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January 2020 Newsletter

Happy New Year!

Message from President & CEO Susan Suarez ... Happy New Year! Hope your holidays were happy! We are ringing in 2020 with great programming! We present a brand new exhibit in The Estelle and Stuart Price Gallery entitled Resistance Art & Propaganda in Nazi-Occupied Holland. On display through March 31, 2020, this exhibit was developed by the Anne Frank Center in Amsterdam, and is distributed in North America by the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect in New York. See below for more information. Two special events in January are part of the year-long "Butterflies of Hope and Resistance" programming recognizing the 75th anniversary of the liberation of concentration camps in Europe: On Sunday, January 26, at Temple Shalom, there will be a screening of the film "The Boys of Terezin", accompanied by a music performance and special guest. On Monday, January 27 at the Museum, we will screen the film "Defiant Requiem". You will recall that last month, the Voices of Naples Choral Ensemble beautifully performed selections of Verdi's Requiem and other songs during The Luncheon's "Music of Hope and Remembrance" program. Distributed by the Defiant Requiem Foundation, the film tells the remarkable story of a modern choral group's trip to Theresienstadt where Requiem was performed during WWII. More information on these events are listed below. Both events are free and open to the public, but RSVP is required. I am pleased to announce this year's special guest at our annual Triumph event will be Holocaust Survivor Dr. Ruth Westheimer . Invitations will be mailed in mid-January. Please note Patron, Sponsorship and Program advertising opportunities are available for this event. Proceeds benefit the Museum's Education programs, which have reached over 250,000 students, teachers and members of the public since 2001. Hope you will be able to join us for this special event, which we anticipate will sell out quickly! More information is available on our website. For more information on upcoming programs, as well as the variety of opportunities available to support our mission, please contact me at 239-263-9200 or e-mail Susan@HMCEC.org . Wishing you and your families a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! We look forward to welcoming you to our new award-winning Museum! Susan Suarez President & CEO

Save the Date for Triumph 2020: Monday, March 2, 2020 5:00pm - 6:00pm Patron Reception 6:00pm - 8:00pm Dinner and Program Location: Grey Oaks Country Club 2400 Grey Oaks Drive North, Naples, FL 34105 This year's special guest at Triumph 2020 is Holocaust Survivor and well-known media personality Dr. Ruth Westheimer . As a child, Dr. Ruth was sent to safety on a Kindertransport to Switzerland. Join us to learn more about her remarkable life. Our annual fundraiser benefits the Museum's Education programs. Invitations for Triumph 2020 will be mailed in mid-January. Please note Patron, Sponsorship and Program Advertising opportunities are available for this event. For more information, visit our website - www.HMCEC.org.

January 2020 Calendar of Events ...

January 2 - March 31, 2020 Resistance Art & Propaganda In Nazi Occupied Holland; Presented in conjunction with the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect in New York City; now on display in The Estelle and Stuart Price Gallery Resistance Art & Propaganda in Nazi-Occupied Holland was developed and is distributed by the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect in New York City ( www.annefrank.com ), which works to overcome intolerance through educational exhibits, workshops, and performances. The German invasion of The Netherlands on May 10, 1940 came as an unpleasant surprise for most Dutch citizens, who believed their government would keep the country neutral during the war, as they had during World War I. However, the quick capitulation of the Dutch army, and the hurried departure of the government and their Queen Wilhelmina to England left the country feeling shocked and dismayed.  Resistance Art & Propaganda in Nazi-Occupied Holland will provide visitors with a unique perspective into the lives of Jewish and non-Jewish Dutch citizens during World War II. The exhibit will feature examples of Dutch Resistance group art and official propaganda, culled from three collections in the archives of the Anne Frank Center: Collection 1 Henri Pieck  1895 - 1972 “Sketches from BUCHENWALD” (published by “Het Centrum” publisher, The Hague) Eight original lithographs by Henri Pieck will be on display. Sketches drawn during Pieck's internment at the Buchenwald concentration camp evoke the harsh life in German concentration camps: forced labor, starvation, freezing cold and inhumane treatment. Henri Pieck was the twin brother of renowned artist Anton Pieck. Henri was not only a member of the Dutch Resistance; he became a militant communist and was later a spy for the Soviet Union. Among Pieck’s sketches is “The Unattainable,” showing a Buchenwald prisoner looking out behind a barbed wire fence. Collection 2 Marie de Zaaijer  1894-1969 Images in this collection come from Marie de Zaaijer’s Oorlogsprentenboek (Book of War Prints - Illegally Published Work), introduction by W.H. Overbeek, published by Van Gorcum and Company, Assen, 1945. Twelve linoleum and woodcut prints by Marie de Zaaijer are included. These prints depict the remembrances, suffering and hardship endured by Dutch citizens during the war. Ms. De Zaaijer’s prints were presented to Queen Wilhelmina after the war. The artist provided a handwritten explanation with each one, providing the Queen with an eyewitness description of life in wartime Holland while she and her government were in exile. The Queen’s private secretary later conveyed a message to Ms. De Zaaijer - “The Queen has looked at your linocuts and is filled with admiration.” Among de Zaaije work on display is “Through the Dark Valley” 6 June 1944 - Print 7 (17). In her notes Ms. De Zaaijer writes: “HM the Queen spoke in her radio address about ‘the dark valley’ we would have to go through, when shortly the invasion of Europe (When? Where?) Would take place.” Between two mountainsides one sees the open space of freedom light up, comprised in the colors red, white and blue.”  Collection 3 Dutch Propaganda Posters What is “propaganda”? Propaganda is information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a political cause or point of view. The Netherlands received a full propaganda offensive from the German occupiers as well as the NSB, the homegrown Dutch Nazi party. Propaganda posters distributed by the Nazi-controlled Dutch government encouraged the Dutch population to support the “heroic struggle of the German Wehrmacht against the dark forces of Bolshevism”. The risks for Dutch citizens who resisted the Germans during the occupation and were discovered were severe - death or internment in a concentration camp.  Eight original propaganda posters, distributed throughout the country by the Nazi-controlled Dutch government, are shown. The posters promoted a variety of subjects and government policies. They encouraged the Dutch population to support “the heroic struggle of the German Wehrmacht against the dark forces of Bolshevism.” Other posters castigated the Allied Forces for the indiscriminate American and British bombing raids which killed and injured innocent Dutch civilians as well as armed combatants. Others noted the long history of English/Dutch wars, and the seizure of Dutch colonies for use by the Allies.  Among the propaganda posters on display is “The Front for the Fatherland. The Fatherland for the Front” German soldier and collection can. Nationwide Collection for Frontcare 27 May 1944. Dutch citizens were encouraged to contribute to a fundraising effort to support the expenses of the German army occupying Holland.

