Ceremony in Yad Vashem
In the following I want to give you a first glimpse at the ceremony at Yad Vashem (Jerusalem) on August 19th 2010, which commemorated the vanished Jewish community of Laa an der Thaya. The labyrinth-like „Valley of Communities“ is made of light-yellow Jerusalem-stone and commemorates the extinguished Jewish communities all over Europe. Guests from the USA, Austria, Germany and Israel came to attend the day, which started at 9 AM at the Valley of communities and ended at 4: 30 PM in Ramat Rachel, near Jerusalem.
At the moment you are invited to look at pictures taken during the day and you can also listen to the speeches given.
COMING SOON:
Video of the event
Short overview of the event
The day started at 9 AM in the Valley of Communities, when the last person born into the Jewish community of Laa together with 3rd-generation representatives of the Österreicher und Yokel Familiy from Laa, lay down a wreath next to the engraving. Then I (Magdalena Müllner) gave a short speech and read out the family names of the Jewish families of Laa. Then a survivor said the Caddish and a cantor concluded the first part of the event with „El Maleh Rahamim“.
After a guided tour through the new Museum and refreshments, the early afternoon program continued in the synagogue of Yad Vashem. After Ms. Caplan, the director of The International School for Holocaust Studies (who represented Yad Vashem), Mr. Gideon Eckhaus, chairman of the central committee of Jews from Austria in Israel gave his address. Mr. Franz Muellner, chairman of our society, gave a talk in which he looked back on the long way from denying the Jewish community of Laa to the founding of the society and the erection of the memorial in Laa. The city of Laa was represented by vice mayor Brigitte Ribisch, which granted in her moving address that the town Laa wants to commemorate its former Jewish citizens and welcomes their descendants. She stressed that the town government is aware that the engraving in the Valley of Communities means that Laa is included in the list of formerly important Jewish communities and that the town government wants to face its responsibility that comes from this honor. Mag. Gabriele Feigl, cultural attaché of the Austrian embassy, gave the last address. The singer Betty Klein provided the musical frame for the ceremony in the synagogue.
The last part of the day was the lunch at Ramat Rachel near Jerusalem, where several survivors and representatives of former Jewish families from Laa held speeches. It was a very special day and I am thankful that so many guests came from near and far. It is remarkable that so many people from the grandchildren-generation of the survivors were present. I thank Yad Vashem and all who came and made this day as special as it was.