Yad Vashem as a Place of Pilgrimage (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note

Yad Vashem is Israel’s official memorial to the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust

• It is located in Jerusalem and was established in 1953

• Yad Vashem means “A memorial and a name” (Isaiah 56:5) to honour each victim

The memorial has a museum and an archive

It preserves the identity of those who were killed during the war

• It honours those who saved Jews and teaches people about the dangers of hatred and prejudice

Shoah is the Hebrew word for catastrophe and is the term many Jews use to refer to the Holocaust

• It describes the murder of six million Jews by the Nazis during World War II

• Many Jews prefer the term “Shoah” rather than “holocaust” (which means sacrifice by fire) 

• Some Jews feel that “holocaust” implies that the mass murder of Jews was a kind of sacrifice, which is misleading

• They feel it may suggest that there was a religious purpose or meaning behind the genocide, which many people reject

There are many reasons why the memorial of Yad Vashem exists: 

• One important reason is for remembrance

  • The memorial ensures that the memory of Holocaust victims is preserved

  • Names, photos and stories are recorded to give victims back their identity

• The memorial also acts as a way of educating people

  • The memorial provides museums, exhibitions and a world-leading research centre

  • It aims to educate visitors and students about the Holocaust to prevent its repetition in the future

  • It encourages Jews and non-Jews to learn about justice, responsibility and the importance of standing up against oppression

• Yad Vashem also recognises the non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust

  • These individuals are called the Righteous Among the Nations

• The memorial strengthens Jewish identity because it is a place where Jews can honour their ancestors

  • Visiting the memorial is a pilgrimage for many Jews who visit

There are many different sites at Yad Vashem that play a unique role in helping Jews remember the Holocaust (Shoah)

The Cattle Car Memorial is a railway car that was used to transport Jews to death camps (for example Auschwitz)

• The car is positioned on a suspended track to symbolise helplessness and loss

• The memorial reminds Jews of the trauma of deportation and the suffering of the victims

• It encourages both Jews and non-Jews to reflect on injustice and cruelty

The Children’s Memorial is a dark underground chamber lit by reflected candlelight

• In the chamber, the names of 1.5 million murdered children are read out continuously

• The memorial represents innocence lost and the scale of the tragedy

• The memorial is deeply moving and spiritually powerful, and it reminds visitors of how precious and valuable life is

The Hall of Remembrance is a solemn, dark stone hall where an eternal flame burns

• It contains the ashes of Holocaust victims buried under the floor

• The names of the main death camps are also etched into the floor

• The memorial is used for state ceremonies and prayer

• It is a place of grief, dignity and silence

The Hall of Names contains a central circular space lined with files of testimonies about the victims

• The memorial holds personal records of those who were killed during the holocaust

• It shows how Judaism values individual lives and memories 

Janusz Korczak Square is named after a Jewish doctor and educator who refused to abandon his orphaned children and was killed with them in Treblinka

• This memorial symbolises selflessness, courage and the duty to protect the vulnerable

• It teaches the Jewish value of chesed (loving-kindness) and responsibility

The Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations is lined with trees planted in honour of non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust

• It recognises people such as Oskar Schindler, who saved the lives of many Jews

• It emphasises the Jewish belief in moral action and universal responsibility