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The Hall of Names containing Pages of Testimony commemorating the 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust.
The Hall of Names containing Pages of Testimony commemorating the 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust.
The entrance to the Holocaust History Museum
The entrance to the Holocaust History Museum

Yad Vashem (Hebrew: יד ושם‎ also spelled Yad VaShem; "Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority") is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as For Beit Knesset a Jewish Place of worship, see Synagogue. The Knesset (כנסת lit The origin of the name is from a Biblical verse: "And to them will I give in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name (Yad Vashem) that shall not be cut off. " (Isaiah, chapter 56, verse 5). Isaiah (; Greek:, Ēsaiās; Arabic: اشعیاء, Ash-ee-yaa; "Salvation of/is YHWH " is (A note on orthography: the two nouns in Hebrew, yad [memorial/hand] and "shem" [name] are often capitalized in English transliterations; similarly, the Hebrew sign for "and" ["v"] is sometimes lowercased. )

Located at the foot of Mount Herzl on the Mount of Remembrance in Jerusalem, Yad Vashem is a 45-acre complex containing the Holocaust History Museum, memorial sites, such as the Children's Memorial and the Hall of Remembrance, The Museum of Holocaust Art, sculptures, outdoor commemorative sites such as the Valley of the Communities, a synagogue, archives, a research institute, library, publishing house and and an educational center, The International School for Holocaust Studies. Mount Herzl, (הר הרצל Har Hertzel; also Har HaZikaron, הר הזכרון lit Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Non-Jews who saved Jews during the Holocaust, at personal risk, are honored by Yad Vashem as "Righteous Among the Nations. Righteous among the Nations (חסידי אומות העולם Chassidey Umot HaOlam) which may at times refer to the B'nei Noah or Noahides as well is a term used "

Contents

Layout

Yad Vashem Campus designed by Safdie
Yad Vashem Campus designed by Safdie
Interior of the Holocaust History Museum; the main triangular walkway connects the museum's exhibition halls.
Interior of the Holocaust History Museum; the main triangular walkway connects the museum's exhibition halls.

The new Holocaust History Museum, opened in March 2005, was built as a prism-like triangular structure. It is 180 meters long, in the form of a spike, which cuts directly through the mountainside. Its stark walls are made of reinforced concrete, and it covers an area of over 4,200 square meters, most of which is underground. At the uppermost edge of the shaft is a skylight, protruding through the mountain edge.

There are 10 exhibition halls, each devoted to a different chapter in the history of the Holocaust. Unlike the exhibition in the old museum, which was primarily composed of photographs, the new exhibition is a multi-media presentation that incorporates survivor testimonies as well as personal artifacts donated to Yad Vashem by Holocaust survivors, the families of those who perished, Holocaust museums and memorial sites around the world. The exhibits are set up chronologically, with the testimonies and artifacts accentuating the individual stories used to highlight the historical narrative throughout the museum.

The museum is designed so the visitor begins above underground, proceeds to the lowest underground point in the center of the museum, and then slowly walks upwards towards the exit. The exit from the main part of the museum is onto a balcony overlooking a stunning view of Jerusalem, the visitor stepping from a dark corridor into direct sunlight (weather and time of day permitting).

Goals and objectives




Museum

View of Jerusalem at the exit of Yad Vashem's Holocaust History Museum.
View of Jerusalem at the exit of Yad Vashem's Holocaust History Museum.

