Doctor appointed to Holocaust Council

Joel M. Geiderman, MD, cochair of the Emergency Department at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, has been appointed by President Bush to serve as vice chairman of the Holocaust Memorial Council, the governing body of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Geiderman has served as a council member since 2002 and was appointed to the museum’s executive committee in 2003.

“Dr. Geiderman’s appointment as vice chairman of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council reflects his deep commitment as both a physician and son of a Holocaust survivor to the art and science of healing—a mission that both Cedars-Sinai and the Holocaust Memorial Museum share,” said Thomas M. Priselac, president and CEO of CedarsSinai Medical Center.

As the child of a Holocaust survivor, Geiderman decided early in life that he wanted to go into a profession where he could help people, and chose a career in medicine.

“I have said that the most formative experience in my life occurred during a period that spanned six to 12 years before I was born,” Geiderman said. “Ever since I became aware of and understood what happened during the Holocaust, I resolved that I needed to do something meaningful with my life.”

In addition to his hospital duties, Geiderman is active in the community and currently serves on the board of directors of the medical center as well as on the board of directors for Jews for Judaism and the Professional Council of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation.

In 2000 he received the Jewish Healthcare Foundation’s Avraham Mose Bikur Cholim “Ahavas Chesed” Award. In 2004, he was also honored by Sheba Medical Center as a “medical visionary.”

In his role as vice chairman of the Holocaust Council, Geiderman wants to continue the museum’s success in educating the public about the atrocities that occurred during the Holocaust.

“The museum reminds people of the consequences of bigotry and hate and motivates them to consider their own responsibility in helping to prevent future acts of genocide and other atrocities,” said Geiderman.