Obj. ID: 56509 Weeping Harp Holocaust Memorial in Kiryat Gat, Israel, 1979
Official Name:
in Hebrew:
הנבל המתייפח
Translation: Weeping Harp
Who is Commemorated?
Jews killed in the Holocaust. The plaque at the memorial specifically mentions Jewry of Austria, Italy, Albania, Bulgaria, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Greece, Luxembourg, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Czech Republic, France, Romania, and Russia. In addition, Jews of Libya and Tunisia.
Description
The seven-meter-high harp with six stone strings is set on a high rectangular base. The letter shin decorates the upper part of the harp. According to Batya Brutin, the sculptor Fred Kormis claimed that shin stood for Shadai, Shoah, Shesha [Six in Hebrew], Shma Israel, and Shalom [Peace in Hebrew].
According to Brutin, the idea of the harp alludes to David's harp that played of itself, when the northern wind blew [Sanhendrin 16a] or to Psalm 137. Initially, the memorial had a sounding system that produced sounds of lamentations.
Inscriptions
In Hebrew, on the basis of the harp:
השואה
1933-1945
Translation: Shoah, 1933-1945
In Hebrew, on the dark plaque affixed to the upright slab near the harp:
אוסטריה
איטליה
אלבניה
בולגריה
בלגיה
גרמניה
דנמרק
הולנד
הונגריה
יגוסלביה
יוון
לוקסמבורג
לטויה
ליטה
נורבגיה
פולין
צ'כיה
צרפת
רומניה
רוסיה
Translation: Austria, Italy, Albania, Bulgaria, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Greece, Luxembourg, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Czech Republic, France, Romania, Russia
Two additional communities were added later to the list, in Hebrew:
לוב טוניס
Translation: Libya Tunis
On the additional white plaque (attached after 2005), on the upright slap near the harp, in Hebrew:
האנדרטה
נתרמה על ידי
ג'ני פינק
ממשפחת סנדר
לזכר הוריה
אחיותיה והאח
המערכת הקולית
תוכננה
ע''י טוביה כץ
לזכר הוריו
הינדה ואליעזר
הכהן
Translation: The memorial was donated by Jenny Fink (nee Sender) in memory of her parents, sisters, and brother. /The sound system was planned by Tivua Kaz in memory of his parents, Hinda and Eliezer Hakohen.
Commissioned by
initiated by Kiryat Gat Holocaust survivors, supported by the municipality, and sponsored by Jenny Fink (Sender)
In Hebrew and English:
קןרמיס
Kormis
אמנון בן מנשה
Amnon Ben Menashe
The memorial is located in the central park of Kiryat Gat (Paz Park); the park is devoted to 67 soldiers from the religious company of the Aleksandroni brigade, who perished during the Independence War.
According to Brutin, the idea of the monument belonged to Kiryat Gat Holocaust survivors but was later supported by the municipality. The construction was made possible through a donation by Jenny Fink (nee Sender) in memory of her family.
There is another Holocaust monument in Israel using the motif of a harp; it is located in Haifa, near the playground in Einstein St. (ID 57727).
Brutin, Batya. Lihyot im ha-zikaron: andartot le-zekher ha-sho'ah be-israel (Ghetto Fighters House, 2005), pp. 128-129.