Martyrdom & Resistance, May/June 2003

ID Transcript mare2905_01 "JUL 8 - 200 Vol. 29-N0.5 ISSN 0892-1571 May/June 2003-fyar/Sivan 5763 Yom Hashoah V'Hagvurah Puts Focus on Resistance With Remembrance of Warsaw Ghetto Uprising ISRAEL LINKS PAST-PRESENT Jewish resistance during the Holocaust was the central theme of Yom Hashoah. V'Hagvurah throughout Israel. ""Just as Jewish fate differed from that of other nations under Nazi rule, so did the nature of Jewish opposition to the Nazis,"" said Prof. Israel Gutman, an academic advisor at Yad Vashem's International Institute for Holocaust Research. ""Driven by the sheer will to survive, millions of persecuted Jews in Nazi Third Reich territory and the occupied countries resisted the oppressor. On the eastern and western fronts, hundreds of thousands of Jews fought and died in Allied armies."" The poignant central observance was at Yad Vashem, Israel's Remembrance Authority. Six torch- lighters were all survivors who took part in Jewish resistance movements. All brought varying experiences during the Holocaust - in camps, in the ghettos, in partisan units, in the Jewish Brigade: Ephraim Agmon, Reuven Dafni, Edith Drori, David Plonski, Hela Schupper-Rufeisen, and Denise Siekierski, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon addressed the past and served a warning for the future. Relating to the theme, he said, ""The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising will forever be remembered as a burning torch - the beacon of heroism lit by young Jews - headed by members of all the Zionist youth movements - facing the inferno. (continued on page 9) WORLD OBSERVES 60TH YEAR Resistance has always been a cornerstone of programs for Yom Hashoah V'Hagvurah; this year resistance became the centerpiece with the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Additional dimensions of the ceremonies reflected contemporary developments: anti-Semitism worldwide and the war in Iraq. Programs and ceremonies were held 27 Nissan, Monday, April 28, and Tuesday, April 29. Observances began Monday evening, April 28. The participation of survivors as witnesses to history was more pronounced than in past years, as the ranks of survivors lessen. Survivors served as principal speakers across the globe. The vigorous participation of survivors was compelling proof—as always that there is no more effective resource for remembrance than that of a survivor. The future of remembrance is in good hands, as reflected in the leadership and direction provided by the second and third generations in planning, chairing, and speaking at the programs. The focus of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising sharpened other examinations of past and present. Among these themes were the heroism of Anne Frank; the contributions of the Righteous Among The Nations; the martyrdom of the 1.5 million Jewish children; the pursuit of justice against Nazi war criminals; the narrative of plundered banks funds, art, and other re- Book Reviews 2, 3 Racism/Anti-Semitism 4 Survivors' Corner 5 Restitution and Remembrance by Eli Zborowski 5 Yom Hashoah V'Hagvurah in Israel .... 1, 9 Yom Hashoah V'Hagvurah in America/Worldwide 1, 6-7,16 M'DorL'Dor 11 At the Yom Hashoah ceremony at Yad Vashem, the Memorial Torch is lit by the Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate, Avner Shalev sources; the resolution of payments to survivors and their heirs. Members of Congress and Holocaust survivors lit candles for the six million in the Capitol Rotunda. Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel addressed the ceremony. Secretary of State Colin Powell and members of Congress also participated. The 60th anniversary was commemorated at Temple Emanu-El in NY under co-sponsorship of the Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Museum to the Holocaust and the Warsaw Ghetto Resistance Organization, (WAGRO). The Annual Gathering of Remembrance was arranged in association with the American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors, the Anti-Defamation League, the Consulate General of Israel, the Jewish Community Relations Council of NY, and UJA-Federation of New York. Among speakers were New York's U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton, former New York City Mayor Edward Koch, Israeli Consul General Alon Pinkas. Remarks were offered by David G. Marwell, director of the Museum, and Benjamin Meed, president of the American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors. ""Today marks a historic day at the capitol,"" said Texas Representative Joe Nixon at the Yom Hashoah ceremony in Austin. ""I am so pleased to have worked with everyone involved to ensure that survivors and victims are properly honored and remembered for (continued on page 6) "