Exploring Yad Vashem

 Yad Vashem, located in Jerusalem, is a historical site as well as a testament to the six million Jewish people who were killed during the Holocaust. The name "Yad Vashem" is derived from a biblical verse meaning "a place and a name" symbolizing the importance of preserving the memory of the innocent people who lost their lives. 

    The heart of Yad Vashem, the Holocaust History Museum, guides visitors through the chronological order of the events of the Holocaust, from the rise of Nazi ideology to when the concentration camps were finally liberated. In this way, the site serves as a method to not only remember the lives lost but also inform visitors of the events leading up to and following the Holocaust. According to Tourist Israel, the museum effectively does this by "...using a range of multimedia including photographs, films, documents, letters, works of art, and personal items found in the camps and ghettos," (Tourist Israel, "Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum"). 

"The Hall of Names", remembering the lives that were lost    

    

    As depicted above, one of the most poignant features of Yad Vashem is "The Hall of Names". This display is a collection of over two million names that have been thoroughly researched and documented by researchers. On their website, the Yad Vashem Foundation describes the monument as "Surrounded by fragments of Pages of Testimony and portraits of Holocaust victims from different countries and backgrounds, visitors to the Hall can reflect on the destruction of the pre-war Jewish world," (Yad Vashem Foundation, "Hall of Names"). As well, something that was interesting to me personally is that the Hall of Names also contains a computer terminal where visitors can search for individual people and their testaments or information.

    Overall, Yad Vashem stands as a solemn site of remembrance for all the Jewish people that lost their lives or loved ones during the Holocaust. As well, the site serves as a method to ensure that the stories of the perished are never lost. Through its educational initiatives and research opportunities, Yad Vashem will continue to be updated and added to as more information about the historical event is uncovered.

https://www.touristisrael.com/yad-vashem-holocaust-museum/409/

https://www.yadvashem.org/archive/hall-of-names.html