Jerusalemhem Volume 80, June 2016
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Yad VaJerusalemhem Volume 80, June 2016 Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Day 2016 (pp. 4-9) Yad VaJerusalemhem Contents Volume 80, Sivan 5776, June 2016 Inauguration of the Moshe Mirilashvili Center for Research on the Holocaust in the Soviet Union ■ 2-3 Published by: Highlights of Holocaust Remembrance Day 2016 ■ 4-5 Students Mark Holocaust Remembrance Day Through Song, Film and Creativity ■ 6-7 Leah Goldstein ■ Remembrance Day Programs for Israel’s Chairman of the Council: Rabbi Israel Meir Lau Security Forces ■ 7 Vice Chairmen of the Council: ■ On 9 May 2016, Yad Vashem inaugurated Dr. Yitzhak Arad Torchlighters 2016 ■ 8-9 Dr. Moshe Kantor the Moshe Mirilashvili Center for Research on ■ 9 Prof. Elie Wiesel “Whoever Saves One Life…” the Holocaust in the Soviet Union, under the Chairman of the Directorate: Avner Shalev Education ■ 10-13 auspices of its world-renowned International Director General: Dorit Novak Asper International Holocaust Institute for Holocaust Research. Head of the International Institute for Holocaust Studies Program Forges Ahead ■ 10-11 The Center was endowed by Michael and Research and Incumbent, John Najmann Chair Laura Mirilashvili in memory of Michael’s News from the Virtual School ■ 10 for Holocaust Studies: Prof. Dan Michman father Moshe z"l. Alongside Michael and Laura Chief Historian: Prof. Dina Porat Furthering Holocaust Education in Germany ■ 11 Miriliashvili and their family, honored guests Academic Advisor: Graduate Spotlight ■ 12 at the dedication ceremony included Yuli (Yoel) Prof. Yehuda Bauer Imogen Dalziel, UK Edelstein, Speaker of the Knesset; Zeev Elkin, Members of the Yad Vashem Directorate: Minister of Immigration and Absorption and Yossi Ahimeir, Daniel Atar, Michal Cohen, “Beyond the Seen” ■ 12 Matityahu Drobles, Abraham Duvdevani, New Multilingual Poster Kit Minister of Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage; Avner Prof. Boleslaw (Bolek) Goldman, Shalev, Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate; Increasing Spheres of Influence ■ 13 Vera H. Golovensky, Moshe Ha-Elion, the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi David Lau; the Adv. Shlomit Kasirer, Yossi Katribas, Seminars for Public-Opinion Leaders Yehiel Leket, Baruch Shub, Dalit Stauber, Rishon LeZion Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Yitzhak ■ 14 Dr. Zehava Tanne, Adv. Shoshana Weinshall, The Names Database Yosef; Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, Chairman of the Dudi Zilbershlag Upgraded and Improved Yad Vashem Council; H.E. Mr. Alexander Shein, Gathering the Fragments ■ 14 Ambassador of Russia to Israel; and H.E. Mr. Paata THE MAGAZINE New Collection Regarding Slovakia Kalandadze, Ambassador of Georgia to Israel. Editor-in-Chief: Iris Rosenberg Treasures from the Collections ■ 15 The event commenced with a memorial Managing Editor: Leah Goldstein The Mystery of the Cigarette Box ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance, followed Editorial Board: by the unveiling of a plaque in the Square of Simmy Allen Yad Vashem Online ■ 16-17 Hope. The inauguration ceremony itself took Yifat Bachrach-Ron “They Laughed by Day and Cried at Night” Deborah Berman place in the Yad Vashem Synagogue. Marisa Fine New Exhibition: Children’s Homes in France Recalling the terrible events at Babi Yar, Avner Dana Porath During the Holocaust Shalev declared: “Research is a vital component Susan Weisberg Research ■ 18-21 in processing the loss. It is imperative in building Editorial Coordinator: Lilach Tamir-Itach An Intellectual Journey into a consciousness of remembrance, and afterwards, Language Editor: Leah Goldstein Poland’s Hidden Past ■ 18 to creating an identity that can comprehend the Proofreader: Ezra Olman terrible rupture in the history of the Jewish people The Jews of the Middle East in the Shadow Translated by: James Joseph Mclntosh and the whole of humanity… Michael Mirilashvili – of the Holocaust ■ 19 Assisted by: Alexander Avram, a man of vision – understands this, and extended Shaya Ben Yehuda, Inbal Kvity Ben-Dov, Yad Vashem Studies ■ 20 his help so that together we could establish this Katie Matanky, Ayala Peretz, Going Back to the Sources Amanda Smulowitz, Martin Sykes-Haas Center, which will lead global academic research Photography: Yossi Ben-David, Sarit Bruno, Symposium Marking the Publication of Essay in the coming years and ensure the continued Isaac Harari Collection in Honor of Prof. Dina Porat ■ 20 development of our mission.” Production: Ahva Printing Press Company Ltd. Prof. Yehuda Bauer: Following the opening of major and local Design: Stephanie & Ruti Design Ninety Years and Going Strong ■ 21 archives in the Former Soviet Union (FSU) in This magazine was published with the the early 1990s, multidisciplinary research Fellow’s Corner ■ 