Yad Vashem: A Moving Remembrance to the Holocaust
Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, is the largest Holocaust memorial in Israel. Built on the slopes of the Mount of Remembrance, the museum serves to remember the lives of victims during one of the most devastating periods of history. A visit to the 45-acre campus is an important part of understanding the Holocaust and its lasting impact on history.
First opened in 2005, Yad Vashem features nine galleries filled with photographs, films, documents, artifacts, and art from the time of the Holocaust. On your visit, you can see exhibits including a copy of Schindler’s List and the Auschwitz Album, watch survivor testimonies, and view the memorials in the Hall of Names, a space containing over three million names of Holocaust victims. The Holocaust History Museum, designed by notable architect Moshe Safdie, features a prism-like triangular structure that cuts through the Jerusalem hillside.
Yad Layeled is the children’s memorial at the museum that honors the one and a half million Jewish children who died in the Holocaust. Lit by a single memorial candle, the candle is multiplied into infinite reflections by reflective glass panels and mirrors that line every interior surface. Visitors walk through the passageway of reflecting candlelight, each signifying a life lost.
Although visiting Yad Vashem can be emotionally intense, the importance of remembering the devastation of the Holocaust is crucial and deeply moving. Entrance to Yad Vashem is free, although registration in advance is required.
