Henrietta Szold (left) and Recha Freier (right), 1940

Youth Aliyah Committee in Germany celebrated 70 years since the organization's establishment with a festive exhibition in Frankfurt in the presence of Eli Amir, Director-General of Youth Aliyah, Achim Vandreike, the Mayor of Frankfurt, Grafin von Stauffenberg, President of German Youth Aliyah, Jurek Heuberger, director of the Jewish Museum in Frankfurt, Pava Raibstein, Director of Youth Aliyah Committee in Germany, and the children of Recha Freier, Maayan and Zerem. The exhibition was an impressive collection of items related to Youth Aliyah's seventy years since Recha Freier conceived the need to rescue Jewish children from Nazi Germany. Youth Aliyah Committee in Germany has continued its outstanding work throughout the past 70 years and in recent years has provided invaluable support to Hadassah Neurim, Ben Yakir, Ramat Hadassah Szold and Nitzana.

The Youth Aliyah German Committee, recorded the following reflections on Youth Aliyah's 70th anniversary. "We feel deeply honored that the great idea of Youth Aliyah was born in Germany. It was the vision of Recha Freier that not only enabled the rescue of so many children during the Holocaust – the darkest hour of mankind – but also created a unique network for the problems confronting Jewish children during the following decades.

Without the vision of Recha Freier and the beginning of Youth Aliyah, who would have cared for the children that survived the Holocaust? Who would have given a home to so many children from the Arab countries and what would have happened to the children from Ethiopia? The help and love, which has been given to the children over the past 70 years is an investment for the future. It has set standards, which are exemplary to the world. As Rabbi Akiva said, “We are free to do what we want, but everything is watched and finally we are judged by what we have done.” Youth Aliyah has done the right things."

Shvat 5764 - February 2004