Memorial to the Deportation of Jews from France, Holocaust memorial cenotaph near Beit Shemesh, Israel
The Mémorial de la Déportation des Juifs de France is a curved wall of light beige stone blocks, 100 metres long and 13 metres high, set in the Roglit pine forest near Beit Shemesh. Dark blue capital letters on the upper stone read "MEMORIAL DE LA DEPORTATION DES JUIFS DE FRANCE". Fibreglass panels reproduce every page of the 1978 Klarsfeld book of the same name, listing deportees' names, birth dates and places.
The memorial was built by the Association des Fils et Filles des Déportés Juifs de France and inaugurated on June 18, 1981. Its creation responded to the desire to preserve memory of French victims of the Holocaust.
The memorial displays content from the book Mémorial de la Déportation des Juifs de France, showing names, birth dates, and hometowns of those deported. This listing honors each individual person and makes their personal stories visible to visitors.
The memorial stands beside Route 367 in the Elah Valley, near Moshav Neve Michael and the Roglit forest, so reaching it requires a car and advance planning. The site is outdoors and open daily with free admission; allow time to walk the 100-metre wall and read the panels.
The Jewish National Fund planted around 80,000 trees surrounding the memorial, with each tree representing one person deported from France. This planting creates a living forest that serves as both a memorial space and a growing symbol.
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