‏Milestones

2003

Yad Vashem receives the Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement

Conclusion

As a central and fundamental experience in Jewish and Israeli identity, the Holocaust is a topic on which there is a broad consensus in Israeli society. As such, Yad Vashem acts as a symbol of national unity and of the Jewish tradition of mutual responsibility. Yad Vashem reaches out to all sectors of the population, and constitutes a focus for identification amongst different communities. The ultra-orthodox, religious and secular, new immigrants and long-term residents, survivors and members of the second and third generation, members of every stream and stratum in the Jewish people as well as millions of non-Jews come to Yad Vashem. Yad Vashem has become an integral part of Israeli existence, a central institution of the Jewish people and a place of increasing importance in international consciousness. Yad Vashem confronts that moment in the history of humanity when mankind reached its lowest ebb; when an attempt was made to destroy the Jewish people, its culture, and the ideas it contributed to the world.

Drawing on memories of the past and its mission of today, Yad Vashem aims to strengthen commitment to Jewish continuity, protect the basic values of humankind and educate future generations.

Copyright ©2004 Yad Vashem The Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority