Jerusalem’s Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial: An Unforgettable Experience

Recently, for the first time, Israel’s population has passed 6 million. That’s significant because it’s greater than the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust and it’s greater then the number of Jews in the USA.

Understandably, Israel works to keep the memory of the millions of Jews killed by Hitler alive and strong. I imagine that with the new generation and the passing of the generation that actually lived through that horror, this will become a bigger and bigger challenge.

Anyone who visits the solemn and impressive Yad Vashem memorial, and absorbs its message, will be deeply moved and affected.

Of the roughly six million Jews killed in the Holocaust, about half have been identified by surviving family and friends. Pages of their testimony are archived here. The purpose: to give as many victims as possible the dignity of being remembered by name.
Of the roughly six million Jews killed in the Holocaust, about half have been identified by surviving family and friends. Pages of their testimony are archived here. The purpose: to give as many victims as possible the dignity of being remembered by name.

Photo by Trish Feaster (for her blog, see The Travelphile)

It was interesting to me that a recurring theme here is how humanity ignored the plight of the Jews in the 1930s and ’40s. The memorial reminds us that when Hitler was warned that his plan to exterminate the Jewish race would damage his image, he responded, “Who remembers the Armenian genocide?” The memorial honors the 24,000 Europeans who aided the Jews while reminding us that the remaining 160 million turned a blind eye to their plight.

A particularly vivid example of non-German insensitivity to desperate Jews was the plight of the over 900 Jewish refugees packed onto the ocean liner SS St. Louis, which sailed to Cuba in 1939. The passengers were fleeing almost certain death in Germany. They had planned to disembark in Cuba and, with their transit visas, enter the US. But by the time the ship got there, Cuba denied them permission to land. The St. Louis sailed on toward Florida, but President Roosevelt wouldn’t let them land, either. Ultimately they returned to what would soon become Nazi-controlled Europe, except for about 280 Jews who were taken in by Great Britain. Only half of the remaining passengers survived the war.

Leaving the museum I told our guide I was very impressed. He agreed and then pointed out how the architecture, while sleek and modern, was also built like a bomb shelter (no windows and a bomb-resistant, concrete-slab roof). He said, “This is necessary as we don’t have so nice neighbors.”

For a powerful finale, the Yad Vashem memorial finishes with a platform overlooking the land Israelis have worked so hard to establish as the one nation on earth that is Jewish.
For a powerful finale, the Yad Vashem memorial finishes with a platform overlooking the land Israelis have worked so hard to establish as the one nation on earth that is Jewish.

Photo by Trish Feaster (for her blog, see The Travelphile)

Comments

6 Replies to “Jerusalem’s Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial: An Unforgettable Experience”

  1. Wow! This is powerful!! I missed this memorial while in Jerusalem. Guess that means I will have to return. I was certainly not aware of the SS St. Louis story!

  2. We decided to miss the memorial in Jerusalem since we all have visited the holocaust museums in other countries. Definitely our guide mentioned the loss of all the Jews in the Holocaust many times which is why he is there guiding people to teach them all about the Jews and their lives and struggles every day of their lives in Israel. Beautiful photos!!

  3. I have not been to Israel, but maybe one of these days will be able to see this part of the Holy Land. However, I have seen Dachau, and Bergen-Belsen Concentration camps and what is left of them in Germany. They were very powerful images of the time of the Holocaust. I am sure as you have described above that the Yad Vashem Memorial would be equally powerful if not more.

  4. In response to Anita, above, I have to say that I, too, have been to the U.S. Holocaust museum in Washington, D.C. While it was impressive and thorough, it does not compare with Yad Vashem.

    For example, Yad Vashem has multiple buildings and outdoor sculptures; in fact, it lies on its own campus next to the country’s military cemetery. Further, the entrance to the campus is known as the Avenue of the Righteous Gentiles, which has trees on either side planted in remembrance of non-Jews who aided Jews during WWII. One of these trees is dedictaed to Oscar Schindler, another to Raoul Wallenberg. These aspects, alone, make Yad Vashem worthwhile visiting.

    If you ever return to Israel, Anita, please schedule one-half day to visit Yad Vashem. I don’t think you will be sorry that you did.

  5. Rick, take your hat off inside…

    Joan, the story of the SS St Louis is in the book and movie “Voyage of the Damned”

  6. Hello Rick,

    Just a small correction. Israel’s population have longed passed six million. I think it’s close or even pass 8 millions, however, the number of Israeli Jews has not reached 6 millions yet. It’s close to 6 millions with the others being mostly Israeli Arabs (both Muslim and Christians) who make about 22% of the population in Israel.
    It’s kind of scary with the prospect of an Iranian nuclear bomb being worked on when the umber of Jews in Israel getting closer to the number of Jews who were murdered in the holocaust.

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