Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust

Light Up the Night: Latkes

Join the Young Friends of the Museum for a latke demonstration with Executive Chef of Lox Café David Teyf as part of our virtual #LightUpTheNight series for Hanukkah.

This #VeteransDay, we share with you a precious moment from one of last year's #StoriesSurvive Speaker Series.

Golem

Join us on Sunday night at 7 for a live streamed performance by Golem. A fantastic rocking Klezmer band. Reserve your ticket today - https://mjhnyc.org/events/live-from-edmond-j-safra-hall-golem/

In the middle of the night on November 10, 1938, the Gestapo came to the home of Seligmann and Elsa Bamberger in Hamburg, Germany. It was Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, when anti-Jewish violence was unleashed by the Nazis in Germany, annexed Austria, and parts of Czechoslovakia. Almost 30,000 Jewish men were arrested that night and sent to concentration camps and almost 100 Jews were killed. In Joseph Bamberger testimony, he describes where his father was when the Gestapo came looking for Seligmann, and the outcome of his father’s work on Kristallnacht.

Strongmen from Mussolini to the Present - MJH Program Oct 7

What is the playbook used by authoritarians from Mussolini to the present day? What can we learn from the past? Ruth Ben-Ghiat in conversation with Jason Stanley. Ruth Ben-Ghiat is the expert on the “strongman” playbook employed by authoritarian demagogues from Mussolini to Putin. In her upcoming book Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, she explains the blueprint these leaders have followed over the past 100 years, and empowers us to recognize, resist, and prevent their disastrous rule in the future. She also tracks the use of anti-Jewish propaganda as a common element connecting Mussolini, Hitler, and some of today’s European strongmen. Jason Stanley is the author of How Fascism Works. Both books are available on the Museum's online bookstore: https://bookshop.org/lists/books-from-museum-of-jewish-heritage-public-programs

An Election Message from Jack Kliger, MJH President & CEO

“What we do as individuals makes a difference.” We are less than one week away from Election Day! Listen to this important message from the Museum’s President and CEO Jack Kliger, and don’t forget to vote.

Frank London's Klezmer Brass Allstars Trailer

Join us this Sunday to see New York's finest klezmer musicians in action: Frank London's Klezmer Brass Allstars! We'll be streaming our inaugural concert online for your enjoyment, live from Edmond J. Safra Hall™. Register here: http://mjhnyc.info/FrankLondonAllstars

Shofar

#ShanaTova from the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial the Holocaust. May you and your family have a sweet New Year #RoshHashanah.

Stories Survive Speaker Series with Toby Levy

We invite you to hear Toby Levy’s survival story. Ms. Levy was born in Chodorow, near Lvov, Poland in 1933, where the Germans invaded in the spring of 1941. Her family went into hiding as Jews were forced into ghettos. A Polish woman who had been a customer in her father’s fabric store took them in, where they remained hidden in a barn until June 1944 when they were liberated by the Red Army. The family came to the United States in 1949, and now you can hear her life story in her own words. Watch our Stories Speaker Survive Series with Toby Levy here.

Yiddish, Anti-Racist Practice, and the Transformation of Jewish Communities

How does one discuss the Black Lives Matter movement in Yiddish, and why is that significant? Join us for a conversation with acclaimed Yiddish vocalist Anthony Russell and Jewish Communities Liaison to the NYC Commission on Human Rights Jonah Sampson Boyarin about their recent translation initiative and ongoing efforts to support racial justice within Jewish communities. Co-sponsored by the NYC Commission On Human Rights, The Workers Circle, and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice [JFREJ] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Relevant Links: "Translating Black Lives Matter into Yiddish" by Anthony Russell (via Jewish Currents): https://jewishcurrents.org/translating-black-lives-matter-into-yiddish/ Episode of The Allusionist Podcast: https://www.theallusionist.org/allusionist/yiddishblm Yiddish Terms: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MWmD507ip5qHvwmVFhriO5GeRRdZj5PQkp1rI7ZggMs/edit?usp=sharing

