lessons of the Holocaust.
In recent years, counties, cities, and landmarks across the country have lit up yellow to publicly proclaim their support for Holocaust remembrance and education and to ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust remain relevant and resonant today. The local initiative is being carried out in partnership with 3GNY, Jewish Community Center of Syracuse, Jewish Federation of Central New York, and End Antisemitism Now, as part of the nationwide Light Up America Yellow coalition.
For more information about International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the Light Up Yellow initiative, visit lightupamericayellow.com.