21 assistance of The Azrieli Group. into the wartime fate of the Jews in the USSR Dr. Frank Grelka began to flourish. With the generous support ISSN 0793-7199 News ■ 22-25 of Genesis Philanthropy Group, the European ©Articles appearing in this issue may be reprinted Jewish Fund and other donors, over the past with proper acknowledgement. Friends Worldwide ■ 26-31 several years Yad Vashem began researching the The International Institute for Holocaust Yad Vashem’s activities are supported by history of the Jews living in the Soviet Union Research: Publications ■ 32 the Ministry of Education during the Holocaust. The Mirilashvili Center is ■ On the cover: Asher Aud (Anshel Sieradzki), set to significantly enhance these endeavors of and The Conference on Jewish Material Holocaust survivor from Zdunska Wola, and Reut Yad Vashem and, moreover, lead groundbreaking Claims Against Germany Hershkowitz, Yad Vashem employee and Chairperson of global academic discourse in this field, the Organization of Former Residents of Zdunska Wola, at the 2016 Holocaust Remembrance Day wreath-laying strengthening ties with relevant researchers and 2 ceremony, Warsaw Ghetto Square Inauguration of the Moshe Mirilashvili Center for Research on the Holocaust in the Soviet Union ■ Michael and Laura Mirilashvili receive the Key to Yad Vashem from Avner Shalev in gratitude for their dedication to Shoah Remembrance relevant archival documents for the benefit of the worldwide research community. “Thanks to the generous support of the Mirilashvili family, we are now moving into a much more meaningful and systematic phase in ■ Left to right: Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, Minister Zeev Elkin, Avner Shalev, Chief Rabbi David Lau, Rabbi various research projects regarding the Holocaust Israel Meir Lau, Knesset Speaker Yuli (Yoel) Edelstein, and Michael and Laura Mirilashvili at the inauguration of the Jews in the Soviet Union,” explained ceremony of the Moshe Mirilashvili Center for Research on the Holocaust in the Soviet Union Dr. Nidam-Orvieto. “This new Center is both organizations, encouraging international scholarly in the FSU, the Center will launch new areas innovative and vital, and without doubt will cooperation, and advancing pioneering research of investigation, such as interethnic relations contribute significantly to Holocaust research in all related areas for many years to come. between Jews and non-Jews in the Soviet Union both around the world and specifically in Israel.” Adv. Arie Zuckerman, Special Advisor to during the Holocaust, and continue the Research Before receiving the Key to Yad Vashem from the Chairman of the Directorate, noted during Institute’s ongoing projects in the field, such as Avner Shalev, an emotional Michael Mirilashvili the ceremony that the Center will play a “The Untold Stories” – an online investigation recounted his beloved father, in whose name the central role in strengthening Jewish identity of the murder sites of the Jews in the Nazi- Center is dedicated: “I know that my father is and connection to Israel among Jews in the occupied territories of the FSU, and “Jews in looking down from Heaven and would be proud Former Soviet Union, a lifelong focus of the the Red Army” – an online database of Jewish of this new initiative,” he said. “The topic of the Mirilashvili family. Dr. Iael Nidam-Orvieto, soldiers who fought in the Soviet Army during Shoah was something that I spoke about with Director of the International Institute for WWII. The Center will also initiate international him often; he lost his uncle during the Holocaust Holocaust Research, gave an overview of current conferences and workshops in which it will and he certainly understood the importance of and future projects on which the Center will present its research findings to senior and the work of Yad Vashem and especially research focus its efforts. Headed by Dr. Arkadi Zeltser, young scholars alike; and publish academic focused on the Holocaust in the areas of the a world-renowned scholar of the Holocaust studies, articles, testimonies and collections of occupied Soviet Union.” New Benefactor: Michael Mirilashvili ■ Michael Mirilashvili was born in Kulashi, Michael Mirilashvili has held a broad array ago, he is considered a close friend and a dedicated Georgia. He received his medical degree in of public roles, including President of Maccabi – partner in its missions of Holocaust remembrance St. Petersburg, Russia, but with the fall of the Russia, Vice President of the Russian Jewish and education. This partnership led to the recent Communist regime, Michael chose to enter the Congress, Vice President of the Euro-Asian Jewish establishment of the Moshe Mirilashvili Center world of business. His enterprises in the fields Congress, President of the St. Petersburg Jewish for Research on the Holocaust in the Soviet of real estate, energy, infrastructure