The Kol Israel Holocaust Monument is the most notable feature of Zion Memorial Park in Bedford Heights, located just outside of Cleveland, Ohio. The landmark has received international recognition due to its significance and beauty, highlighting what sort of connections monuments can make across culture and community.
Founded by Holocaust Survivors
Zion Memorial Park was founded in 1948 as a not-for-profit Jewish cemetery. Supporting all members of the Jewish faith, it was the installation of one of the first Holocaust memorials constructed in the United States that enabled it to become a bigger part of the community.
The Kol Israel Foundation was founded by holocaust survivors to commemorate victims of the massacre. Installed in 1961, the Kol Israel Holocaust Monument featured a Star of David-capped obelisk which stands 17 ft. in height. It is wedged between two 14 ft. engraved panels that depict a mother with two children and a man clutching a Torah scroll, all preparing to be engulfed by flames. Inscriptions in Hebrew and English at the front and in the rear call attention to the Nazi genocide and offer solace.
At the foot of the monument is a crypt which holds the remains of Jewish martyrs secured from Poland. The surrounding walls feature engraved names of family members who perished during the Holocaust, as well as the names of departed Survivors. The ring of granite with names etched on it that was added in 1999
The memorial is an active part of the community, with an annual memorial service held each year on the Sunday between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. There is also an annual community-wide Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration held each spring between Passover and Israel Independence Day. These events highlight the connection the monument has enabled across the community and culture that enabled it to become the first Holocaust memorial in the United States to be given national memorial status.
Connecting Communities of Multiple Eras and Locations
Kol Israel is translated as “All of Israel,” highlighting how the connection it has enabled for the culture and community goes far beyond the region. By receiving international recognition, the Kol Israel Holocaust Monument showcases how a monument can enable connection that connects the past to present for audiences, communities and cultures.
