The Virginia Holocaust Museum Newsletter Volume 17, Number 2 December 2016
Impact: A Message from an Educator | Continuing the Lesson: The Importance of Professional Development Children of Survivors: Why They Support the VHM | Ordinary Objects: How Packing Paper Told More of the Story Genocide Watch: South Sudan | Personal Archiving Tips
Have the VHM host
Your next event The Virginia Holocaust Museum contains two rental spaces, a 5600 square foot auditorium/synagogue and a 5300 square foot classroom. For a seated, lecturestyle event, the auditorium has a maximum capacity of 300 (225 for seated dinners/ banquets), while the classroom has a maximum capacity of 100. Food and beverage service is allowed in both facilities, provided that the proper insurance and licenses have been secured. The museum does not provide catering. Both the auditorium/synagogue and the classroom are fully AV equipped. Use of the equipment can be included in any rental for a nominal charge. 2
For more information about rentals you can visit www.vaholocaust.org/rentals or call us at 804 257 5400 ext. 246
PG 4
Contents PG 8
PG 10 PG 14
Highlights of 2016 A Message from an Educator Visitation Updates Familiar Faces Continuing the Lesson Duty to Remember Ordinary Objects We Remember Personal Archiving Tips Genocide Watch: South Sudan The Grand Mosque of Paris: A Book Review Thank You!
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What is a Malyene? In Yiddish, “de malyene” means a raspberry bush, but in the slang of Eastern European Jews, it also meant “a hiding place.” “De malyene” is where you would protect your most precious valuables– gold, jewels, a small child or yourself.
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Make a resolution not to hide, but come experience the Virginia Holocaust Museum with the many programs and events it has to share.
PG 18 Cover Photo: Anvesh Nookala translating a document for teachers at this year’s TEI. D E M A LY E N E
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Highlights of 2016
March 2016
Archive Updates As part of the Capital Campaign, new art rack were installed in the archives to help preserve the paintings in our collection.
August 2016
Mystical Arts of Tibet The VHM was a stop on their world tour to promote world peace and healing by sharing Tibet’s rich and authentic sacred performing and visual arts with modern audiences.
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May 2016
Rule of Law Day This year the award was given to Dr. Charles Sydnor for his service to the VHM and his years of service in bringing Nazi War Criminals to justice.
November 2016
New Website Launched! With the redesign came new features, including but not limited to, educational resources and the collections. Thanks to the Randy Schreiber we were able to complete this redesign.
Impact:
Message from an educator My name is Loren Piotrowski, and I am a 7th Grade English teacher at Matoaca Middle School with Ches terfield County Public Schools. I am currently in my 20th year of teaching. I am honored to share with you the impact that the Virginia Holocaust Museum has had on my students over the years. The experience I have both learning and teaching about the Holocaust affects me deeply each year. First of all, I have always felt a personal connection to the subject of the Holocaust. My grandmother, Bessie Hannah Lavenstein Belcher, was Jewish with ances tors from Lithuania. Though she grew up locally here in Petersburg, VA, we as children and adults were told about the Holocaust and encouraged to learn about it and never forget it. As an educator I have felt a responsibility to incor porate the lessons of the Holocaust into my teaching and ensure that my students were aware of the his torical significance of man’s inhumanity to man. The first time I was able to implement this was my first year at Matoaca Middle School. Our students were scheduled to take a field trip to the Virginia Holocaust Museum that spring. It was my chance to really make a difference with this unit. We completed a mini unit on Anne Frank; however, we didn’t just focus on the tragic and horrific events of the time, though the students were fully aware that such things happened. Instead, it became a survival unit.
