Martyrdom and Resistance, November/December 2006

ID Transcript mare3302_01 "'■ JOSEPH MEYERHOFF LIBRARY Vol. 33-N0.2 ISSN 0892-1 November/December 2006-Cheshvan/Kislev \ % r, OI IIO'LOC i ;U3T p AivmilOAKr * IKTXMiWATlOWAI, SOCIETIES PDIi 'mi> YASHlw The American & International Societies for Yad Vashem held our 25th Anniversary Tribute Dinner on November 19, 2006 at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers. The over 1,200 guests, heads of major Jewish Organizations and Dignitaries who attended were inspired by the moving remarks delivered by Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, former Chief Rabbi of Israel and the current Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv. Ambassador Arye Mekel, Consul General of Israel to New York and the child of survivors, also brought greetings from the State of Israel. The program was presided over by Dinner Co-Chairs Ira Mitzner and Marilyn Rubenstein. This year's dual theme of Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the American & International Societies for Yad Vashem and Yad Vashem as the Global Guardian of Holocaust Remembrance helped us to focus on the outstanding people who were honored at the dinner. Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson were presented with the Yad Vashem Remembrance award for their outstanding contributions to the cause of Remembrance. Most recently, the Adelsons donated the Museum of Holocaust Art at Yad Vashem, which exhibits art created by individuals in the darkest moments of their lives. These works of art help give us a glimpse into the inhumanity of what they saw, as well as their souls, which could not be broken. Eli Zborowski, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement for his contributions to the cause of Holocaust Remembrance. We were reminded of all that he has done both as an individual and as the Chairman of the American & International Societies for Yad Vashem, to make sure that the world does not forget. In addition, we were able to see first-hand the contributions made to Yad Vashem by Mr. Zborowski and the Societies, which will help Yad Vashem continue to be at the forefront of Holocaust Remembrance. ""MAY YOU GO M'CHAYIL L'CHAYIL - GREETINGS FROM AROUND THE WORLD FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH."" ELI ZBOROWSKI, Chairman, American & International Society for Yad Vashem and Recipient of the 2006 Yad Vashem Lifetime Achievement Award Honored Guests, Dear Friends: This is a time for me to express gratitude and give thanks. ""Shechianu, v'kimanu, etc. To all of you who have gathered here this evening, I say, ""Thank you and a hearty ""Yasher KoachP' for your dedication, your hard work and for a job well done! During the past quarter century, under the umbrella of the Society, we have garnered support from individuals from all walks of life, those that survived in concentration camps, in hiding, as partisans, and as ghetto fighters. We have also been joined by families who were not personally touched by the Shoah, but view remembrance as a collective Jewish responsibility. This is an evening dedicated to the celebration of our joint accomplishments. We, all of us, jointly did it, we made it. Thank you, to all of you, for your continuous support in the past 25 years. The video we have just watched tells a story none of us would have dared predict. How your generosity has enabled Yad Vashem to become the premier Holocaust institution in the world. How it has preserved the memory of the Shoah and its victims for future generations. Where did the spirit that drove this effort come from? From each other, from our common goals and our commitment to Remembrance. am privileged to share this tribute program with a distinguished couple, Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson. Miri and Sheldon have lent their energy and passion to numerous philanthropic causes, both in this country and in Israel. I commend them for all that they do and tonight congratulate them for their steadfast devotion to perpetuating the legacy of the Shoah. The Adelsons' recent generous gift for education programs at Yad Vashem is historic not only in the amount, but as an example that calls to others to (Continued on page 11) # mWiW imi»'iiilliin.,w:v>ii*w ' il'-»»Iuhj *1*r W. RWMMM zzzzzzzzzz gp L.^'-'V-'in 5"" —Kw/_.«t; It vvr «•"" n. t*v to .sssns^i i^->.< III. ! - 1liKi» 4 ^3^- Offices of the American & International Societies for Yad Vashem have received many letters from heads of state and dignitaries from around the world, congratulating them on the 25th anniversary and praising the outstanding work of the Socities as Global Guardian of Holocaust Remembrance. Below, read the quotes from some of the letters. President Bush, in his letter to the American & International Societies for Yad Vashem, wrote ""I send greetings to those gathered for the Annual Tribute Dinner of the American and International Societies for Yad Vashem. Congratulations as you celebrate your 25th anniversary. ""...I appreciate the American and International Societies for Yad Vashem for your efforts to honor the innocent lives lost and commemorate the victory of liberty over oppression. Your good work reminds others that great suffering can awaken even greater love and that we must never take freedom for granted."" Moshe Katsav, president of the state of Israel, in his message, noted ""...Yad Vashem, the Jewish people's international center for commemorating the Holocaust, fulfils a national, historic and universal role in transmitting the awareness of the Holocaust and its values, in Israel and throughout the world, especially among the young generation."" ""...Yad Vashem is the Jewish memorial voice and the commemoration site of the courage of those interned in the ghettoes and camps, who bravely fought against the Nazi oppressor, and also gives expression to the appreciation of the Jewish people to the Righteous Among the Nations."" folish president Lech Kaczynski, in his congratulatory letter to the American & International Societies for Yad Vashem, asserted that ""by working together with the Yad Vashem in Jerusalem for 25 years you have built an imposing research and educational institution in Jerusalem...By cultivating the Jewish memory and passing it on to the next generation, the Society has contributed to the creation of treasure trove of knowledge, one that has the power of not only educating but also inspiring mankind."" ■ ■-■■'■ p: IN THIS ISSUE American & International Societies for Yad Vashem Tribute Dinner. 1, 8-9,11 Personalizing the perpetrators 4 Holocaust kin last link to past 5 Profile in courage 5 The highest honor of the best country in the world 6 Distorting Jewish history. 7 Serbian Holocaust 7 Kin reunited sixty-five years after Holocaust 10 An unexpected haven 11 DNA key to finding victims of Holocaust 12 Auschwitz artifacts highlight ethical dilemma for museums 14 tf^B^K ^^l^tt flBfe M^fl^A pTjte» J >*mm*fi Jfc® **<mmJr Jf "