American Christian leaders bring home new understanding of Holocaust and hardships faced by the Jewish community after eight-day program in Jerusalem
Building on Biblical analysis, sessions examine the causes of and ways to prevent injustice
New York, Dec. 16, 2015—
Twenty seven American ministers and pastors who traveled to Jerusalem for a eight-day Christian Leadership Seminar hosted by Israel’s Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem and the Washington-based Museum of the Bible are now bringing a new understanding of the Holocaust and its implications for today home to their communities across the United States.
During the Museum of the Bible-sponsored seminar, which ran from Nov. 28 to Dec. 7, participants heard lectures by experts on the Holocaust and moving stories from survivors, visited significant sites and monuments, and discussed the importance of ending baseless violence in our modern society.
Inspired by Museum of the Bible’s sponsorship, Yad Vashem organized the conference to include Biblical analysis. At the end of the program, many participants praised this methodology as a strong foundation for the remainder of the sessions.
“Leaders who attend our seminars carry on the critical work of Holocaust remembrance by sharing the history of this tragedy and the Bible’s teachings of compassion with their communities. We at Yad Vashem are deeply grateful to Museum of the Bible for helping our outreach to Americans that might not have had the chance to visit Yad Vashem in person yet,” said Susanna Kokkonen, Director of Christian Friends of Yad Vashem
“American religious leaders have a crucial responsibility to highlight the Holocaust’s horrors to people today, and we’re very appreciative of Yad Vashem for helping so many important Christian leaders bring this story home to America,” said Cary Summers, president of Museum of the Bible
“We live in a world beset by violence and loss. In these trying times we must look to the past to illuminate the path to a brighter future,” said Danise Peters, president and founder of Ruth Remnant Ministry, Inc. and President of H. Fred Williams Gospel Ministries, Inc. in Alabama, who attended the Leadership Seminar. “I will bring the spirit of Yad Vashem back to my congregation, and together we will work to make a difference.”
The American ministers and pastors in attendance expressed a desire to enrich their studies of the Bible’s historical and societal impact by visiting Museum of the Bible when it opens in Washington in 2017.
Museum of the Bible has also partnered with other Israel-based organizations including the Israel Antiquities Authority. When Museum of the Bible opens, it will display rare archaeological objects from Israel in a dedicated 4,000 square foot gallery through this partnership.
About Museum of the Bible
Museum of the Bible (museumoftheBible.org) invites all people to engage with the Bible through museum exhibits and scholarly pursuits, including artifact research, education initiatives and an international museum opening late 2017 in Washington, D.C. The 430,000-square-foot, $400 million Museum of the Bible, dedicated to the impact, history and narrative of the Bible, will be located three blocks from the U.S. Capitol.
About Yad Vashem
As the Jewish people’s living memorial to the Holocaust, Yad Vashem safeguards the memory of the past and imparts its meaning for future generations. Established in 1953, as the world center for documentation, research, education and commemoration of the Holocaust, Yad Vashem is today a dynamic and vital place of intergenerational and international encounter.