In 1993, Yad Vashem decided to build a larger museum to replace the one built during the 1960s. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) This was in response to the need to provide a meaningful way of commemorating the Holocaust amid the technological advances of the new millenium, while appealing to younger generations, whose responsibility it will be to pass on the legacy of Holocaust remembrance. The new Holocaust History museum is the largest Holocaust museum in the world. It is carved into the Mount of Remembrance and designed to reflect the story of the European Jewish community during the Holocaust. Consisting of a long corridor connected to 10 exhibition halls, each dedicated to a different chapter of the Holocaust, the museum tells the story of the Holocaust from a Jewish perspective. The museum combines the personal stories of 90 Holocaust victims and survivors and presents in its exhibitions some 2,500 personal items including artwork and letters from the Holocaust donated by survivors and others. At the end of the Holocaust History Museum is the Hall of Names, a memorial to the 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. The main Hall is composed of two cones: one extending ten meters skywards, echoed by a reciprocal well-like cone excavated into the natural underground rock, its base filled with water. On the upper cone is a display featuring 600 photographs of Holocaust victims and fragments of Pages of Testimony. These are reflected in the water at the bottom of the lower cone, commemorating those victims whose names remain unknown. Surrounding the platform is the circular repository, housing the approximately 2. 1 Pages of Testimony collected so far, with empty spaces for those yet to be submitted—room for six million Pages in all. Attached is a study area with a computerized data bank and where online searches of Holocaust victims' names may be performed on the Central Database of Shoah Victims' Names. Access to the Central Database of Shoah Victims' Names is also available on the Internet at [[2]].

Since the 1950s, Yad Vashem has collected approximately 46,000 audio, video and written testimonies by Holocaust survivors; as the survivors age and are beginning to become less mobile, the program has expanded to visiting survivors in their homes to tape interviews.

On March 15, 2005, the dedication of the new Yad Vashem Holocaust History Museum in Jerusalem, Israel took place. Events 44 BC - Julius Caesar, Dictator of the Roman Republic, is stabbed to death by Marcus Junius Brutus, Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The impressive building was designed by the world acclaimed Canadian-Israeli architect, Moshe Safdie. Moshe Safdie, CC, BArch LLD, FRAIC FAIA (b July 14, 1938) is an Architect and Urban designer Leaders from 40 states and former Secretary General of the UN Kofi Annan attended the inauguration of theHolocaustHistory museum. See also General Secretary. A number of International organizations, Communist parties and other bodies use the title Secretary The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Kofi Atta Annan, GCMG (born 8 April 1938 is a Ghanaian Diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as President of Israel Moshe Katzav said that the new museum serves as "an important signpost to all of humankind, a signpost that warns how short the distance is between hatred and murder, between racism and genocide. The President of the State of Israel (נשיא המדינה Nesi HaMedina, lit Moshe Katsav (משה קצב born 5 December 1945) is a former President of Israel and member of the Knesset. "[3] The building's triangular architectural-shape is said to represent the bottom half of a Star of David, because the world's Jewish population was cut in half as a result of the Holocaust. The Star of David or Shield of David ( Magen David in Hebrew with nikkud or מגן דוד without academically transcribed Māḡēn Dāwīḏ by

Righteous Among the Nations

See main article: Righteous Among the Nations
Memorial to the Victims of the Concentration and Extermnation Camps Nandor Glid (1924-1997) Cast Bronze
Memorial to the Victims of the Concentration and Extermnation Camps Nandor Glid (1924-1997) Cast Bronze

One of Yad Vashem's tasks is to honor non-Jews who risked their lives, liberty or positions to save Jews during the Holocaust. Righteous among the Nations (חסידי אומות העולם Chassidey Umot HaOlam) which may at times refer to the B'nei Noah or Noahides as well is a term used To this end a special Commission, headed by a retired Supreme Court Justice, was established. The Commission examines and evaluates each case according to a well-defined set of criteria and regulations. The Righteous receive a certificate of honor and a medal and their names are commemorated in the Garden of the Righteous Among the Nations, on the Mount of Remembrance, Yad Vashem. This is an ongoing project that will continue for as long as there are valid requests, substantiated by testimonies or documentation.

History

The idea of establishing a memorial in the historical Jewish homeland for Jewish victims of the Nazi Holocaust was conceived during World War II, as a response to reports of the mass murder of Jews in Nazi-occupied countries.

