Yad VaJerusalemhem QUARTERLY MAGAZINE, VOL. 58, July 2010 BuildingDigitization of Millions Blocks of Documents fromof the History Archives (pp. 12-13) Yad VaJerusalemhem QUARTERLY MAGAZINE, VOL. 58, Av 5770, July 2010 Published by: Contents Yad Vashem Setting the Standard ■ 2-3 The Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ The International Task Force Convenes Remembrance Authority at Yad Vashem Jane Jacobs Kimmelman ■ Education ■ 4-7 and Dr. David Silberklang Chairman of the Council: Rabbi Israel Meir Lau ■ 4-5 Vice Chairmen of the Council: Hindsight and Foresight Dr. Yitzhak Arad The Seventh International Educators’ Dr. Israel Singer Conference ■ This June, more than 200 representatives Professor Elie Wiesel Yad Vashem of the Task Force for International Cooperation Chairman of the Directorate: Avner Shalev on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Educational Prizes 2009/10 ■ 4-5 Director General: Nathan Eitan Research (ITF) congregated at Yad Vashem for Chief Historian: Professor Dan Michman Graduate Spotlight: ■ 6 educational, academic and plenary discussions Academic Advisors: Péter Heindl, Hungary concerning the future of Holocaust education Professor Yehuda Bauer ■ and remembrance worldwide. Professor Israel Gutman New in the Virtual School 7 For the first time since the ITF’s establishment, Members of the Yad Vashem Directorate: Education Agreement the revolving chairmanship of this prestigious Edna Ben-Horin, Chaim Chesler, with Ekaterinburg ■ 7 Matityahu Drobles, Abraham Duvdevani, international umbrella organization was assumed . 7 by Israel in March Moshe Ha-Elion, Yehiel Leket, New Issue of Legacy ■ֿֿ Adv. Shelly (Shlomo) Malka, Linda Olmert, Adv. Dov Shilansky, Effi Shtensler, First International Immediately following Yad Vashem’s Baruch Shub, Dr. Shimshon Shoshani, Christian Leadership Seminar ■ 7 Seventh International Educators’ Conference (see Amira Stern, Dr. Zehava Tanne, pp. 4-5), an intensive two days of Working Group Connecting with the Global Russian- Adv. Shoshana Weinshall, meetings were held on the Yad Vashem campus, Eli Zborowski, Dudi Zilbershlag Speaking Community ■ 8-10 involving Holocaust experts from around the THE MAGAZINE A Familiar Scapegoat? ■ 11 world. While Yad Vashem staff members have Lingering Economic Antisemitism in represented Israel within the various Working Editor-in-Chief: Iris Rosenberg Postwar Munich Groups for years, the opportunity to host the Managing Editor: Leah Goldstein gathering was greatly appreciated. “It was a real Editorial Board: Building Blocks of History ■ 12-13 Yifat Bachrach-Ron Digitization of Millions of Documents pleasure to show my ITF colleagues around our Deborah Berman from the Archives School,” said International School Pedagogical Susan Weisberg Director Shulamit Imber, long-standing delegate Cynthia Wroclawski News ■ 14-18 in the ITF Educational Working Group. “We were Estee Yaari Friends Worldwide ■ 19-23 able to share our expertise on a wide variety Editorial Coordinator: Lilach Tamir-Itach of programs for Holocaust educators and the Language Editor: Leah Goldstein International Institute creation of pedagogic materials tailor-made for Proofreader: Ezra Olman for Holocaust Research ■ 24 different nationalities and age-groups.” Members Translated by: Hever Translators’ Pool (Intl) New on the Shelf of the Memorial and Museums Working Group Assisted by: were given a special working tour around Yad Alexander Avraham, Rachel Barkai, Shaya Ben Yehuda, Leora Brothman, Vashem’s unique Museum Complex, and the Richelle Budd-Caplan, Annie Eisen, Academic Working Group appreciated an in- Limor Karo, Dalit Menzin, Ayala Peretz, depth discussion of the Yad Vashem Archives Dana Porath, Amanda Smulowitz, Danit Werechson, Orit Yaniv and uses of the International Tracing Service Photography: Yossi Ben-David, Isaac Harari materials by Dr. Haim Gertner, Director of Yad Production: Keter Press Vashem's Archives Division. On the third day of the plenary, the Design: Stephanie & Ruti Design International Institute for Holocaust Research This magazine was published with the assistance of The Azrieli Group. organized an academic symposium highlighting current Israeli study on the Holocaust. Five speakers, spanning generations of Israeli ISSN 0793-7199 scholars, were invited to present their research, which often challenged popularly held ideas ©Articles appearing in this issue may be reprinted and evoked lively discussion. Dr. Havi Dreifuss with proper acknowledgement. (Ben-Sasson) of Tel Aviv University analyzed Yad Vashem’s activities are supported by Polish Jewish responses to the “Final Solution,” the Ministry of Education asserting that the victims’ responses may be properly understood only through their own and the Claims Conference sources. Dr. Dana Arieli-Horowitz, Head