| Abstract | In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content: Israel Studies 1.1 (1996) 100-126 [Figures] Introduction SOME STUDIES BEGIN BY DELIBERATE intent, others by chance; to succeed, all must be fueled by a degree of scholarly curiosity. This study has its genesis in a chance reading of an editorial from the National Jewish Post and Opinion, commenting on Holocaust memorialization throughout the world. Lauding the plethora of Holocaust commemoration in the United States, the writer noted a relative absence of women being portrayed in Holocaust memorials. "Women comprised at least half of the victims of the Holocaust," she concluded. "Why then, should so few of them appear in its commemoration?" This question echoed in my ears several weeks later on a visit to the Israeli city of Carmiel in the central Galilee. Built as a development town in 1964, the now bustling urban center greets its visitors with a statue park symbolizing Holocaust and Rebirth, in which women are heavily represented. Did the writer's query refer, then, to a solely American phenomenon? Suddenly aware of the gender component in Holocaust memorials, I began tracking down different forms of plastic Holocaust commemoration, first in Israel and later throughout the world, in the hope of uncovering a gender-related pattern. At its height, my survey encompassed four continents and over six hundred memorials in which I looked for what Gerda Lerner calls "the missing women" of history. Only then could I begin conceptualizing my ever-growing inventory and attempt to chart the role of gender in Holocaust commemoration. Of all the countries surveyed, Israel provided the most comprehensive and fascinating challenge. Boasting Holocaust memorials in dozens of cities, towns, villages and rural settlements throughout the country, this small state appeared at first to be a microcosm of Holocaust commemoration worldwide. A closer look, however, highlighted the unique character of its commemoration: the broad chronological range of its memorials, the particular cultural and religious constraints of their context, the intensely national flavor of their framework and the unusual demographic composition of their potential viewers. Consequently, it appeared that Holocaust memorials in Israel—and particularly their gender components—required separate scrutiny before they could be comparatively assessed as links in a worldwide phenomenon. Research Scope, Definitions and Considerations Contemporary research considers monuments to be a system of symbols through which one can examine a society's culture and ideology. Some studies concentrate upon a monument's history; others choose to analyze its artistic effect; a third type of study deals with its impact on the public. A common pitfall of studies covering large numbers of memorials is their tendency to become quantitative catalogues or inventories rather than qualitative examinations. In this case, the dilemma is compounded by the ever-growing nature of the Israeli memorial landscape, making it impossible to ensure that all existing Holocaust memorials be included in such a survey. In order to avoid these traps and concentrate rather upon the cultural dimensions and historical implications of memory, I decided to explore the wealth of Israeli Holocaust memorials through a gender destratification based upon typology—repetitive patterns—and not an individual survey of each of the hundreds of memorials I encountered. Three exceptions to this rule are the memorial collections at Yad Vashem, Beit Lochamei Hagetaot [Ghetto Fighter's House], and the memorial statue park at Carmiel, which are examined in detail in order to illustrate the dynamics of plastic Holocaust commemoration and its gender aspects. Throughout the article, the term Holocaust "memorial" is used interchangeably with "monument," both referring to memorial sites that offer either plastic or graphic representation of the Holocaust. In the term "Holocaust," I include both the events of the years 1933-1945 and their aftermath—"From Holocaust to Rebirth" is a common memorial text used in Israel in all spheres of representation. "Gender"—a term that has changed its character somewhat during the past two decades—is used here in the sense of cross-cultural and historically varying expressions of masculinity and femininity. This article addresses three interwoven issues, each illuminating a different facet of gender and Holocaust memorials in Israel. The first discusses the dynamics of Israeli Holocaust memorial creation as a background to understanding the role of gender in individual...
|
