Israel has begun commemorating its Holocaust Remembrance Day in memory of the 6 million Jews killed by Nazi Germany and its collaborators in World War II.

The solemn day began Wednesday evening with the main ceremony at Jerusalem's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial.

It is one of the most melancholy days on Israel's calendar. Places of entertainment and cafes are closed. TV and radio stations broadcast Holocaust documentaries and interviews with survivors or somber music until sundown the next day.

Israelis come to a mournful, two-minute standstill to remember the dead Thursday morning when sirens wail across the country. Pedestrians stop in their tracks. Cars pull over on roads and many people exit their vehicles to stand still in contemplation.

The names of Holocaust victims are read out in parliament.