they had learned from their experience. Since then, our students have visited the museum sev eral times over the years. It’s very gratifying as a teach er to know that students are growing as individuals by being afforded this opportunity to visit your museum. For the past two years, our school has been able to take the impact of the Museum and extend it to our community by hosting a Holocaust Remembrance Evening. The 8th grade students and teachers invite students and parents to our school to hear a Holocaust Survivor speak and view projects that the students have completed. I am so moved by the student and community partic ipation for this event. Students are always very atten tive, and it is evident that they understand the purpose of studying the Holocaust in class and the importance of having a Holocaust Museum in Richmond. In closing, I’m so thankful, that I teach at a school that realizes the necessity of giving students the opportu nity to visit educational institutions like the Virginia Holocaust Museum. As an educator, I greatly appreci ate the fact that a museum like this exists to educate and enrich our young students’ lives. I will continue to use this as a resource to enhance both my students’ educational experience as well as my own personal and professional knowledge. Sincerely,
Before students visited the Museum I made sure that they knew about the inner strength of Holocaust victims like Anne Frank. We compared Anne Frank’s with other victims’ experiences. In making a personal connection to the history everyone was engaged and longed for more information. After visiting the Museum, our students had a much deeper understanding of the Holocaust and really took to heart in hearing the message from the sur vivors and docents. They couldn’t wait to share what
Loren Piotrowski 7th Grade English Teacher Matoaca Middle School Chesterfield County Public Schools
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Who were our
Our total for visitation as of November 30, 2016 has reached 44,842 people, already exceeding the total for all of 2015 by more than 3,000. This year also saw the museum achieve its busiest month in history when we were visited by 6,503 people in August.
visitors this year?
37 Outreach Programs
Top Months for Visitation
Weekday Hours Extended! We will now be open 9:00AM–5:00PM Monday thru Friday
August–6,503 May–6,267 April–5,806
4,413 people attended
How visitors arrived to the VHM
Non-Student Groups Served >1% Company Employees
65% were walk-ins
14% Chaperones
65% were Special Event Attendees
8% Rental Attendees
35% Groups or Reserved Visits
3% Gov/Military Personnel 3% Church/ Synagogue Members
7,304 Total Students Served
128 Total Schools Served
12% High School Students
19% High Schools
70% were Middle Schools
4% Rental Attendees
5% College/ Univ. Students
4% Colleges/Univ. 7% Home School Groups
2% Home Schooled Students
85% were Middle School Students
“ Such a great
place that holds a lot of history, glad Richmond, VA has this here.” –Anonymous, from the Guest book Where did they travel from? * United States Arizona Arkansas California Connecticut Florida Georgia Hawaii Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Massachusetts
Michigan Minnesota Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada Canada Alberta Nova Scotia Quebec Ontario Other Countries
Australia Brazil Channel Islands
France
New Hampshire
New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Washington Washington DC
West Virginia Wisconsin Germany Guatemala India Ireland Israel Japan Lithuania New Zealand South Africa Qatar Venezuela
*Based on input from Visitor Guest Book
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The Virginia Holocaust Museum appreciates all the dedication and hard work of our volunteers! Here are two volunteers that you may have seen around the Museum!
John Hagadorn “That tour was just wonderful! I learned so much.” For the staff and volunteers here at the VHM, there is nothing better than hearing those words from a visitor, particularly a student. After all, trying to make Holocaust education meaningful and powerful for stu dents is why we exist. In light of this, it is entirely fair to say that our docents, although they are volunteers, have by far the most important job at the museum. As such, it is ev ery bit as rewarding to hear how “wonderful” a tour experience has been for a docent. John Hagadorn says this after every single tour. Before joining the roster of docents, John taught English at Midlothian High School for 34 years. John is also a well-known and beloved actor in the Richmond com munity, and as equal parts teacher and thespian, he brings a warm and engaging, albeit commanding, tone to his tours. “John completely takes over a room,’ says Director of Guest Services, Matt Simpson. “He connects with groups of all ages and brings the history to life. He’s by far one of our most-requested docents.”
“The Best kind of teacher . . . he demanded his students formulate arguments, and as a result think in depth about whatever topic was being studied.” –Elliott Wrenn, former student and VHM Staff Member
Holocaust education has long been a pursuit of John’s, and this is not limited to just educating others about the Holocaust. He too continues to study the subject extensively, and is currently working on obtaining his PhD in Holocaust Studies from Drew University (NJ). John has conducted years worth of interviews and research for his dissertation, which will focus on the experience of female victims of the Nazis. His expertise in a sadly understudied piece of Holocaust history adds a unique component to these tours.
In addition to his work as a docent, John continues to act locally and teach cours es for J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, John Tyler Community College, and VCU, all the while putting the finishing touches on his dissertation. “Theater gets in your blood” John has said. It’s clear that this type of passion extends to his many other interests, and we are a better institution for it.