Five months ago today, the Museum closed its doors as part of New York City's lockdown measures to fight COVID-19. As we grappled with how to reach our followers, we moved to virtual programs. One of the first online programs we shared was “Yiddish Humor During WWII with Professor Anna Shternshis,” and we invite you to rewatch it today, as it is #NationalTellAJokeDay. We hope laughter has helped you and your loved ones through this unprecedented time. You can watch the full program here: https://mjhnyc.org/yiddish-humor-during-wwii/

In this Yiddish lullaby “Ven ikh volt gehat (“If I had the Kaiser’s Treasures”), musician Vladimir Fridman croons: “My child, my crown. When I see you It seems to me That the whole world is mine.” This song was performed by Yiddish theater actress Diana Blumenfeld and recorded by folklorist Ben Stonehill more than 70 years ago. In the summer of 1948, Stonehill recorded more than 1,000 songs from Holocaust refugees who were being housed temporarily at the Hotel Marseilles on New York’s Upper West Side. The recordings are now being disseminated on the web by Yiddish scholar Miriam Isaacs through a partnership with the Center for Traditional Music and Dance. Watch last week’s program “Survivor Songs: The Amazing Stonehill Recordings” in full here: https://youtu.be/QpVwA39sWgI

Trauma Studies, Creativity, and the Second Generation

Children of Holocaust survivors (often referred to as “2Gs," for second generation) are no strangers to intergenerational trauma. Children of survivors process and cope with inherited trauma in remarkably diverse ways, often through transmutation in the creative process or sublimation into other activities. In this discussion, clinical psychologist Irit Felsen – a trauma specialist focusing on Holocaust survivors and their children – is joined by award-winning author and poet Elizabeth Rosner ("Survivor Cafe," "Speed of Light") for a discussion of how trauma is passed on and manifested from generation to generation.

Inside "Unorthodox" with Alexa Karolinski, Eli Rosen, and Michael Wex

This discussion of the hit Netflix series "Unorthodox" explores the show’s portrayal of Holocaust memory, German-Jewish relations, Yiddish language, and more. Hear from special guests Eli Rosen (Reb Yossele), show co-creator Alexa Karolinski, and Michael Wex, bestselling author of "Born to Kvetch." Co-sponsored by New Yiddish Rep.

Anne Frank House in Amsterdam has become a site of pilgrimage for millions of people around the world captivated by Anne Frank’s story. Its rich collections include many of Anne’s original items, several of which are on display in the Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. exhibition at the Museum. We held a special program with Teresien da Silva, Head of Collections at the Anne Frank House, where we discuss Anne’s life, legacy, and diary. You can watch a snippet here before viewing the full video: https://mjhnyc.org/understanding-anne-frank/

"I Want You to Know We're Still Here: A Post-Holocaust Memoir" with Esther & Jonathan Safran Foer

When Esther Safran Foer’s mother casually mentioned an astonishing revelation—that her father had a previous wife and daughter, both killed in the Holocaust—she resolved to find out who they were, and how her father survived. Armed with only a black-and-white photo and a hand-drawn map, she traveled to Ukraine, determined to find the shtetl where her father hid during the war. What she found reshaped her identity and gave her the opportunity to finally mourn. Join us to watch the recording of our program with Esther Safran Foer, author of the post-Holocaust memoir "I Want You to Know We’re Still Here." She is joined by her son Jonathan Safran Foer, author of the acclaimed books "Everything Is Illuminated," "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," and "Eating Animals."

Q&A with MJH’s Director of Collections and Research

The Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust goes live with Susan Woodland, our Director of Collections and Research.

