Yad Vashem facts for kids
| יָד וַשֵׁם | |
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Aerial view of Yad Vashem
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| Established | 19 August 1953 |
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| Location | On the western slope of Mount Herzl, also known as the Mount of Remembrance, a height in western Jerusalem, Israel |
| Type | Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust |
| Visitors | about 925,000 (2017), 800,000 (2016 and 2015) |
Yad Vashem (Hebrew: יָד וַשֵׁם; meaning "a memorial and a name") is Israel's official place for remembering the victims of the Holocaust. The Holocaust was a terrible time when about six million Jewish people were murdered by the Nazis and their helpers during World War II.
Yad Vashem works to keep the memory of these victims alive. It also shares the stories of those who survived. It honors Jewish people who fought back against the Nazis. It also honors non-Jewish people who bravely helped Jews in danger. Yad Vashem also studies the Holocaust and other genocides (when large groups of people are killed). The goal is to help prevent such terrible events from happening again.
Yad Vashem was started in 1953. It is located on the Mount of Remembrance in western Jerusalem, Israel. This special place has many parts. Some parts are for studying the Holocaust, like a research center and a library. Other parts are memorials and museums for visitors. These include the Holocaust History Museum, the Children's Memorial, and the Hall of Remembrance. There is also a Museum of Holocaust Art and outdoor memorial sites.
A main goal of Yad Vashem is to recognize non-Jewish people who saved Jews. They did this at great personal risk and without wanting money or fame. These brave people are called Righteous Among the Nations. They are honored in a special area called the Garden of the Righteous Among the Nations.
Yad Vashem is a very popular place to visit in Israel. About one million people visit each year. There is no fee to enter.
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What Does "Yad Vashem" Mean?
The name "Yad Vashem" comes from a verse in an ancient book called the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 56:5). This verse says: "To them will I give in my house and within my walls a [memorial] and a [name], better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting [name], that shall not be cut off [from memory]."
The name "Yad Vashem" means "a memorial and a name." It was chosen to show that this place would keep the names of Jewish victims alive. Many victims had no family left to remember them after they died.
How Yad Vashem Started
People wanted to create a memorial for Jewish victims of the Holocaust even during World War II. They heard about the mass killings of Jews in Nazi-controlled countries. The idea for Yad Vashem was first suggested in 1942.
After the war, leaders discussed the plan more. In 1946, Yad Vashem opened offices in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. However, a war in Palestine stopped their work for two years.
On August 19, 1953, the Knesset (Israel's Parliament) passed a law. This law officially created the "Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority," which is Yad Vashem. Its purpose was to remember all Jewish people who died or fought against the Nazis. It also aimed to create a memorial for them and for the Jewish communities that were destroyed.
On July 29, 1954, the first stone for the Yad Vashem building was laid. It was placed on a hill in western Jerusalem, now called the Mount of Remembrance. Yad Vashem had already started collecting names of Holocaust victims. They also gathered documents and stories from survivors. The memorial and museum opened to the public in 1957.
Yad Vashem is located away from the busy city center. This was chosen so the memorial would not be in a crowded area. The "Valley of the Communities" monument at Yad Vashem remembers over 5,000 Jewish communities. These communities were destroyed or badly damaged during the Holocaust. Their names are carved into its tall walls.
In 2005, a new, much larger museum complex opened at Yad Vashem. It included the Holocaust History Museum, a new Hall of Names, and other important areas. This new museum was designed by architect Moshe Safdie. It was a big project that cost $100 million and took ten years to complete.
What Yad Vashem Does
Yad Vashem has three main goals: education, research, and remembering.
- Education: Yad Vashem teaches people about the Holocaust. It offers courses for teachers in Israel and around the world. It creates learning programs and materials for students of all ages. It also holds exhibitions about the Holocaust.
- Research and Documentation: Yad Vashem collects the names of Holocaust victims. It gathers photos, documents, and personal items. It also collects "Pages of Testimony," which are special forms remembering victims. Yad Vashem wants to preserve the memory and names of the six million Jews murdered.