Lukas Tschemernjak My name is Lukas Tschemernjak and I am 18 years old. I recently graduated from high school and until now, I have lived in the mountainous, westernmost state of Austria. I have always been a sports fanatic, be it soccer, skiing or tennis. Besides that, I’m very interested in politics, as I have also been engaged in school politics back in Austria. After my year at the VHM, I will move to Vienna and begin my studies in law and political science. As a person that has always been interested in history, I recognize the responsibility Austrians have concerning its role in the Holocaust. Therefore, I am very thankful for having the opportunity to do the Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service at the VHM and help passing on all the knowledge and educating people according to the museum’s motto: Tolerance through education. I am looking forward to meeting you soon!
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The Importance of Professional Development in Holocaust Education and Awareness by Megan Ferenczy
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very year the Virginia Holocaust Museum hosts professional development programs for teachers as well as military and law enforcement. Professional development workshops at the Museum focus on Holocaust and genocide history with an emphasis on human rights. The lessons of that history and its connection to our lives today is also examined. Professionals from all over the state of Virginia as well as from other states such as North Carolina and Maryland have participated in Museum workshops. In the past year alone over 500 professionals have attended our development programs at the Museum.
Why are these programs important? Museum professional development programs for teachers, are normally a day long, start by covering both the historical background as well as the historical context of the Holocaust. Teachers are able to learn directly from Holocaust education experts about the most recent research regarding the Holocaust. When an educator completes one of the Museum’s programs it means that they will have learned not only historical content and context but will also gain new pedagogical approaches for teaching the Holocaust and resources for the classroom. Educators are also able to use the hours spent at the
workshop towards the renewal of their teaching license (renewal of a teaching license is required every five years). The Museum also hosts workshops for law enforcement professionals. This program focuses not only on a historical overview of the Holocaust, but specifically examines the role of law enforcement during this period. Connections are made to the role of police in the community today and the importance of individual decision making, law and ethics.
What lies ahead? In 2017 the Museum looks to increase the number of professional development programs and attendance. Dates for upcoming professional development programs include: March 21, 2017 with Facing History and Ourselves as well as the Museum’s annual Alexander Lebenstein Teacher Education Institute, Session #1: June 19th- June 30th and Session #2: July 10th-July 21st. If you are an educator or a law enforcement professional interested in attending a future professional development workshop please contact Director of Education, Megan Ferenczy at mferenczy@vaholocaust.org or visit the Museum’s website for more information.
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As children of Holocaust Survivors, board members Joe Brodecki, Miriam Davidow and Capt. Alex Keisch reflect on the importance of their commitment to the Virginia Holocaust Museum. 10
Joe Brodecki
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ighteen months before I was born, my parents Sonia (Zo sia) and Bud (Bolek) Brodecki were slaves in Nazi concen tration camps. My mother survived five camps including Kletendorf and Gunterbricken; and was being used as a forced laborer for the Third Reich’s war efforts. My father’s left arm still bears a vivid reminder of his survival from eight camps including Mauthausen, Theresienstadt, and Auschwitz where he became 98539 to the Nazis. Both sides of our family were murdered as my mother and father struggled to survive. I was born in the refugee camp in Landsberg, Germany where my parents met. My father, who was a police officer in the camp, was investigating my mother’s call about a threatening stalker when they met. We lived there until I was nearly 3 years old when we immigrated to Richmond in 1950. My three sisters, Maria, Roma and Deborah, were all born in Richmond and we grew up learning about the Holocaust and the importance of remembrance. It was the desire to never forget, which led me to work as a major fundraiser for what has become the US Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM), in Washington DC. When my name was chiseled as a founder onto the outside wall of USHMM, my mother was so proud that she declared I was forgiven for every mischievous thing I had done as a kid.
Bud and Sonia Brodecki
In 2014, I accepted an invitation to join the Board of the Vir ginia Holocaust Museum because I was (and remain) proud of what Marcus Weinstein, Jay Ipson, and Jay Weinberg, and other committed Richmond leaders worked so hard to create. The VHM remains important because the Survivors, Liberators, and actual witnesses of the Holocaust will soon be gone, along with the opportunity to have listened, and learned from a firsthand experience. The stories of Survivors, like my parents, need to be shared, and recorded as much as possible–for without this Museum, the Holocaust deniers would have no one to stand up to them.
Joe Brodecki is a Principal in the Private Client Practice of Bernstein Global Wealth Management, Inc. He is a co-founder of the firm’s Washington, DC office.
