About Us
Ganzach Kiddush Hashem
Background
The Kiddush Hashem Archive (in Hebrew, Ganzach Kiddush Hashem) was founded in 1964 (5724) by the late author and Holocaust researcher, Rabbi Moshe Prager z”l, with the aim of commemorating the destroyed Jewish world, the heroism of the Jewish soul during the Holocaust, and the miracle of the Jewish People’s rebirth in Israel.
Kiddush Hashem, which translates to “sanctifying the Name of G-d,” is any act by Jews on a communal or individual basis that brings honour to G-d, as well as positive representation of the Jewish People. In the case of the Holocaust, this can be seen through the stories of survivors and victims who acted ethically despite the torturous conditions they endured.
Our unique archive focusses on stories of maintaining moral and Jewish values during the Holocaust. Since its founding, Ganzach Kiddush Hashem has developed and strives to fulfill the following goals:
- Preserving the collection of testimonies, documents, and photographs that bear witness to the moral strength of the Jews in the past few generations, as well as to the miracle of the Jewish People’s rebirth
- Researching, documenting, and commemorating the richness of Jewish life throughout the world, over generations
- Memorializing destroyed communities, including their spiritual and cultural elements
- Using various methods, by means of a faith-based outlook, to instill awareness of the Holocaust in the general public, and particularly in youth
For over 50 years, our archive has gathered a vast amount of diverse and fascinating documentation including:
- Approximately 300,000 photographs in the Photograph Archive
- Approximately 2,000,000 documents in the Document Archive
- Approximately 40,000 textbooks in the Library
- Approximately 2000 video testimonies, which are currently being digitized
These collections are open to all – survivors, researchers, authors, journalists, teachers, students, and the general public.
Through its collections, Ganzach Kiddush Hashem has developed relevant and engaging educational programming, supported by both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture and Sport.
Public educational institutions, research centres, and museums throughout the world have recognized the unparalleled work of Ganzach Kiddush Hashem and have collaborated with us.
The Aims of Ganzach Kiddush Hashem
Ganzach Kiddush Hashem was founded in 1964 by the Holocaust researcher and author, Rabbi Moshe Prager z”l. Since then, the institution has maintained its activities and goals reflecting Rabbi Prager’s views.
Commemoration
Commemorate communities and the destroyed spiritual and cultural world
Research and Documentation
Research, document, and commemorate Jewish heritage in all parts of the Diaspora
Heritage
Instilled the awareness of the Holocaust, in various ways, in the general public and particularly in youth, while emphasizing the religious and Jewish aspects
Activities
Ganzach Kiddush Hashem works in the areas of commemoration, research, documentation, and passing on the legacy of the Holocaust to youth and the public at large. We commemorate the cultural and religious memories of the destroyed Jewish communities. We research and document Jewish life, with an emphasis on the strength of the Jewish spirit in the Holocaust period. We strive to pass on the legacy of the Holocaust through a religious lens, emphasizing emuna (religious faith), through lectures, workshops, documentaries, study kits, and more.
Archives, Books, Films, and Testimonies
In the various collections of our archive we collect, classify, preserve and digitize materials so that they can be available to all. Much of our archive has already been digitized, including most of our Photograph Archive, however the digitization is an ongoing project.
Ganzach Kiddush Hashem has published over 50 books detailing the accounts of those who sanctified G-d’s name during the Holocaust. Through trained interviewers, we have collected many survivor testimonies, which are then prepared for use on our website and in educational institutions. An expert professional team has thus far created 13 engaging documentaries based on the video testimonies. Several are available in English and others are in the translation process.
Ganzach Kiddush Hashem firmly believes that it is of the utmost importance to collect written, audio, and video testimonies from firsthand witnesses before it is too late. From engaging with survivors, we realized that their stories of kiddush Hashem have not been adequately documented and there is very little educational material on the subject. Ganzach Kiddush Hashem is fulfilling this imperative task.
Education
Ganzach Kiddush Hashem strives to strengthen the connection between modern youth and the survivor generation who rebuilt from the ashes. To meet this aim, we have curated interactive educational programming and exhibitions. While these are open to people from all backgrounds, we deeply understand the nuances of the Charedi educational system.
Our exhibitions include portrayals of the destroyed Jewish world, the historical events of the Holocaust, the moral and religious struggles Jews faced during the war, and the rebirth of the Jewish People and Israel postwar.
Our various workshops take place onsite and at educational institutions throughout the country. We hold workshops for students starting in the higher years of elementary school, which enable them to write papers based on material in our archives. We offer bar and bat mitzvah projects, including genealogical research, and prepare teens and young adults for trips to Poland. We work with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and provide tours of our archives. Additionally, we provide training to Charedi teachers in schools, yeshivas, and seminaries, as well as courses for teachers in special education settings. As part of our educational programming, we offer study kits using diverse and innovative teaching methods. These kits include booklets for both teachers and students, photos, video testimonies, and more.
