Izkor – Slaves of Memory

Interspersed with the thoughts of professor Yeshayahu Leibowitz, one of Israel’s most prestigious and most challenging personalities, the film discusses the biblical command to always remember (‘Izkor’) as the foundation of the Zionistic state. April is the most intense time of Israeli festivals and memorials. The four weeks begin with the religious celebration of the Passover festivities and go on with the commemoration of the victims of the Nazi crimes and the national Memorial Day for the fallen Israeli soldiers. The month ends with the celebration of Israel’s Independence Day. Eyal Sivan and his crew visit three different schools during these festivities and explore the notion of “nationalized memory”. His aim is to understand how the ‘Izkor’ imperative dictates and shapes the life of the Israeli citizen. Thus, through the exploitation of the historical memory of Jewish oppression, the State appropriates it for the justification of its policies. The subtext of the ‘Izkor’ imperative therefore is a demand to submit to the authority of the State. As Eyal Sivan states: “Memory can be a tool of crime.”