Top(from left to right): Sonia, Joe, and Bud Brodecki Bottom: Sonia and Bud Brodecki on their wedding day
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Miriam Davidow M
y father, Herbert, was a refugee from Nazi Germany, the last of his family to leave in May 1938 after Nazi interrogations completed the picture of terror. My mother, Ruth, and grandmother, Gertrude, survived Lodz, Auschwitz, and Bergen Belsen after seeing her father taken away after the Anschluss in 1939, never to be seen again. And so I was born in the ‘shadow of the Holocaust,’ and my family’s history was always a part of our daily life. There was always an opportunity to remember, and to be reminded if we did not! My sisters and I were named after deceased relatives, most of whom perished in the Shoah— one sister, after our maternal grandmother who perished two weeks after liberation in Bergen Belsen, and another was named after a great aunt who was murdered while foraging for food in Theresienstadt. We also grew up using my aunt’s mother’s silver, and linens, emblazoned with her initials—she committed suicide as she faced deportation from Berlin. Stories about our family were told without emotion but the rawness came out in many other ways…we not only learned from those stories but also found that we too, took on the horrors, and the reminder to never forget. Today, and always, it is essential to learn from history in general and our history specifically. The lessons of the Holocaust help create our North Star in our vigilance insuring that we never again allow a tyrant to control the many. We know that we must fight against injustice for any marginalized people and that we will stand tall in the fight for the civil rights we hold so deeply.
Herbert and Ruth RUBEL
Prior to the creation of the VHM, I worked for the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond. My responsibilities at the JCFR included organizing Holocaust education and programming. I also coordinated the International Anne Frank exhibit with the University of Richmond, conducted interviews for Steven Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation, and produced community Yom HaShoah programs and educational events. Working with the VHM as a community volunteer as it grew and developed, was to me, an obvious extension of my personal and professional history. In 2015, I decided to join the Board to further support both the educational and programmatic efforts, and to assist with teaching the lessons of the Holocaust. The VHM allows Richmond to continuously share the messages of the Shoah, and for that I am grateful. Miriam Davidow is a Special Projects Consultant for the Virginia Mentoring Partnership. She a 15 year veteran of youth mentoring through Richmond Public Schools and the founder of the Richmond Jewish Coalition for Literacy. 12
Top-Right: Ruth and Herbert Rubel wedding photo Bottom: Ruth (right) making coats in the ghetto for the German military In the first printing of this issue, we incorrectly stated that Herbert’s and Ruth’s last name was Davidow and not Rubel.
Capt. Alex Keisch I
am a twin, but I am not. My brother, Walter, and I complement each other more than share similar personalities. However, one of the things that we both share are memories of our father, David, telling us that we were born in a concentration camp. I also remember he said that he and my stepmother returned to Germany in 1958, to seek reparations for the “circumstances,”... the place where my brother and I were born. As a child, I once asked my father what happened to his family. His eyes welled up with tears, as he recalled the moment when he returned from hiding in the Polish forest to his family’s farm, only to find everyone dead. What stopped further inquiry was the last part of his answer, “[…] they hung my little brother in a tree and killed him like a son-of-a-gun.” Though a coarse man, David never swore. This was the strongest expletive I heard him say. He wiped away his tears. We never spoke of this incident or era again.
