Dimensions in testimony and more

Susan Suarez, President & CEO

Thank you to all who took part in our annual Triumph fundraiser to benefit Museum Education programs. “Triumph of Memory and Hope for the Future,” the first virtual Triumph, had our largest Zoom audience to date. Considering that, a year ago, the phrase “to Zoom” primarily meant “to go faster,” this was quite an accomplishment for all of us! We are grateful for the support of all this year’s Triumph sponsors.

We were so pleased to have Dr. Stephen D. Smith of the USC Shoah Foundation with us. He spoke of the Foundation’s work to preserve the testimonies and legacies of Holocaust survivors. Dr. Smith is also a well-known lecturer on issues relating to the history and collective response to the Holocaust, genocide and crimes against humanity.

A highlight of his presentation was a demonstration of the Foundation’s unique “Dimensions in Testimony” series, developed using advanced technology. This amazing interactive program allows an audience to askquestions of the holographic image of a Holocaust survivor projected in front of them. The survivor answers the questions in real time, and can change facial expressions, move, and even appear to take time to ponder the question.

This digital experience was created by interviewing individual survivors in a TV studio, where they were surrounded by many lights and cameras. They responded to hundreds of questions asked by an offcamera interviewer about their lives during and after the Holocaust. The careful editing of these interviews, coupled with high-tech image projection, makes it appear as though the survivor is in the room with you.

I was fortunate enough to be able to see this in person. If you ever have the chance to do so, I highly recommend it. This is just one of the Foundation’s projects created by using state-of-the-art technology.

Dr. Stephen D. Smith

The program also included a special, curated experience featuring our Southwest Florida Holocaust Survivors. In interviews, they spoke of their involvement with our Museum and the importance to them of continuing to carry out our mission — to teach the lessons of the Holocaust to inspire action against bigotry, hatred and violence.

The preservation of survivor memories, testimonies and stories from the Holocaust and other genocides are why the work of Museums like ours and organizations like the USC Shoah Foundation are so important.

Every day we lose more of these eyewitnesses to the Holocaust and World War II. We must continue to share the lessons of the Holocaust, so that students and the public will learn from the past and apply those lessons to their lives today.

Yom HaShoah

We look forward to your participation in this month’s annual community commemoration of Yom HaShoah. With COVID-19 mandates still in effect, the ceremony will be hosted on Zoom by the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. For more information and to RSVP for the Zoom link, please visit HMCEC.org or JewishNaples.org.

Dr. Amra Sabic-El-Rayess

Double your donation impact

Last month, several anonymous benefactors generously issued a “Challenge Grant” to benefit our education programs. The grant will run through June 30, 2021, matching your donations dollar-for-dollar up to a total of $35,000.

Upcoming programs

April is Genocide Awareness Month. In recognition of this, we will have a special Zoom program on Thursday, April 22, 2021 at 3 p.m. (EST U.S. and Canada) via Zoom.

“Discussion with a Survivor of the Bosnian Genocide” will feature a conversation with Dr. Amra Sabic- El-Rayess, a survivor of the Bosnian genocide. She grew up in Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina. After surviving ethnic cleansing and more than 1,100 days under the Serbs’ military siege, Sabic-El-Rayess emigrated to the United States in 1996.

Dimensions in Testimony in Sweden

By December 1999, she earned a BA in Economics from Brown University. Later, she obtained two master’s degrees and a doctorate from Columbia University. She is co-author, with Laura Sullivan, of “The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival.”

There is no charge to attend, but reservations will be required to receive the Zoom link. Email Info@HMCEC.org for more information.

We also hope to present a Zoom program about the children’s book, “Hana’s Suitcase,” with a very special guest joining us. More information will be available shortly on our website at HMCEC.org.