Sheldon Adelson was an exceptional man. Having started out by selling newspapers on a street corner, he went on to achieve extraordinary things. 

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He was a visionary who possessed the ability to think several steps ahead. More than that, he was a man of action. He had the wisdom and daring to make his dreams come true.

Sheldon was also incredibly kind. It might have seemed from the outside that he was a tough person, when in fact he was soft, caring, and incredibly loving.

For many years Sheldon and I met every time he visited Israel, always on a Friday, always at the same café, and later at home, we would talk for hours on end. 

I listened to him with great attention, and I was especially touched by his love for Israel and the Jewish people. From this love stems his connection to Yad Vashem.

He was aware of the inherent dangers anti-Semitism poses to the Jewish people and the entire world. He understood the importance of remembering the Holocaust and recognized how valuable education is in achieving that.

Although he did not personally experience the horrors of the Holocaust, he understood the damage that had been inflicted on the Jewish people, and therefore greatly contributed to the creation of an international system of Holocaust education.

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With Sheldon's support, and with the support of his dear wife Miri, we built a pioneering worldwide system of professional teachers who possess the knowledge, values, and understanding of the need to teach and study about anti-Semitism and the Holocaust.

Sheldon made a unique distribution to the Jewish people and Holocaust commemoration. We are eternally grateful, and we will miss him greatly.

Avner Shalev is the chairman of Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center.

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An important phenomenon took place during the Holocaust. In which Jews put themselves at risk to save their fellow people. In a reality like that one, in which every Jew was persecuted in extreme and unprecedented conditions, it would have been natural for individuals to focus on saving themselves, their families, and the people closest to them.

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But the principle that the entire Jewish people are charged with each other's wellbeing is one that had been inculcated into the Jewish people for generations – the decision to risk one's life while extending one's hand is not an obvious one. Jews who tried to save other Jews took a double risk, since they were already being persecuted by the murderous Nazi policies.

The rescue actions were carried out by individuals or organizations, undergrounds or the various Jewish groups. They took place in countries where Jews were persecuted and in countries where Jews had sought safe haven. Rescue attempts took various forms, including sneaking across borders, making and distributing fake documents, assistance with emigration or establishing aid societies to help the Jewish public as a whole.

Many of the Jewish rescue initiatives were aided by gentiles, including some of the Righteous Among the Nations, who lent their help and support. Jewish solidarity and courage by both individuals and groups during the Holocaust shows that at a time of existential danger, they continued to protect each other and maintain moral values, including carrying out their obligation to help others. The Jewish rescuers were facing existential dilemmas and difficulties, but still opted to take action on behalf of their hounded brethren.

We must all remember and learn from this wonderful story. Obviously, the current situation is in no way similar to what existed during the Holocaust, but we can say that at times of crises, solidarity and mutual assurance are the foundations of our strength as Jews, as Israelis, and as human beings. 

In the conversations I've been having with Holocaust survivors, I come to strengthen them and leave strengthened. I am encouraged by their perspective and their life experiences after the Holocaust. They teach us about determination, tolerance, and a commitment to the values of building and renewal.

Both individuals and communities can successfully handle distressful times, and even find that they hold meaning for both the present and the future.

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Ostensibly, one would expect Holocaust survivors to be bitter and desperate, focused on vengeance or seeking only personal achievements and materialistic pursuits, oblivious to history or human values. The vast majority of Holocaust survivors, however, have been able to maintain their faith in mankind as well as in God. This process began when the political views and various ideological affiliations that characterized Jews in Europe before the Holocaust collapsed and, in the wake of World War II, were replaced by the Zionist dream.

Most Holocaust survivors and their leaders understood that realizing this dream was their mission and strove to realize it at all cost. The survivors were willing to struggle anew and were determined to fight for the then-illegal immigration of Jews to British Palestine at significant risk to themselves, and hundreds of survivors paid the ultimate price for their efforts. Those who made it struggled to integrate in every sphere of life, and we fall short of fully recognizing the length and breadth of their contribution to the creative professions, as many of them were painters, graphic artists, poets, novelists and scientists.

Holocaust survivors also contributed greatly to medicine, religion, the settlement enterprise and the security of the pre-state Jewish community. In each of these fields the,y made a significant creative contribution, a symbol of the revival of the people of Israel.

Meanwhile, they also volunteered to serve in the budding defense establishment that included the Palmach, Haganah, Irgun and Lehi paramilitary groups and following Israel's inception, many of them volunteered to serve in the Israel Defense Forces, making up the majority of the fighting force in the 1948 War of Independence.

We take inspiration from their actions and determination, which restores our faith in the power of the spirit of mankind. After they had survived indescribable atrocities and destruction, they chose to live lives full of hope by holding on to the belief that it is possible to create a new and moral society through a clear vision and unwavering loyalty to the vision of the State of Israel. The strength of their character and their creation are a source of inspiration for us all.

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