NOV. 28 AT THE MISSOURI HISTORY MUSEUM SEE PAGE 24 FOR EVENT DETAILS
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Jewish groups put out call for massive ‘March for Israel’ in DC on Nov. 14 BY RON KAMPEAS JTA
MAKING AN IMPACT TAKING A LOOK AT THE ST. LOUIS KAPLAN FELDMAN HOLOCAUST MUSEUM, ONE YEAR AFTER ITS REOPENING STORY AND PHOTOS BY BILL MOTCHAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT
One year ago, St. Louis became a major hub of Holocaust awareness and education when the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum opened. The 36,000-square-foot facility began welcoming visitors on Nov. 2, 2022, following a 2½-year, $21 million renovation and expansion. The newly expanded facility quickly became an important destination of Holocaust learning, with 5,000 visitors in its first 100 days. The museum is a vivid reminder of the cost of hate and intolerance. It also offers an important lesson to anyone about the power of resistance and how strength and resolve can preserve human dignity. A carefully curated exhibit space that traces the history of the Holocaust has made the museum a must-see attraction for students of history, school groups and TOP: A group from Explore St. Louis visits the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum’s Imdescendants of victims and survivors. The pact Lab in late October. ABOVE: Gloria Feldman (left) and Holocaust Museum Board Chair Carol museum’s recognition in its first 12 Staenberg flank the museum’s new executive director, Myron Freedman. PHOTOS: BILL MOTCHAN months has been an affirmation of the goals set by its planners and staff, accord- about the Holocaust remains crucial, tracking a significant increase in hate ing to Carol Staenberg, especially in these challeng- crimes. These disturbing statistics demonboard chair. ing times, and we’re com- strate why the Holocaust museum’s misMORE INSIDE “The museum’s remarkmitted to doing so for sion has never been more important. able growth in its first year Read a Q&A with the decades to come.” Supporting that effort is what stands out since reopening is incredi- Holocaust Museum’s new Incidents of antisemitism for the Feldman family (for whom the ble,” she said. “Our dedi- executive director, Myron have increased dramatically museum is named), said Gloria Feldman cated staff, volunteers, sup- Freedman in the United States follow- and her daughter, Cheryle Feldman Atkin. —Page 10 ing the Oct. 7 Hamas attack porters and board have “We are extremely proud of the museum’s made it all possible. Our on Israel, according to ADL See HOLOCAUST MUSEUM on page 10 mission to educate future generations tracking data. The FBI had already been
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WASHINGTON — National Jewish organizations are calling on Jews from around the country to travel to Washington, D.C., on Nov. 14 for a mass pro-Israel rally they hope will rival major Jewish demonstrations in 2002 and 1987 in size and impact. The March for Israel has three goals, according to Eric Fingerhut, CEO of Jewish Federations of North America, which is organizing the rally jointly with the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Participants will be demanding the return of the estimated 240 hostages Hamas terrorists abducted during its Oct. 7 attack on Israel, Fingerhut said. They will also be calling for efforts to combat antisemitism, which has spiked worldwide since the attack. And they will be demonstrating their support for the unabashed backing Israel has so far received from both parties in Congress and the Biden administration. “All three elements are important to all of our communities,” Fingerhut said. “We’re proud of what our government has done” to support Israel “but we want them to know how much support there is not only for what they’ve done, but also for the continued efforts that are going to be needed as this long conflict continues.” The rally, which will take place just over five weeks after Hamas’ deadly assault on Israel, was formally announced on Monday night. But efforts to fill buses and planes were already breaking into public view over the weekend. “All classes for Yeshiva University undergraduate schools and high schools for Tuesday November 14 are canceled,” Rabbi Ari Berman posted on social media on Sunday. “We are going to Washington to stand with Israel.” It’s the kind of move that Fingerhut and William Daroff of the Conference of Presidents said in a See MARCH on page 22
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