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Israel Studies Colloquium - The Yemenite Children Affair (UC Berkeley)
Description
Academic colloquium at UC Berkeley School of Law analyzing the Yemenite Children Affair from historical, legal and political perspectives.
Original title
קולוקוויום בלימודי ישראל: פרשת ילדי תימן (אוניברסיטת ברקלי)
מפגש אקדמי מקיף שנערך במסגרת UC Berkeley School of Law בוחן לעומק את אחת הפרשיות הכואבות והשנויות במחלוקת בתולדות מדינת ישראל, פרשת ילדי תימן. הדיון מרכז חוקרים ואנשי אקדמיה המנתחים את האירועים שאירעו בשנותיה הראשונות של המדינה, תוך הצלבת עדויות אישיות עם מסמכים רשמיים וארכיונים שנפתחו לציבור בעשור האחרון. הרקע ההיסטורי של הפרשה מתמקד בשנים 1948 עד 1954, תקופת העלייה הגדולה של יהודי תימן, מזרח אירופה וצפון אפריקה. המשתתפים סוקרים את פעילותן של ועדות החקירה השונות שהוקמו לאורך השנים, דנים במדיניות הממסדית של תקופת כור ההיתוך ובוחנים כיצד השפיעו המבנים החברתיים והפוליטיים של אותה עת על גורלם של מאות תינוקות ממשפחות עולים. ההיבט המשפטי והטכני של הדיון מתמקד בניתוח פסיקות בתי המשפט ובממצאי הדנ"א המודרניים שמנסים לספק תשובה מדעית לטענות על אימוצים לא חוקיים והחזקת מידע. חוקרים ממרכזים אקדמיים מובילים מציגים נתונים על ניהול רישומי הפטירה בבתי החולים של אותה תקופה, ומעלים שאלות נוקבות לגבי האופן שבו המערכת הבירוקרטית והרפואית התנהלה מול אוכלוסיות מוחלשות. הסיכום האקדמי של האירוע בוחן את השפעתו המתמשכת של הפצע המדמם על החברה הישראלית בת זמננו ועל האמון שבין האזרח למוסדות השלטון. השאלות הפתוחות העולות מן המחקר מציבות אתגר בפני ההיסטוריוגרפיה הרשמית ומדגישות את החשיבות של הכרה, תיעוד וצדק מאוחר עבור המשפחות המחפשות את יקיריהן עד היום.
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