Cilly and David Keisch
It was my search for the rest of the story that eventually brought me to the VHM in 2004. I had always purposely avoided places that, to me, recounted only nightmarish memories of death. But I was well past middle age, and I still needed to learn what most already knew: Where was I from? ; Where were my parents from?; And most importantly Why? I discovered many things through the VHM. All of my papers indicated I was born in Cracow, Poland. Through deductive reasoning my birthplace would have had to been Plaszow, the work camp of Schindler’s Jews; which fit my father’s descriptions. Then the marvelous Jessica Klein, led me to her hometown of Berlin, and to the grave of my mother, Cilly Germann Keisch. I was extremely grateful but, despite being very meaningful, this was not my greatest discovery. My greatest discovery compels me to guide tours as a docent, through our beloved VHM as often as possible. It’s also what guides me to speak to various groups about my story, and the lessons of the Holocaust. My greatest discovery was that the ‘journey is my destination,’ and this journey will never end, because as George Orwell said, “He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present, controls the past.” Everyday I still study, learn, ob serve, and I still teach, knowing that tolerance through education is the road to acceptance. In the retelling the truths of the story of the Shoah, the VHM controls the present and thus the future. As a Trustee, I join that future where acceptance is the norm. Alex Keisch is a retired US Merchant Marine Captain and today the Vice President of the Emek Sholom Holocaust Memorial Cemetery serving on their Board as well as on the Board of the Advisory Counsel of the SS UNITED STATES Conservancy
Top: Cilly (top), David (center), Walt (left), Alex (right) Bottom: Cilly Germann Keisch and David Keisch;
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Ordinary Objects by Angela Rueda
If you have visited the VHM, you have probably seen a pair of crates on display in our Kristallnacht exhibit (left). Not displayed, however, is the collection of newspaper pages that were used to pack the crates with personal possessions. These documents were among the first objects the Museum received the year it opened. They were donated by the Joel family, a Richmond family who immigrated to the States from Poland in 1938. The newspapers had been used by Margit Czaczkes Knee, a Joel relative, who had her possessions sent to the U.S. ahead of her arrival. Margit was fleeing Austria, and was able to come to the U.S. under the sponsorship of the Joels. Although Margit likely did not think much about the everyday newspapers she used to pack her belongings, the torn and discarded pages are actually important artifacts that reflect the changing social and political climate in 1938 Austria. The clipping to the left, dated June 1938, outlines the process government employees had to take to prove their Aryan genealogy, and in turn prove they were still eligible for civil service under the Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service.
According to the present valid legal provisions in Austria, nobody is authorized to demand a proof of decent that reaches beyond the grandparents of an examinee. This so-called small proof of decent is necessary, when an assessment of a person can be demanded as laid down in the first decree to the Reich Citizen Act. First Paragraph of “Proof of Heritage� article
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We Remember Mark A. Strauss (1930–2016) Mark was born in Lviv (Lvov), Ukraine (formerly Poland) on September 2, 1930. His father worked for the family sheet metal company. When the Nazis invaded Poland, the city was taken over by the Soviets and the family was forced to pro vide housing for people in their spare bedrooms. In 1942, with the beginning of the invasion of the Soviet Union, Lviv fell under Nazi rule and the family was forced to move into the Lvov ghetto. They lived in a small, cramped apartment with inadequate food and heating. Joseph, Mark’s father, was assigned to a forced labor detail and used his movement to make arrangements for his family. That fall, Joseph dressed Mark in adult clothing and walked with him through the ghetto gate and into a work detail line. From left to right: Joseph (Mark’s father), Mark, Sidonia (Mark’s mother) Mark and his father escaped from the formation and they went to a Ukrainian friend’s home who had agreed to hide his family. Mark’s mother hid for a short time with another woman before eventually joining Mark and his father; they would remain in hiding through the remainder of the war until the Soviet’s liberated the city in July 1944. The family left Lviv shortly after liberation and eventually made their way to Munich where Joseph worked with the Joint Distribution Committee. In 1947, they moved to the United States where Mark went on to be an author, artist, farmer, scientist, and educator and was the co-owner along with his wife of the Strauss Gallery in Edinburg, Virginia. He spoke to school groups across the Commonwealth about his experiences during the Holocaust and he regularly spoke for the Virginia Holocaust Muse um’s Teacher Education Institute. Mark passed away September 25, 2016.
Rudolph H. Bunzl (1922–2016)
Ruth V. Pasternak (1914–2016)
Rudolph “Rudy” Bunzl was born on July 20, 1922, in Vienna. After the Nazi annexation of Austria, the Anschluss, the Bunzl family were forced to surrender their business because of their Jewish heritage. Realizing the potential danger, the fami ly immigrated first to England, and then to Atlanta, Georgia.
Veronika “Ruth” Pasternak was born in Pinsk, Poland, on August 20, 1914. By 1942, the Nazis had established a ghetto, and Ruth was sent to work in the fields, at a Russian farm while her husband was sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau. After lib eration, the Pasternaks reunited, and found their young son who had been hidden. They eventually settled in Richmond, in 1950, and went on to own two grocery stores in Jackson Ward, and several rental properties.
