The Holocaust in collective Israeli identity

1. The Holocaust in collective Israeli identity Stages in its evolution from 1946-2011

2. 1. The years of silence, shame and implicit accusation Diaspora negation Shame: “lambs to the slaughter” Stories were not solicited Survivors were implicitly accused: Non-Zionists, “The good ones died” Minimal teaching on Holocaust

3. Displaces persons camps and the mass immigration to Israel:

4. The shame: • “The trouble with the Diaspora Jews is that they preferred the life of a beaten dog to an honorable death” (Yitzhak Grinbaum) • “Why don’t the Jews of Hungary defend themselves?” (Davar daily newspaper in Palestine, Front page, June 1944)

5. Israel’s Negation of the diaspora • “Our children read and hear a lot about the destruction of the Diaspora, the atrocities which were committed to our brethren and their suffering, but their hearts remains indifferent. …This is not surprising. Our youth is tall and proud in stature and spirit. They believe in their powers and know their worth. They love freedom and strive for open space. They would never tolerate any oppression”. (Weronovski, 1954)

6. “As lambs to the slaughter”

7. The silence • “No one believed me. They asked questions and asked investigative queries as if I were a criminal who wanted to cheat people” (Kurtz) • “I wanted to be asked about what had happened to me “there” . My story was the only property I owned. But no one asked”. (Miriam Weinfeld) • “That’s the tragedy of the survivor’s mission. He has to tell a story that cannot be told. He has to convey a message that cannot be conveyed” (Eli Wiezel)

8. However, the Holocaust was simmering just under the surface: Reparations dispute - 1952 Kastner trial - 1953 Drawing lessons from Kfar Kassem Massacre - 1956

9. Reparations

10. Kastner’s trial

11. Learning Holocaust lessons from KfarKassem Massacre “Every IDF soldier has the obligation to refuse a blatantly illegal order”. “The Jewish soldier will never be aided by the claim “I only filled orders”. He must understand what he is asked to do. Evil must be stopped way before it becomes at all similar to that of the Holocaust” paraphrase, Judge Levi)

12. What did Holocaust commemoration look like during those years? Formal, state level, collective Focus on bravery Impersonal: “Six million” At the same time – attempt to list witnesses.

13. State-level, collective commemoration: Holocaust day, YadVashaem, the siren.

14. Focus on the resistance and “bravery”

15. Education on topic - limited • Three educational stances were developed: • The Holocaust should be taught to strengthen Zionist identity and prove its necessity. • The Holocaust should be used to strengthen humanist values. • Historical knowledge of what took place should be stressed.

16. Attempt to list witnesses:

17. 2. Breaking the silence Eichmann’s trial The pre-Six day War anxiety The Yom Kippur war sense of defeat The 1977 political change.

18. Eichman’s trial

19. Pre-1967 war anxiety

20. Post -1973 war sense of loss

21. The 1977 political revolution

22. What did Holocaust commemoration look like following this “awakening”? Focus on the personal Stories and suffering First popular renditions of second generation (“Dust and ashes”) The “Each person has a name” project.

23. The personal: testimonies, memoirs The Holocaust Encyclopedia “I escaped from Auschwitz”

24. Meseums focus on the personal:

25. “Each person has a name”

26. Ashes and dust: second generation Voted “Most important Israeli album ever”.

27. 3. The “victim” narrative gains importance; (+Privatization of Holocaust) Educational visits to Poland March of the living Thousands of studies, books, on Holocaust Political message of fear “privatization” offered Critique of Holocaust commemoration raised.

28. Educational visits to Poland: Now the mainstream experience

29. March of the living:

30. IAF in special flight over Auschwitz:

31. Messages imparted by such endeavors: • Jewish+Zionist identity closely tied with Holocaust • Strong sense of “never again” • Sense of being alone in the world. • Sense of victimhood (sharp change from Israelis as entirely heroic) • Arabs grouped with all others who wish for the demise of the Jews.

32. “Privatization” of the Holocaust • Used for different political agendas. • Differentiated by groups: Orthodox, Ultra-Orthodox, children, GLBT, the deaf, and so on. • Critique is sometime expressed of mainstream messages and education in light of Holocaust. • Alternative ceremonies focus on personal perspectives. • Call is made for more universal content. • Some call is made for “moving on”.

33. Studies, books, sites on Holocaust for all groups:

34. Becoming mainstream: Alternative Holocaust commemoration ceremonies

35. Still peripheral: Israeli Holocaust commemoration critique