The lecture "Jewish Heroism in the Red Army" offers a fascinating look at an important and not always well-known chapter in the historical memory of the Jewish people – the story of the Jewish fighters in the Red Army during World War II. Through a rich presentation accompanied by testimonies and historical context, participants are exposed to the intensity of the fighting, the spirit of heroism, and the Jewish identity that was preserved even in the heat of battle. The lecture examines the ethos of Jewish heroism brought by immigrants from the former Soviet Union in the 1990s, their contribution to shaping Israeli identity, and the struggle for recognition of their story in Israeli memorial projects.
The session includes an overview of the Great Patriotic War in the Soviet Union, an introduction to exemplary Jewish fighters, a discussion of anti-Semitic imagery that emerged at the same time, exposure to testimonies about the Holocaust in the USSR, and a description of the moving encounter between Jewish fighters and death camp prisoners at the time of liberation. The lecture concludes with the question of our responsibility today to carry this story forward and integrate it into Israeli identity and space as part of the national memory.
*A suitable mobile exhibition can be ordered to be displayed at the station for an additional fee.
