YAD VASHEM 50TH ANNIVERSARY 1953-2003

The year 2003 – 5763 marks 50 years since of the founding of Yad Vashem – The Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority, during which time the memory of the Holocaust has been shaped. Special events commemorating this anniversary will mark 50 years for Yad Vashem and focus on Holocaust commemoration in a new era.

Yad Vashem’s many activities and achievements are manifested in commemoration, documentation, research and education. Yad Vashem possesses the largest repository of Holocaust documentation, including a computerized database of the names of Jewish Holocaust victims stored in the Hall of Names. The world renowned International Institute for Holocaust Research, puts out publications, holds international conferences and maintains contact with Holocaust researchers. Yad Vashem operates the International School for Holocaust Studies, where every year tens of thousands of pupils, soldiers and educators from Israel and abroad participate in its educational programs.

Due to its many achievements and the fact that it represents a symbol and a model of the unity of the Jewish people, attracting all sections of the population and serving as a source of identification for individuals in Israel and worldwide, Yad Vashem was awarded this year’s prestigious Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement – A Unique Contribution to Society and to the State.

With the passage of time, as the generation of Holocaust survivors grows older, the legacy of the Holocaust is being passed on to the next generation; at the same time a large sector of the public, young and old alike, in Israel and around the world are showing a renewed and growing interest in the Holocaust. The shifting of generations requires us to transmit the memory of the Holocaust using modern, innovative tools available through the information and communication technologies of the new millennium.

In the fall of 2004, Yad Vashem’s new Museum Complex will be dedicated on the Mount of Remembrance (Har Hazikaron), featuring the new Holocaust History Museum. Visitors to Yad Vashem will experience a state-of-the-art museum depicting the history of the Holocaust from the Jewish perspective, utilizing advanced museum methods, and incorporating original artifacts and personal effects.

This start of a new era will mark Yad Vashem’s distinct ability to imbue the memory of the Holocaust with depth and meaning, so that a dialogue will grow from the past, bequeathing a legacy to strengthen commitment to Jewish continuity, protect the basic values of mankind and educate future generations.

Yad Vashem’s Jubilee Under the Patronage of The President of the State of Israel, Moshe Katsav