More than 100 survivors participate in a Pledge to Remember

The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) this week announced the launch of a new global digital campaign, Our Holocaust Story: A Pledge to Remember.

The campaign features Holocaust survivors from across the United States and around the world with their second and third generation family members. It illustrates the importance of passing on the stories of the Holocaust so future generations can learn from past atrocities.

‘Our Holocaust Story’ features short videos of Holocaust survivors and family members sharing personal testimonies of persecution and survival. In closing, family members make a pledge to remember, ensuring these stories continue.

At least 50 institutions, organizations and museums globally, are participating, including Yad Vashem; International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA);  USC Shoah Foundation; American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC); The Jewish Agency for Israel; World Jewish Relief; Durban Holocaust and Genocide Centre; Melbourne Holocaust Museum; Anne Frank Huis Amsterdam; Simon-Wiesenthal Institute, Vienna; Cape Town Holocaust and Genocide Centre; Holocaust Educational Trust of the UK; The Jewish Museum of Greece; Sydney Jewish Museum; Galicia Jewish Museum and The Association of Jewish Refugees.

This is the first campaign where both survivors and second, third and in some case, fourth generation are together in a concerted effort such as this to carry the stories forward.

Gideon Taylor, President of the Claims Conference, said: “Each survivor has a poignant and unique story to tell of survival. By passing these stories on within their family, they make certain their story continues and the lessons of the Holocaust are not forgotten. Collectively, these stories tell the history of the Shoah, a history we must preserve and share. Only then can we truly say, ‘never again.’”

Greg Schneider, Executive Vice President of the Claims Conference, said: “When we see a Holocaust survivor with their family members, it sends a powerful message – they didn’t just survive the Holocaust, they went on to live, to build a family, a family that would not exist if they had not survived. Each survivor has a profound impact on the world, and it is our responsibility to carry forward the torch of their testimony. We should all make a pledge to remember.”

Over 100 Holocaust survivors and their families are participating in the campaign, all of whom will be featured in posts across the Claims Conference’s social media platforms every week throughout the year.

Jehuda, George and Robert Lindenblatt, three Holocaust survivor brothers from Hungary all living in New York, came together with their families to create a video for the campaign. In their video, Jehuda talks of his responsibility to share the story and also the difficulty in telling it, saying, “I survived the Holocaust and I have to tell the story again and again…I was so hungry. If you never experienced hunger, you cannot explain to anyone what it is.”

Survivor stories will be shared on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, using the hashtag #OurHolocaustStory. The Claims Conference will permanently house all videos and additional content on the campaign website, www.PledgetoRemember.org.