International Conference of Holocaust Child Survivors Recently Held in Jerusalem

The 19th Annual International Conference of Holocaust Child Survivors, Second and Third Generations, Spouses and Families recently took place in Jerusalem. The conference, held on November 5-8, 2007, was organized by the World Federation of Jewish Child Survivors of the Holocaust (WFJCSH) in cooperation with YESH (Children and Orphans Holocaust Survivors in Israel), AMCHA (National Israeli Center for Psychosocial Support of Survivors of the Holocaust and the Second Generation), and ELAH (The Center for Psycho-Social Support of Former Dutch Residents and their Relatives in Israel). During the conference, hundreds of child survivors and members of the second and third generations participated in various lectures and workshops. Many distinguished speakers addressed the conference, including Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate Avner Shalev, Former Chief Rabbi of Israel and child survivor Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, Former President of the Israeli Supreme Court and child survivor Prof. Aharon Barak, and Academic Advisor to Yad Vashem Prof. Yehuda Bauer.

The final day of the conference was held at Yad Vashem. About 300 participants in the conference toured the Holocaust History Museum as well as many other sites including the Synagogue, Museum of Holocaust Art, Visual Center, Learning Center, Spots of Light Exhibition in the Temporary Exhibitions Pavilion, and No Childs Play Exhibition. Afterwards, a memorial ceremony was held in the Hall of Remembrance, in which Ms. Stefanie Seltzer, President of the WFJCSH, rekindled the eternal flame. Mr. Alex Orli, Chairman of YESH, recited the Kaddish prayer, and the ceremony concluded with the singing of Hatikvah. The participants proceeded to the Valley of the Communities, where they located the names of their hometowns and those of their relatives engraved on the walls of the memorial.