Revitalization of the

Valley of the Communities

The Valley of the Communities at Yad Vashem is a massive 2.5 acre monument literally dug out of natural bedrock. Over 5000 names of communities are engraved on its 107 stone walls which roughly corresponds to the geographic arrangement of the map of Europe and North Africa. Each name recalls a Jewish community which existed for hundreds of years; for the inhabitants, each community constituted an entire world.

Today, in most cases, nothing remains but the name.

"This memorial commemorates the Jewish communities destroyed by Nazi Germany and its collaborators, and the few which suffered but survived in the shadow of the Holocaust. For more than one thousand years, Jews lived in Europe, organizing communities to preserve their distinct identity. In periods of relative tranquility, Jewish culture flourished, but in periods of unrest, Jews were forced to flee. Wherever they settled, they endowed the people amongst whom they lived with their talents. Here their stories will be told.."

Yad Vashem has unveiled its plan to make The Valley of the Communities more easily accessible and appropriate for all visitors including families with young children. Whereas the Museum is only intended for children over the age of 10, The Valley of the Communities which focusses on Jewish life between the two World Wars will be appropriate for all. In addition to infrastructure updates,  there will be two main elements to the revitalization: an evening based interactive video and sound program shown on the walls of the Valley, and an educational centre appropriate for all ages, which will be available daily during the times that the main Holocaust Museum remains open.