After graduating from Georgia Tech, and working in California as a chemical engineer, Mr. Bunzl returned to Richmond, in 1954, and started the American Filtrona Corporation which specialized in cigarette filter manufacturing. After his retire ment in 1995, he and his wife, Esther, began the REB Founda tion which provided professional development grants to area K-12 teachers. Rudy also donated to local organizations including the Muse um’s programs, exhibits, and teacher professional develop ment workshops. He passed away on October 16, 2016.
Ruth helped the Museum hold numerous outreach oppor tunities including the 2015 I Witnessed History Speakers Series which gave the community the opportunity to hear the experiences of Sam Mihara, a Japanese internment camp victim, Clemantine Wamariya, a Rwandan genocide refugee, and Amanda Prak, a Cambodian genocide Survivor. Ruth passed away on April 27, 2016.
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Personal Archiving Tips Here are few tips to help preserve your family treasures!
1: Be Gentle! Be sure to use gloves or clean hands when handling objects.
4: Store objects with like items in properly sized boxes or folders. Objects should fit comfortably with support and documents should not be folded as this creates points of weakness. Storing objects properly will protect them from environmental hazards like dust and pests.
2: Avoid storing objects in basements and attics Instead store them in a cool, dry place with limited light exposure. This will help to prevent damage from moisture, extreme temperatures, and light.
5: Use archival quality products These are made with stable materials that wont harm objects they contact. Avoid unstable or acidic materials like cardboard or plastic, as well as laminating objects, using rubber bands, household tapes, staples, and metal clips.
3: Keep objects where temperature & humidity rarely fluctuate. Extreme changes in these can stress objects and can result in damage like cracking and warping. If you’re comfortable, your objects are probably comfortable too.
Our collections continue to grow through community donations. If you would like to donate an artifact to the VHM, please email thensley@ vaholocaust.org
Did you know the VHM has a Research Library? The Carole Weinstein Holocaust Research Library contains over 5,000 volumes on the Holocaust and modern genocide. Resources include an extensive number of scholarly works, as well as literature, documentary films, feature length films, and sound recordings. You may request an appointment to use the library by contacting Tim Hensley at thensley@vaholocaust.org.
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A total of 1,259,036 South Sudanese refugees.* These are the number of people seeking asylum in neighboring countries
South Sudan
South Sudanese State Boundaries
Capital 200 km 100 mi
0
Sudan
Undetermined Boundary
Upper Nile Unity
NorthernBahr El Ghazal
= ~5,000 refugees
Warrap
Central African Republic (CAR)
Ethiopia
Western Bahr El Ghazal
Jonglei
Uganda 520,577
Lakes
Ethiopia 321,342
Western Equatoria
Juba
Eastern Equatoria
Kenya 90,181
Central Equatoria
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Kenya Uganda
Genocide Watch : South Sudan In the last issue of De Malyene we covered other populations around the world that are at risk of genocide. We will now take a closer look at one of those populations, South Sudan. by Tim Hensley
Sudan 261,764
DRC 60,211
CAR 4,931
*As of October 31, 2016 UNHCR The UN Refugee Agency South Sudan Emergency Update
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fter decades of civil war, South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in a 2011 referendum. By December 2013, however, tensions erupted between President Kiir’s Dinka ethnic group and Vice-President Machar’s Nuer ethnic group. Juba, the capital of South Sudan, quickly became a battleground leaving thousands dead and pushing the fragile young nation into another lingering conflict. Violence now encompasses many of the Upper Nile regions of the nation including Unity, Jonglei, and Upper Nile states. The conflict has left an estimated 1.8 million people displaced and another 2.2 million facing food scarcity. The United Nations is currently housing approximately 100,000 in refugee camps while over 400,000 have fled to neighboring countries. The UN currently maintains a force of 12,000 peace keepers across South Sudan. (Left) Children queue for water in the Jamam refugee camp Image: Robert Stansfield/Department for International Development
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Book Review: The Grand Mosque of Paris The Grand Mosque of Paris: A Story of How Muslims Rescued Jews During the Holocaust is a beautiful children’s story about various French and German Jews who sought solace behind the “white domes and the glittering mosaics” that was Paris’ Grand Mosque during Nazi occupation. The Muslims of France worked in tandem with the French Resistance to help Jews escape; using to their advantage their distinct garb like the traditional tasseled wool felt hat- called a Chechnya “as the perfect disguise for some Jews.” Despite cultural differences Muslims worked to help their Jewish brothers and sisters. When reviewing this book, I couldn’t help but think about our world today and the continual rise of hate crimes. It is important to remember during these uncertain times, we must always stand up and help our fellow man when they are wrongly being persecuted. Review by Jessica Spriggs, Museum Shop Manager
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Thank You! Due to the generosity of these organizations and individuals, we were able to complete a number of projects and programs for the public this year.