Yad Vashem was first proposed in September 1942, at a board meeting of the Jewish National Fund, by Mordecai Shenhavi, a member of Kibbutz Mishmar Ha'emek. The Jewish National Fund ( Hebrew: קרן קימת לישראל Keren Kayemet LeYisrael) (abbreviated as JNF, and sometimes KKL) was founded

In August 1945, the plan was discussed in greater detail at a Zionist meeting in London where it was decided to set up a provisional board of Zionist leaders with David Remez as chairman, Shlomo Zalman Shragai, Baruch Zuckerman, and Shenhavi. David Remez (דוד רמז born David Drabkin in 1886 died 19 May 1951) was an Israeli politician the country's first Minister of Shlomo Zalman Shragai ( זלמן שרגאי, born 1899 - 1995 was an Israeli politician and Jerusalem 's first elected mayor. Baruch Zuckerman ( 26 June 1887 Kurenitz, Vilnius, Lithuania &ndash December 1970 New York NY) was a leading American-Israeli

In February 1946, Yad Vashem opened an office in Jerusalem and a branch office in Tel Aviv and in June that year, convened its first plenary session. Tel Aviv-Yafo (תֵּל ־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ تل أبيب Tal ʾAbīb) (usually Tel Aviv) is the second-largest city in Israel In July 1947, the First Conference on Holocaust Research was held at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, where further plans were made for Yad Vashem. However, the outbreak in May 1948 of the War of Independence, brought almost all Yad Vashem operations to a standstill for two years. In 1953, the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, unanimously pased the Yad Vashem Law, establishing the Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority.

Recent history

In 2000, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder visited Yad Vashem as a guest of Israeli Premier Ehud Barak and was invited to turn a handle to boost the Eternal Flame. ˌɡeɐ̯haɐ̯t fʁɪʦ kʊɐ̯t ˈʃʁøːdɐ (born 7 April 1944 German politician, was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005 Ehud Barak (אֵהוּד בָּרָק born Ehud Brog on 12 February 1942) is an Israeli politician former Prime Minister, and An eternal flame is a flame or torch that burns constantly The flame that burned constantly at Delphi, was an archaic feature "alien to the ordinary Greek temple" In a much reported diplomatic gaffe he turned the handle the wrong way and extinguished it. [4]

In 2005, in response to a letter by Sa'ar Netanel, a member of the Jerusalem City Council, Avner Shalev, Chairman of Yad Vashem, promised a presentation of information on "other victims" in a "relevant place". Some information on other victims of the Nazis can be found on Yad Vashem's web site as of January 2008. [5]

In September 2007, Yad Vashem received the Prince of Asturias Award for Concord. Events in September It is the start of the academic year in many countries in the Northern Hemisphere. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Principality of Asturias ( Spanish: Principado de Asturias, Asturian: Principáu d'Asturies or Asturies) is an [6]The Prince of Asturias Award is presented in 8 categories. The Award for Concord is bestowed upon the person, persons or institution whose work has made an exemplary and outstanding contribution to mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence amongst men, to the struggle against injustice or ignorance, to the defense of freedom, or whose work has widened the horizons of knowledge or has been outstanding in protecting and preserving mankind's heritage.

Yad Vashem is the second most visited tourist site in Israel, after the Western Wall, with over one million visitors during 2007.

During 2008, Yad Vashem has already hosted a wide range of VIPs and dignitaries, beginning with US President George W. Bush, who visited in January 2008. Also in January, Yad Vashem's International School for Holocaust Studies held the first ever International Youth Congress on the Holocaust. Over 100 young people, from 62 countries and five continents gathered at Yad Vashem for a three-day Youth Congress. The Congress, under the patronage of UNESCO, was devoted to the study of the Holocaust and discussions of its universal significance. Participants, ranging in age from 17 to 19, and including among them Christians, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists, and speaking some 30 different languages, studied various Holocaust-related topics, toured Yad Vashem and Jerusalem, participated in workshops, and met with Holocaust survivors. Special sessions were held with Israeli dignitaries including president Shimon Peres.

During March 2008, German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel accompanied by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and eight ministers from each government visited Yad Vashem. A memorial ceremony, with the participation of the Chancellor, the Prime Minister, and the Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate Avner Shalev, took place in the Hall of Remembrance.


See also

References

  1. ^ The International School for Holocaust Studies
  2. ^ The Hall of Names
  3. ^ Facing the Consequences of Dividing Israel
  4. ^ Hapless Schröder puts out Holocaust flame
  5. ^ New Israel Holocaust Memorial Honors Gay Victims
  6. ^ Yad Vashem Receives Prince of Asturias Award for Concord

External links

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