03 April 2013
The central theme for this year's Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Day is Defiance and Rebellion during the Holocaust: 70 Years Since the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The official Opening Ceremony for Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Day will take place on Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 20:00, in Warsaw Ghetto Square, Yad Vashem, Mount of Remembrance, Jerusalem.
Israel's President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will speak. Avner Shalev, Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate, will kindle the Memorial Torch. Aliza Vitis-Shomron will speak on behalf of the survivors.
During the ceremony, Holocaust survivors will light six torches. First torch: the late Peretz Hochman (who passed away a few days ago; his widow Sima will light the torch), second torch: Otto Dov Pressburger, third torch: Dina Ostrover, fourth torch: Eliezer Eizenschmidt, fifth torch: Miriam Liptcher, sixth torch: Baruch Kopold. During the ceremony, short videos about each of the torchlighters will be shown (produced and directed by Levi Zini). The traditional memorial service will take place during the ceremony.
The Rishon LeZion Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Shlomo Amar will recite Psalms. The Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Yona Metzger will recite Kaddish. El Maleh Rahamim, a Jewish prayer for the souls of the martyrs, will be recited by Cantor Azi Schwartz. Participants in the ceremony include singer David D'Or and the Youth Movement Choir as well as the IDF Paratroopers' Honor Guard. Narrative piece: actor Ishai Golan. The evening's MC will be Oshrat Kotler.
The ceremony will be broadcast live on television on Channels 1, 2, 10 and 33, and channel 9 in Russian, and by radio on Kol Israel and Galei Zahal. It will last about one hour and a quarter. At 22:00 a special radio program entitled "Shoah, Heroism and Definitions' that will explore the essence of heroism during the Holocaust, will air on Galei Zahal. The program will be presented by Ehud Graff and is a joint program of Yad Vashem and Galei Zahal.
Yad Vashem will be closed to the public as of 12 noon on April 7. It will re-open on Monday, April 8, at 8:00 a.m.
Yad Vashem calls on the public to fill in Pages of Testimony to commemorate the names of Jews murdered in the Holocaust. Volunteers are available to help Holocaust survivors fill out Pages of Testimony (in Israel please call: 02 6443111). At the same time, Yad Vashem is continuing the Gathering the Fragments campaign in an effort to rescue Holocaust-related documents, artifacts, photographs and art. To donate material to Yad Vashem, call [in Israel] 1-800-25-7777. The oral history department continues to film survivor testimonies. Yad Vashem personnel travel to interview and film survivors in their own homes; the testimonies are housed in the Yad Vashem Archives. To coordinate (in Israel): testimonies@yadvashem.org.il or 02 644 3752/3.
MEDIA ARRANGEMENTS Entrance for Journalists to the Opening Ceremony on Sunday, April 7, 2013 COVERAGE OF THE OPENING CEREMONY IS OPEN, WITH PRIOR REGISTRATION AT media.relations@yadvashem.org.il AND VALID 2013 GOVERNMENT PRESS OFFICE CARD ONLY.
Journalists should arrive at Mt. Herzl by 18:00.
Shuttles will run from Mt. Herzl from 16:30.
Private vehicles will not be admitted to Yad Vashem.No firearms permitted. It is recommended to dress warmly.
Entrance for Journalists to the Wreath-Laying Ceremony in the Presence of the President and Prime Minister, Monday, April 8, 2013, at 10:00 a.m.
Journalists will be permitted to enter the site by buses available to the public at the Mt. Herzl parking lot beginning at 7:30 a.m.
Private vehicles will not be admitted to Yad Vashem. ENTRANCE WILL ONLY BE PERMITTED WITH A VALID 2013 GOVERNMENT PRESS OFFICE CARD.
THERE WILL BE NO ENTRY TO THE CEREMONY AFTER 8:30 a.m.
No Firearms Permitted. There will be a Pool Position during the wreath-laying ceremony - details TBD.
From 11:00-20:30 entry will be permitted to all events at Yad Vashem, by way of shuttle service from Mt. Herzl.
Below are details of the Remembrance Day events at Yad Vashem.
Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Day April 8, 2013
Program of Events at Yad Vashem
10:00 Siren Throughout the day, the International School for Holocaust Studies will hold educational activities for groups, youth movement members and student councils.
10:02 Wreath-laying ceremony with the participation of Israel's President, Prime Minister, Speaker of the Knesset, President of the Supreme Court, Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, Chairman of the Jewish Agency, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Chief of Police, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Mayor of Jerusalem, representatives of survivor and fighter organizations, youth and delegations from throughout the country - Warsaw Ghetto Square
10:30 - 12:30 - Unto Every Person There is a Name†Recitation of Holocaust victims' names by members of the public. Personal assistance filling out Pages of Testimony will be available at a special stand. Hall of Remembrance
11:00 - Unto Every Person There is a Name Recitation of Holocaust victims' names under the auspices of the Speaker of the Knesset
13:00 Main memorial ceremony - Hall of Remembrance 13:30 Memorial ceremony for Hungarian Jewry - Synagogue
17:30 Ceremony for youth movements in the presence of Israel Minister of Education Rabbi Shai Piron.The Minister of Education, Yad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev, and Holocaust survivor Yael Levi Wiernik Gordon will offer remarks. The Memorial Torch will be kindled by Holocaust survivors. The ceremony is organized in conjunction with the Ministry of Education's Youth Movement Council and Youth and Social Administration - Valley of the Communities
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18:30 Special evening of the “Generation to Generation-Bearers of the Holocaust and Heroism Legacy organization with the participation of Yad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev - Tzvata Hall, Tel AvivFor registration and details: dorot.hahemshech@gmail.com >dorot.hahemshech@gmail.com or tel: 02-6443822
Information about Holocaust Remembrance Day, as well as online exhibits, educational materials, video testimony, a form for people to submit names for reading in the Hall of Remembrance on Holocaust Remembrance Day, and more is available at www.yadvashem.org.