Capital Campaign ( Phase I )
Exhibits
Anne Carter Robins & Walter R. Robins, Jr. Foundation
Bon Secours Richmond Health System
Marietta McNeill Morgan & Samuel Tate Morgan, Jr. Trust Robert G. Cabell, III and Maude Morgan Cabell Foundation
Community Idea Stations
West End Community Center
VCU Health
Education Alexander Lebenstein Fund for Tolerance & Human Rights of the Richmond Jewish Foundation Henry & Gertrude Kupfer Holocaust Education Fund of the Richmond Jewish Foundation Herbert J & Ruth B. Rubel Holocaust Education Fund of the Richmond Jewish Foundation Ipson Holocaust Education Fund of the Richmond Jewish Foundation Longwood University Tidewater Jewish Foundation Weinstein Properties
MCV Foundation Taylor’s Do It Center VCU Office of Research and Innovation
Would you like your company to become a corporate partner?
VCU School of Medicine
Programs Branch Banking & Trust (BB&T) Scott and Stringfellow Sima Golub Schwarz and Kalman Schwarz VHM Fund of the Richmond Jewish Foundation
Security Colonial Shooting Academy
Partnerships, employee volunteerism, matching-gifts, and in-kind contributions with local businesses, foundations, and area companies have allowed the VHM not only to grow but are also an integral part of many of our programs but also our future development.
Contact Brett Schrader at bschrader@vaholocaust.org for more information
And a Special Thanks to Mr. Randy Schreiber
The Estate of Mrs. Mary Ann Ward
The Estate of Mr. Allan Mullian
The Estate of Rosalie Nachman
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Virginia Holocaust Museum 2000 East Cary Street Richmond, Virginia 23223-7032 804 257 5400 (phone) 804 257 4314 (fax) www.vaholocaust.org Mon–Fri 9 am–5 pm Sat–Sun 11 am–5 pm Closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve
Board of Trustees
Staff
Mr. Marcus M. Weinstein Chairman
Mony Aboul-Nour Intern
Mr. Kenneth M. Dye Vice Chairmen
Kendall Bazemore Guest Services Associate
Jay M. Weinberg Esq. Secretary
Megan Ferenczy Director of Education
Mr. Earl Ferguson Treasurer
Rey Gemo Security Officer
Mr. Richard Arenstein Mr. D. Eugene Atkinson Mrs. Elena Barr-Baum Mr. Charles Becker Rabbi Dennis Beck-Berman Irving Blank, Esq. Mr. Joseph Brodecki David Burhans, Ph.D. The Honorable Betsy Carr Mrs. Katheryn Curtis Mrs. Miriam Davidow David Greenberg, Esq. Mrs. Eva Hardy The Reverend Dr. James Harris Professor A.E. Richard Howard Capt. Alex Keisch Dr. Roger Loria The Honorable Manoli Loupassi Mr. Abby Moore The Honorable Dr. John O’Bannon, III Mr. Frederick Rahal Mr. Marvin Rosman Mrs. Deborah Segaloff Mr. Stuart Siegel Mrs. Clare Sisisky Dr. Norman Sporn Charles Sydnor, Jr., Ph.D. Thelma Williams-Tunstall
Rachel Harper Graphic Designer Timothy Hensley Director of Collections Troy Ross Director of Security Angela Rueda Assistant Curator Brett Schrader Development Manager Matt Simpson Director of Guest Services Jessica Spriggs Gift Shop Manager Lukas Tschemernjak Austrian Civil Servant Ruslan Voronovich Guest Services Associate Stuart Wilkinson Facilities Manager Kara Yurina Guest Services Associate
Jay. M. Ipson Co-Founder and President Emeritus
Your gift to the Virginia Holocaust Museum (a 501(c)(3) organization) could double in value if your employer has a matching gift program. Please ask your human resource office to match your contribution to the Museum. Thank you for supporting us.