On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel, the Heinrich Boell Stiftung together with Action Reconciliation Service for Peace invited Shoah survivors and the general public to discuss their current situation in Israel and to reflect on the future of memorializing the Shoah. On June 18th 2008, some 100 people gathered at Beit Sokolov in Tel Aviv to take part in the event.
In his opening remarks, the German ambassador in Israel, H.E. Dr. Dr. h.c. Harald Kindermann, outlined the challenging relationship between Germany and Israel as well as the strong ties between both countries despite and because of their history. The event was mostly held in German, something that should not go without saying, Kindermann emphasized. It is not only the first language of a lot of Shoah survivors, but also the language of the perpetrators.
The Director of the Heinrich Boell Stiftung in Israel, Mr. Joern Boehme expressed his appreciation of the survivors, who are willing to share their unthinkable experiences with us. They only survived due to a chain of coincidences, he emphasized. Ms. Katharina von Münster, Director of Action Reconciliation Service for Peace in Israel mentioned the challenges the second and third generation in Germany and Israel are facing with regards to the past.
Member of Knesset Colette Avital presented the work of the Lobby for Holocaust Survivors and spoke about the situation of the survivors in today’s Israel. The Shoah has become part of the Israeli-Jewish narrative in Israel, also for those who have not undergone it. It is a central part of their identity, throughout all succeeding generations. But even though a lot has happened in the last 60 years, the situation for many of the survivors is very difficult. The definition of ‘survivor’ is limited in scope, excluding many people based on the extent of the perpetration or the date of their immigration. So we are facing a reality in which survivors who do not fit into the formal definition cannot live their life in dignity, Avital said.
The main part of the event was dedicated to the panel with three Shoah survivors. Simeon Reusch, a current volunteer of Action Reconciliation Service for Peace in Tel Aviv and Yossi Gilad, who had worked in the House of the Wannsee Conference Memorial and Educational Site in Berlin with Action reconciliation Service for Peace interviewed the Shoah survivors. Mr. Yehuda Bacon and Ms. Ester Golan, who both live in Jerusalem today and Ms. Halina Birenbaum from Herzliya shared their experiences and insights on how they tried to return to life and how they live today in Israel. They discussed how they perceive the commemoration of the Shoah in Israel and how they shared their unthinkable experiences with their family, especially with their children and grandchildren. As living witnesses will not be available forever, others will have to relate their experiences. All three survivors wished that everyone with whom they shared their experiences will pass it on to others as a testimony for the future.
Speech by Joern Boehme, Director of the Heinrich Boell Stiftung in Israel (German, PDF, 6 pages, 33 kB)
Speech by Katharina von Münster, Director of Action Reconciliation Service for Peace in Israel (German, PDF, 5 pages, 38 kB)
Videoclip about the LIving After Surving event