Remembering the MS St. Louis

In May 1939, more than 930 Jews fled the Third Reich aboard the MS St. Louis. Their destination was Cuba and then most planned to immigrate to the United States, but they were turned away by both countries. Forced to return to Europe, ultimately more than 250 of the passengers died in the Holocaust. In this special commemorative program, award-winning journalist Armando Lucas Correa ("The German Girl"), who is an expert on the history of the St. Louis, is in conversation with Sirius XM radio host Jessica Shaw. This event is pre-recorded and will be available on YouTube following its premiere on Facebook.

Clip from "Beyond Social Distancing: Understanding Discrimination During the Coronavirus Pandemic"

During yesterday’s MJH Live program, NY State Assembly Member Yuh-Line Niou spoke about the “other virus” accompanying coronavirus: prejudice. Click the link below to watch the full program “Beyond Social Distancing: Understanding Discrimination During the Coronavirus Pandemic” with Yuh-Line, Stephen Smith, and Amy Spitalnick. https://youtu.be/n0SjTzbUWzs

Holocaust Remembrance Day

We are grateful for our partnership with Governor Andrew Cuomo and Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul and for their continued support of the Museum and community on this Holocaust Remembrance Day. Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul

Annual Gathering of Remembrance

The work of the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust is even more urgent as the pandemic has sparked an increase in violent hate of all kinds. Your support allows us to continue to educate children and adults about the Holocaust and the dangers of intolerance, including through an expansion of our online programming. Please donate to the Museum during this challenging time. Thank you. http://mjhnyc.info/donate We come together as a community to say: we will never forget. This year's commemoration for Yom HaShoah / Holocaust Remembrance Day will be a virtual event. As we do every year, we will honor the memory of those who perished at the hands of evil, and pay tribute to those who survived and have made a better world for us all. Participate - Take a video or photograph of yourself lighting a candle in remembrance, and if you know the name of a family member killed in the Holocaust or a Holocaust survivor who has passed, please state/include their name. Upload the video or photograph with the hashtag #CandlesOfRemembrance to: Museum's Facebook: MuseumofJewishHeritage Instagram: tag @MuseumJewishHeritage Twitter: tag @MJHnews Download A Program - If you want to download a program with the translations of the songs, we'e made one available here - mjhnyc.org/agrprogram The Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust is very grateful to our generous supporters who helped to make this virtual presentation possible. Thank you to our partner organizations: Anti-Defamation League, 3GNY – Descendants of Holocaust Survivors, Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York, Consulate General of Israel in New York, Manhattan Chapter of Women Holocaust Survivors, Young Friends of the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, Selfhelp Community Services, The Blue Card, The New York Board of Rabbis, and UJA-Federation of New York Donate - Your donation will help ensure t

Clip from "All the Horrors of War" Book Launch with Bernice Lerner and Michael Berenbaum

In this clip, Dr. Bernice Lerner, author of "All the Horrors of War: A Jewish Girl, a British Doctor, and the Liberation of Bergen-Belsen" speaks about the comparable efforts of medical students deployed to treat survivors at Bergen-Belsen and the COVID-19 outbreak. "These are the heroes on the frontlines and they're called to do whatever is asked of them," she says. Watch the program with Dr. Lerner and Dr. Michael Berenbaum in full here: https://youtu.be/9vEmXomthpY Purchase the book here: https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/title/all-horrors-war

International Romani Day

In last night's MJH Live program in honor of International Romani Day, Dr. Petra Gelbart shared songs, texts, and images created by Roma and Sinti as works of Holocaust remembrance. Petra, a grandchild of Roma Holocaust survivors, is an ethnomusicologist and music therapist who has been researching Holocaust commemoration for two decades. In the short clip below, Petra sings a song that was composed by Roma prisoners in Auschwitz about their experience in the camps. "These songs were really meant to be sung in the family circle," said Petra, asking that viewers not applaud out of respect for the victims. To watch the full program, click here: https://youtu.be/aEEdDYpJJic

