Holocaust Memory Sites for Israelis

Holocaust memorial designs and museum exhibits in Israel have naturally served a key role in the Zionist national narrative. Indeed, Holocaust remembrance and the nation-state of Israel continue to evolve together. I will consider the experiences of Israelis and Diaspora Jews visiting Nazi perpetrator sites in terms of encouraging renovation and memorialization at places and structures located on “Jewish heritage” trails, particularly across central and Eastern Europe. I am interested in pursuing such commemoration rituals and pilgrimages as transnational events, especially those including Israelis; and the crucial involvement of survivors as well as other groups as the sponsors, participants, and audiences of Holocaust collective memory. These acts of commemoration include the key pedagogical outreach of e.g., Yad Vashem organizing seminars in Israel for Polish priests and international educators.