Walter F. – Arts & Culture, Summer 2018

“This summer I’ve been working for Yad Vashem. It has been the most meaningful job I’ve ever had. The Shoah remains one of the darkest periods of Jewish history, but I find it inspiring that my coworkers are devoted to using the shadows of the past to bring light to the present. I’ve spent the past few weeks helping Yad Vashem prepare for the 10th International Conference on Holocaust Education. This massive gathering of scholars, professors, museum administrators, and high school educators helps give teachers the tools they need to teach the Shoah. It is a place for those doing the grueling work of Holocaust research to present their findings and projects to their peers. Getting to witness it has been a highlight of my experience in Israel. My day-to-day responsibilities have mostly been assisting my coworkers in office work, but occasionally I’ve been given a larger project—such as writing up the evaluation report of the conference based on satisfaction surveys distributed to the attendees—that makes me feel I’m actually doing work that aids Yad Vashem in their goal to ensure the old adage of “never again.” My internship has inspired me to pursue historical research as a tool of effecting change for the good in the future.”