"The Escape Artist" Book Talk with Helen Fremont

In today's MJH Live book talk, bestselling author Helen Fremont chatted with Helen Epstein about her new memoir "The Escape Artist." In the book, Fremont writes about growing up with parents who pretended to be Catholics but were really Jewish survivors of Nazi-occupied Poland. In this clip, Helen details her father’s deportation from Poland to Siberia and his daring escape. Watch the program in full here: https://youtu.be/5YeHQxHsXug Buy Helen's book The Escape Artist on Amazon https://amzn.to/3cqXKM1 Sign up for our newsletter for information about upcoming virtual programs: https://mjhnyc.info/newsletter

Seders in the Time of Coronavirus: A Conversation about Food, Ritual, and Resilience

Many are wondering how to celebrate Passover as we practice social distancing or self-isolate. Our panel will share how they are adapting preparations and recipes. Liza Schoenfein, food journalist and host of the podcast and blog Life, Death & Dinner, and Adeena Sussman, author of Sababa: Fresh Sunny Flavors from my Israeli Kitchen, will be in conversation with Jane Eisner, Director of Academic Affairs for the Columbia School of Journalism Graduate Program and former Editor-in-Chief of The Forward. Following the discussion, they will take questions from viewers.

Heroines of the Holocaust with Dr. Lori Weintrob and Rokhl Kafrissen

In this webinar "Heroines of the Holocaust," Dr. Lori R Weintrob (Director, Wagner College Holocaust Center) and Yiddish culture writer Rokhl Kafrissen (Tablet Magazine) spoke about female resistance fighters Vitka Kempner, one of the first partisan leaders to blow up a German ammunition train with a grenade, and Sara Ginaite, who smuggled weapons into the ghetto and fought in the forests. Please consider supporting the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust with a gift of any size today. Although our physical space is closed, our virtual community remains busy and vibrant. Your donation of any amount helps us to bring you more programs like this. Thanks very much for your support. mjhnyc.info/donate

MJH Live: Yiddish Humor During WWII with Prof. Anna Shternshis

Can humor be a weapon? If yes, is it effective? Based on Yiddish jokes and anecdotes recorded between 1943 and 1945, this interactive lecture/seminar tells the story of what Soviet Jews found funny and why, as they lived through the darkest period of modern Jewish history in Europe. Join University of Toronto Professor of Yiddish Studies Anna Shternshis for this illuminating lecture, followed by a live Q&A with viewers. Your donation of any amount helps make it possible for the Museum to present programs such as this. Your support is greatly appreciated, especially at this time. Please click the following link to contribute and thank you again: https://mjhnyc.info/donate

MJH Live: Reading and Chat with Helen Epstein

Welcome to our first digital public program with author Helen Epstein (Children of the Holocaust, The Long Half-Lives of Love and Trauma) who will read from Franci's War, a new memoir by her late mother, Franci Rabinek Epstein. Franci, a spirited young fashion designer from Prague, lied to Dr. Mengele at an Auschwitz selection by saying she was an electrician – an occupation that both endangered and saved her life. Learn more about Franci's War here: http://bit.ly/38UzXSb This live online reading will be followed by a Q&A session with viewers.

Buttons from "Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away."

Among the ordinary goods found after Auschwitz was liberated were common buttons. Robert Jan van Pelt, the chief curator of the exhibition, discusses the significance of these buttons. Watch the video to learn more. For more information on "Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away." click here: bit.ly/3bgTQ8s Produced with Auschwitz Memorial / Muzeum Auschwitz, Auschwitz Exhibition, and Musealia. #NotlongagoNotfaraway

"Rendering Witness" Installation Time-lapse

Do you ever wonder how our exhibitions come together? Watch this time-lapse to get a behind-the-scenes look at the installation of our most recent exhibition, "Rendering Witness: Holocaust-Era Art as Testimony," which is on display now through July 5, 2020. For more information about the exhibition, click here: bit.ly/2RIXUFM