- Commemoration: Yad Vashem holds ceremonies to remember and honor the victims. It supports research projects and organizes conferences. It also publishes books, memoirs, and diaries related to the Holocaust.
Yad Vashem also honors non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. A special group of people, including historians and survivors, reviews each case. Those recognized receive a certificate and a medal. Their names are remembered in the Garden of the Righteous Among the Nations. As of 2021, more than 27,921 people have been recognized.
Yad Vashem has a website in many languages, including English, Hebrew, French, and Arabic. In 2013, they launched an online campaign in Arabic. This campaign reached over 2.4 million Arabic speakers worldwide.
The Museum at Yad Vashem
The first Yad Vashem building opened in 1957. Its early exhibits focused on documents from the Holocaust. Later, it showed paintings from the Jewish ghettos and camps.
The newer, larger Holocaust History Museum opened in 2005. It was designed by Moshe Safdie. The museum is shaped like a triangular concrete building that cuts through the land. Light comes in through a long skylight. Visitors follow a path through underground rooms. Each room tells a different part of the Holocaust story.
The museum shares the personal stories of 90 Holocaust victims and survivors. It displays about 2,500 personal items. These include artwork and letters given by survivors and their families. The museum focuses on the individual stories of the Jews who were killed. As one curator said, "There weren't six million victims, there were six million individual murders."
The new museum was opened on March 15, 2005. Leaders from 40 countries and the head of the UN were there. The President of Israel said that Yad Vashem is "an important signpost to all of humankind." It warns how quickly hatred can lead to murder and racism can lead to genocide.
In 2019, Yad Vashem started a new center. It helps to collect and protect millions of items from the Holocaust.
Hall of Names
The Hall of Names is a special memorial to the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust. It has two large cones. One cone is ten meters high and points upwards. The other cone is dug into the ground below it and is filled with water.
On the upper cone, there are 600 photos of Holocaust victims. There are also pieces of "Pages of Testimony." These are reflected in the water below, remembering those whose names are still unknown. Around the main area, there is a circular room. This room holds about 2.7 million "Pages of Testimony" that have been collected so far. There are empty spaces for more names to be added.
Since the 1950s, Yad Vashem has collected many stories from Holocaust survivors. These include audio, video, and written accounts. As survivors get older, Yad Vashem visits them at home to record their interviews. Next to the Hall of Names, there is a study area. Here, visitors can use computers to search for the names of Holocaust victims.
Archives
The Archive is the oldest part of Yad Vashem. Before any exhibition is created, Yad Vashem collects items. The most well-known items are historical photos. They also collect the "Pages of Testimonies" from survivors. This is a large database with personal information about those who survived and those who were murdered. Yad Vashem also has access to other important databases. These help with research.
Art Gallery
Yad Vashem has the world's largest collection of art made by Jews and other victims during the Nazi occupation (1933–1945). The Art Department at Yad Vashem manages about 10,000 pieces of art. They add about 300 new pieces each year. Most of these are given by survivors' families or found in old places. The collection includes works by famous artists like Alexander Bogen and Felix Nussbaum.
Important Monuments
Yad Vashem has several important monuments:
- The monument to the heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. This remembers the Jewish people who fought back in the Warsaw Ghetto.
- Janusz Korczak and the Children. This memorial honors a teacher who refused to leave the children he cared for, even when it meant going to his death.
- Memorial to the Jewish children murdered in the Holocaust. This is a very moving memorial for the 1.5 million children who died.
- The Memorial to the Deportees, also called the "train monument." This remembers the Jews who were taken to death camps in cattle cars.
- Valley of the (Destroyed) Communities. This monument remembers the thousands of Jewish communities in Europe that were destroyed.
Awards Given to Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem has received important awards for its work:
- In 1973 and 2003, Yad Vashem received the Israel Prize. This is one of Israel's highest honors. It was given for Yad Vashem's special contribution to society and the State.
- In 2007, Yad Vashem received the Prince of Asturias Award for Concord. This award honors work that helps people understand each other and live peacefully. It also recognizes efforts against injustice or for defending freedom.
In Spanish: Yad Vashem para niños
