H.K.P. International Convention — Association of Jews of Vilna and vicinity in Israel

In 2010, an international convention of survivors of the H.K.P. labor camp was organized to convene a multi-generational meeting for this unique group. Moreover, and more importantly, it was an opportunity to interview them, to listen to their personal stories and to document them. The participants at the convention, who came from across the globe, came to Beit Vilna and there were many exciting meetings, interesting lectures, fascinating personal stories that were documented by the Association and Yad Vashem. The members of the group toured Tel Aviv-Jaffa in a special bus and visited the Diaspora Museum. They also visited Jerusalem, the museum at Yad Vashem and held a ceremony in memory of Karl Plagge, the Righteous Among the Nations, who played an active role in saving the group of Jews who were at the H.K.P. camp. The finale of the convention was a big, exciting event at Beit Zionei America in Tel Aviv (ZOA house), attended by all the members of the Association.

In 2007, before this convention, an initial meeting took place at Bet Vilna. It was a memorable evening with the survivors and the next generations of H.K.P. survivors.

Mickey Kantor's address at the end of the H.K.P. Convention:

Dear friends,

For this past week, feelings of satisfaction and elation have filled me day after day.

It has been a great honor for us to host survivors from Israel and around the world   and to listen to their difficult and moving, personal stories.

In the name of the second generation, we thank each and every one of you, dear guests.

This unique, exceptional event, an international convention of H.K.P. survivors at Bet Vilna, was initiated, planned, organized and brought to fruition so successfully by the Association.

We accomplished all the goals we set ourselves: hosting guests from abroad, interviewing them and documenting their stories during one and a half intensive days. We also participated in memorial services at Yad Vashem, visited the Yad Vashem museum, went on guided tours of Jerusalem, Jaffa and Tel Aviv, , the Diaspora Museum and the Hurva synagogue in the Old  City of Jerusalem (that has recently been completely renovated), had a taste of Karl Plagge's emotional roving exhibition and Sophie Libo's dolls (Sophie was a Holocaust survivor, living in Israel, who created handmade dolls of Jewish figures from the Holocaust and from Israel) at Bet Vilna. We also watched a prize-winning debut movie made by a third-generation Vilnaite and….. feasted on delicacies from the Vilna kitchen that were prepared with loving devotion by our dedicated and indefatigable members.

Michael Shemyavitz, the former chairman of the Association once said, "It is an exceptional phenomenon that an Association of survivors is alive and kicking while all around us, dozens of communal associations of the remnant of Jewry are being liquidated before our very eyes."

I would like to take this opportunity to praise the miracle of this wonderful brotherhood that thrives at the heart of our flourishing Bet Vilna, to thank these amazing people for the privilege that has been given to me to work with and be inspired by them.

The fact is that each and every one of us was sufficiently motivated to dedicate his time and energy in order to foster the heritage of our dear families from Vilna and the vicinity and to work so enthusiastically to perpetuate the special gift our parents bequeathed us – respect, love and generosity for culture and mankind.

I invite all of you here to meet up again next year in Vilna, at the March of the Living, 2011 and to bring our message forward: despite it all, we are here!

Major Karl Plagge's exhibition

In 2010-2011 Bet Vilna hosted an incredible exhibition of photographs telling the story of the Righteous among the Nations Major Karl Plagge, who was the commander of the H.K.P. labor camp and enabled hundreds of Jews to escape through a hole that was made in the camp fence. The exhibition was produced and funded as a memorial to his name by people who treasured his memory—the townspeople of Darmstadt in Germany.