By Osnat Nir Dadon

On 26 February, the first Congress of Israeli Youth Movements was held at Yad Vashem. Participating in the congress were some 350 members of local youth movements, spanning secular and religious groups, the Jewish and Arab sectors, and the complete political spectrum. The event was held in cooperation with the Israel Council of Youth Movements (the umbrella organization for Israel’s 14 recognized youth movements) and the Ministry of Education’s Society and Youth Administration.

The congress addressed the role of youth movement leaders in passing on Holocaust memory in contemporary Israeli society. “At this unique congress young Israelis of all sectors and opinions had the opportunity to engage in a dialogue about something that unites them—preserving the memory of the Holocaust,” said International School for Holocaust Studies Director Dr. Motti Shalem. “We regard this high-caliber group, which plays a leading role in Israeli public discourse, as ambassadors and transmitters of the message, as a bridge to the memory of the Holocaust in a society that changes with the passing generations.”

The School’s Pedagogical Director Shulamit Imber opened the congress with a lecture entitled, “Youth Groups During the Holocaust: A Source of Inspiration.” Yad Vashem’s Director General Nathan Eitan greeted the participants, and Rabbi Dr. Benny Lau and Muki Tzur addressed the issue of “Human Dignity and Freedom in the Wake of the Holocaust” in a panel discussion moderated by Sivan Rahav-Meir.

There were also workshops on the shaping of Holocaust remembrance as well as how the Holocaust is reflected in art, literature and contemporary media. Film selections from the Muzika project, dealing with the meaning of words, were screened; posters prepared by Shenkar College students were displayed; and a tour of the site was conducted around the theme of Israeli society and the Holocaust.
Discussion groups formed to debate the role of youth and youth movements in shaping the memory of the Holocaust, unified by the theme: “The Scepter of Memory—How and Where To?”

The congress’s concluding session included a roundtable discussion in which youth movement representatives exchanged ideas on their approaches to the issue of preserving the memory of the Holocaust.

The author is Coordinator of the Informal Training Division at the International School for Holocaust Studies.

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