of the ■ On the cover: Scanning an original diary History and Theory Department at the Bezalel from the Holocaust era Academy of Art and Design, took symposium 2 Setting the Standard The International Task Force Convenes at Yad Vashem resounding success. “We were heartened to see the ongoing commitment of the member states towards Holocaust awareness, commemoration and education, particularly in these times of heightened political tensions. We achieved a great deal of progress in all the focus areas and we look hopefully towards the next plenary in December.” “The Israeli team did an outstanding job,” summarized ITF Chair and former Knesset Speaker Dan Tichon. “I would like to encourage further debate regarding rising tides of antisemitism and Holocaust denial in member states among other important issues: these remain the core concerns of the Israeli chairmanship, and we will continue to promote them.” Jane Jacobs Kimmelman is Director of the International Relations Department at the International School for Holocaust Studies and Israeli Delegate to the ITF Communications Working Group. Dr. David Silberklang is Senior Historian at the International Institute for Holocaust Research and Israeli Delegate to the ITF Academic Working Group. ■ ITF delegates at the concluding plenary session in Jerusalem: “A resounding success" participants on a fascinating postwar journey of Israel for the first time, Yad Vashem provided THE ITF – the buildings and artifacts of the Third Reich. participants with comprehensive tours of the The second session focused on Israel and museum complex and the campus, as well as A Beginner's Guide the Middle East, and opened with ITF Academic an inspiring evening concert in the Valley ■ Founded in 1998 Advisor Prof. Dina Porat of Tel Aviv University of the Communities. The Israel Ministry of ■ offering a penetrating analysis of the response Foreign Affairs, which convened the four-day 27 Member States, 4 Liaison States, 3 to the Holocaust by the Jewish community in ITF event in Israel, also provided specialized Observer States, 15 Guest States (interested pre-state Israel. Dr. Haim Saadoun, Dean of visits around Jerusalem. in joining and who have attended plenary Students at the Open University and Director of The concluding plenary session, which took gatherings as observers) the Center for Documentation on North African place at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel in Jerusalem, ■ 6 Affiliated International Organizations: Jewry during World War II at the Ben-Zvi was attended by diplomats and officials from UN; UNESCO; OSCE/ODIHR; The European Institute, spoke on a subject little known outside all participating, liaison, observer and guest Union Agency for Fundamental Rights of Israel – how the study of the Holocaust in nations, as well as representatives of the six (FRA); Council of Europe; Conference North Africa influences the attitude of the Arab affiliated international organizations (see box). on Jewish Material Claims Against world towards the Holocaust. The symposium While voting on decisions to affect the future of Germany closed with an address by Prof. Yehuda Bauer, the ITF, plenary delegates also heard a special ■ Over 330 registered delegates Academic Advisor at Yad Vashem and Honorary presentation by Na’ama Shik, Director of the from member countries (experts and Chairman of the ITF, who demonstrated that, Educational Technology Department at the diplomats) contrary to popular world belief, the Holocaust International School, about the progress of the ■ 2 Biannual Plenary Meetings lasting may in fact almost have prevented the creation Israeli “Chair’s Project” – an innovative online 4 days each of the State of Israel. “The academic conference distance learning initiative being spearheaded captured everyone’s attention,” said one US by Yad Vashem. ■ 4 Expert Working Groups (which delegate. “The fact that more than 100 people Yad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev, make recommendations to the plenary): stayed until the end is testimony to the interest who serves as the Israel Delegation Co-Chair Memorials and Museums, Education, it evoked among the participants.” together with Aviva Raz-Shechter of Israel’s Communications, and Academic As many of the delegates were visiting Foreign Ministry, described the event as a 3 Hindsight and Foresight ■ How do we appropriately commemorate all victims of Nazi persecution without diminishing the fact that they specifically targeted the Jewish people? How do we develop and design age-appropriate visits to Holocaust-related sites and museums? Can the Holocaust be used as a vehicle to teach about other human rights violations in the world? On 12-13 June, 200 scholars, philosophers and leaders from some 40 countries came together at Yad Vashem to discuss