Scheduling the Event

Your campaign may consist of a single Names Recovery Event, or a series of events. The amount of time you devote to your campaign will depend on your resources and time constraints. At a minimum, your campaign will involve promoting the initiative and holding a Names Recovery Event.

Schedule events around meaningful dates in the Jewish calendar when you expect a large turnout. If your community holds an annual Holocaust commemoration ceremony or event this would be a particularly appropriate activity to enhance an existing program.

Suggested dates:

• Rosh Hashanah, September 13-14 2007
• Yom Kippur, September 22, 2007
• 10th of Tevet, December 19, 2007
• International Holocaust Remembrance Day, January 27th 2007. Click for dates in Europe
• Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Day, 27th of Nissan, May 1, 2008.
• The 17th of Tammuz, July 20, 2008
• The Ninth of Av, August 10, 2008

Event Agenda

• Introduce the project. If possible, invite a speaker who has knowledge of the Database to share their experiences.
• Demonstrate how to fill out a Page of Testimony
• Ask survivors and other testifiers to create a list of the names of those for whom they will bear witness.
• If working with volunteers, have them search the Online Database for the names on the list before submitting them to see if the names are registered.
• Have testifiers submit a Page of Testimony for each person on their list.

Holding the event:

For your event you will need Page of Testimony forms and when possible computers with Internet access, as well as a printer and a scanner for submitting photographs and/or documents.

To announce the event, print out the Bulletin and add in event time, place and contact details for more information.

If you have computers available at the event, we recommend searching the Online Database of Shoah Victims' Names prior to filling out Pages of Testimony to make sure the victim is not already registered in the Database. If a name is already in the Database, there is a chance that family members will be discovered and reunited as has happened in the past. These occurrences can generate positive publicity for your campaign. Use the sample Press Release to inform local media. Please also inform Yad Vashem prior to distribution.

If you are not working with volunteers, set up a table with postcards and Pages of Testimony and Instructions so that people can fill them out on their own.

Collect all the Pages of Testimony from participants of your campaign including signed copies of the forms that have been submitted online. Make sure your promotional materials specifically state that you will be the address for sending the Pages of Testimony in order to monitor the outcome of the community-wide campaign. Use the Page of Testimony Log to document the number of Pages collected. Send the Pages to Yad Vashem keeping each individual testifier’s Pages together in the envelope. Clearly state the name of your organization or community spearheading the project. This will allow us to track your progress and send letters of thanks to all who contribute to the project. To ensure proper scanning and preservation in the Hall of Names, the Pages should be mailed unfolded to:

Hall of Names, Yad Vashem, P.O.B 3477, Jerusalem, 91034, Israel

Please note: When implementing a long term campaign, send Pages of Testimony to Yad Vashem periodically, to ensure timely processing.