Last summer (July 2019), I was honoured to attend a ten-day study visit to Yad Vashem's International School for Holocaust Studies in Jerusalem, Israel with a group of Holocaust Educational Trust Regional Ambassadors. The visit was a life-changing and defining experience for me and I’m excited to share some of my key highlights with you!
Our group
Dr Efraim Zuroff speaking to us about justice
At the International School for Holocaust Studies, we had workshops and lectures from prominent Holocaust educators, including Professor Yehuda Bauer, Mr Ophir Yarden and Dr David Silberklang, who advanced our knowledge of Jewish life before, during and after the Holocaust. We also heard from Dr Efraim Zuroff, who works as a 'Nazi-Hunter', aiming to bring the perpetrators to legal justice. He expressed the necessity of punishing Nazi criminals to this day, as the passing of time does not diminish their crimes and to let them go unpunished would suggest that their crimes did not matter.
Daniel Gold shares his testimony to Regional Ambassadors on their study visit to Yad Vashem in 2017
Hearing the testimony of Holocaust survivor Daniel Gold was a vitally moving experience. He told us that his childhood was tormented by living in fear in a Nazi ghetto followed by living in cramped and unsafe conditions when in hiding. It was incredibly poignant to hear that he later became a pilot and a professor of microbiology. When I reflect on his testimony, it is his strength and cherishing of life in the face of his inconceivably traumatic past that are most memorable to me. This inspires me to ensure that the Holocaust, and testimonies of survivors such as Daniel, are never forgotten.
The silhouette of the Hall of Names at night
The Holocaust History Museum in Yad Vashem takes visitors on a path through the exhibitions, following a timeline of the Nazi persecution and genocide. It ends with the Hall of Names, a spherical memorial room with the images of thousands of Jewish individuals who perished in the Holocaust. There are hundreds of books containing millions of names of the deceased, as well as empty shelves to commemorate the thousands of names that we still do not know today.
The exit took us onto an outside platform overlooking a picturesque view of our surroundings – Yad Vashem is located on a mountain in Jerusalem; taking us from the darkness of the museum back into the light of life, symbolising Jewish strength and survival. To me, this design represents that when visitors leave and re-enter daily lives, they have a responsibility to carry the memory of those who perished with them.
There are hundreds of books containing millions of names of the deceased, as well as empty shelves representing the thousands of names that we still do not know today.
Nurit's Home
Exploring Israel allowed us to connect to the country and its culture. Attending a Synagogue service and being invited to have Friday night dinner with Nurit Davidson, an educator at Yad Vashem, and her family, granted a valuable insight into Orthodox Jewish life that deepened my respect and appreciation for Judaism and its customs.
We climbed Mount Masada, with the sun rising above us and learnt about the ancestral Jewish history of suffering, strength and survival there which created a depth of understanding that reaches beyond any lesson. It was at Masada place where, during a siege by the Roman Empire, Sicarii rebels and resident Jewish families reportedly committed mass suicide rather than give up their freedom to the Romans.
Above: The group at the top of MasadaLeft: Climbing Masada feels like a real achievement
I was struck by how powerful and spiritual it was to those from every background and religious belief.
Our group at the Western Wall
These experiences have provided me with new depths to my understanding and dedication of spreading the message of 'Never Again.'
Likewise, when I stood at the Western Wall, participating in the custom of pushing a piece of paper etched with my future hopes into the bricks, surrounded by the sounds of prayer and praise, I was struck by how powerful and spiritual it was to those from every background and religious belief.
This visit enabled me to witness the vast significance of remembrance to Israel and its people. My knowledge and passion for sharing what I have learnt about Judaism and the Holocaust have been strengthened and enriched. I can, with the confidence and passion gained from my visit, stand up against bias and prejudice wherever it rears its ugly head. These experiences have provided me with new depths to my understanding and dedication of spreading the message of 'Never Again.'
Another group shot where we are all in our Regional Ambassador T-shirts. We had a great time as a group and learned lots that we brought back to the UK.