Addressing the approaching reality of a world without living Holocaust survivors, approximately 300 participants assembled in Jerusalem for a conference held by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany under the banner "The Post-Survivor era – Between Denial, Technology, and Historical Truth." The gathering addressed rising antisemitism alongside the challenges posed by synthetic media and digital transformation.
Addresses were delivered by President of the State of Israel Isaac Herzog, Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan, German Consul to Israel Nikola Petkovic, and Executive Vice President of the Claims Conference Greg Schneider. Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer hosted the evening, which featured musical interludes by Israeli artist Shlomi Shaban.
"Holocaust remembrance is a sacred duty incumbent upon us all – as a people and as a nation – and indeed, upon humanity as a whole," President of the State of Israel Isaac Herzog said. "Only together, through cooperation across organizations, institutions, and sectors, and with nations and friends from around the world, can we create the tools that will enable us to meet the challenge and carry forward the mission of remembrance for generations to come".
Executive Vice President of the Claims Conference Greg Schneider noted, "During my visits with Holocaust survivors, their greatest concern was how they would be cared for as they aged. Today, the question I hear most often is how they will be remembered. We have a profound moral responsibility to ensure that the Shoah is never forgotten, and that those who survived – and those who were murdered – are honored, remembered, and their stories and lessons of the Shoah are carried forward from generation to generation."
Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan stated, "Holocaust survivors have been the authentic and living bridge between our present and the past. Through their lives, their work, and their testimony, they transformed remembrance into a living responsibility that now rests upon our shoulders. As the survivor generation passes from our midst, that responsibility is entrusted to the institutions that carry the torch forward."
Former Supreme Court President Prof. Aharon Barak received the "Triumph of the Spirit and Responsibility for Generations" award during a highlighted segment of the evening. Chairperson of the Center of Organizations of Holocaust Survivors in Israel, Colette Avital, and Executive Vice President of the Claims Conference Greg Schneider, presented the honor to Barak, recognizing his lifelong dedication to safeguarding human dignity and democratic values.
Israel Democracy Institute Senior Fellow Dr. Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler outlined a research initiative on synthetic media for Holocaust preservation. According to Dr. Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler, "The film 'From Post-Testimony to Post-Truth' illustrates how the line between documentation, reconstruction, and synthetic creation is becoming increasingly blurred. For this precise reason, the question of how we develop and manage artificial intelligence is also a question of how we will remember the Holocaust. Holocaust memory is no longer shaped only in museums, archives, and schools, but also in artificial intelligence systems and digital platforms. Therefore, the discussion on the future of memory must also take place around the decision-making tables where technologies that will carry historical testimony to future generations are being shaped."
Technologist Alon Carmel delivered a presentation on safeguarding testimony in the digital era, detailing how digital instruments can expand access to historical archives while upholding strict standards of historical truth. First-Person Memory Ambassadors Founder and CEO Dudi Ronen presented his organization's model, titled "Being Their Voice – From Holocaust Heroes to First-Person Memory Ambassadors." Ronen described how his group trains individuals to convey survivor narratives in the first person to combat memory loss and denial.
Educator and musician Uri Meizelman discussed guiding trips to Poland under the title "Recalculating Route: The Journey to Poland in the 21st Century." Meizelman urged educators to adapt their methods to reach modern youth navigating short attention spans and social media. Author and cartoonist Michel Kichka reflected on his book "Second Generation – Things I Didn't Tell Dad," using illustration and cinema to ensure that survivor accounts remain vibrant for future generations.