“The Unattainable”

“Through the Dark Valley”

“The Front for the Fatherland. The Fatherland for the Front”

Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020 Film: “The Boys of Terezin,” with musical performance and special guest Location: Temple Shalom, 4630 Pine Ridge Road, Naples, 34119 Time: 2 pm. Cost: Free and open to the public - RSVP required - click here . “The Boys of Terezin” features five Holocaust Survivors, a boys choir and a chamber music group uniting to tell the story of the creation of Vedem - the secret weekly concentration camp journal created by imprisoned teenage boys in their dorm in Terezin. The boys documented their lives at the camp through essays, poetry, and artwork. Following the screening, FGCU Professors pianist Michael Baron and soprano Jeanie Darnell, accompanied by violinist Ming Gao of the Naples Philharmonic, will perform  a selection of music featured in the film. Also scheduled is a very special appearance by Sidney Taussig, one of the “Boys of Terezin”. Don't miss this opportunity to hear him speak about his extraordinary experiences in creating Vedem .

The event is free and open the public, but RSVP is required - click here .

Monday, Jan. 27, 2020 International Holocaust Remembrance Day Commemoration Film: “Defiant Requiem",with special guest appearance by conductor Murray Sidlin At the Museum in the Maureen and Arnold Lerner Classroom Time: 10:00am and 2:00pm screenings Free and open to the public. RSVP required - click here . International Holocaust Remembrance Day was established by the United Nations in 2005. It marks the day that the first concentration camp was liberated. Each year the Museum commemorates the day with a special program. This year we present the film “Defiant Requiem.”   Modern American conductor Murry Sidlin brought a vocal chorus to the site of the June,1944 performance of Verdi’s Requiem . Prisoners in the Theresienstadt (Terezin) concentration camp, led by imprisoned Czech conductor Rafael Schächter performed Requiem in Latin for their captors and inspectors from the International Red Cross. It was part of the propaganda effort to show how well-treated the prisoners were. For many including Schächter, it their last performance before being sent to their deaths in Auschwitz. In this documentary Sidlin and his chorus recreate the Schächter performance to highlight this story of the courage and resilience of the human spirit.   We are very pleased to announce a very special guest will be with us. Conductor Murray Sidlin will conduct a Q&A with the audience after each screening of the film. Many thanks to the Defiant Requiem Foundation for arranging Mr. Sidlin’s participation and travel. We hope you will be able to join us. This program is free and open to the public. To RSVP click here . (Film poster: courtesy Defiant Requiem Foundation)

Attention: Holocaust Survivors and Family Members ... Tuesday, February 11, 2020 Visit by Memorial de la Shoah Archival Team Limited Number of Appointments Available Archivists from the Memorial de la Shoah in Paris will visit our Museum to scan family documents and photographs related to pre-war life and the Holocaust. The Memorial maintains the largest Holocaust archives in Europe. They are traveling the U.S. to update their archives with materials from families here. Many thanks to local Holocaust Survivor Renee Beddouk, who arranged for them to stop in Naples. Last summer, Renee had her parents' photographs and documents scanned for their archives. Subject to your approval, your scanned family documents will become a part of the permanent archival collection in Paris, and will be accessible onsite and/or online. If you are interested in participating, please contact Susan Suarez for available appointments - Susan@HMCEC.org .

Education News ...

Happy New Year from the Education Department! We are now in our busiest season, with programs already scheduled into April 2020. Educators at nearly 20 elementary, middle and high school students are taking advantage of the wide variety of programs we offer to help them meet the State of Florida mandate on teaching about the Holocaust. And the school year is only half over! In addition to our on-campus programs and Museum Field Trips, we offer PopUp Museum installations tailored for middle and high school students. A number of Survivor Presentations and workshops for the "In-Flight" play are scheduled as for this month and next. Quite a few of the middle schools we deal with are so large, multiple Field Trip days are required. These include Pine Ridge Middle School, Oakridge Middle School, Gulfview Middle School, East Naples Middle School, Bonita Springs Charter, Cypress Palm Middle School, Manatee Middle, Lehigh Acres and North Naples Middle School to name just a few. With the recent addition of programming in Highlands County, the Museum now serves educators and students in seven SWFL counties: Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, Highlands,Glades and Sarasota. We just set up a PopUp Museum for the students and teachers at Lake Placid Middle School, located in Highlands County.

"5, 8, +" Program Information ... We renamed our popular "5, 8, 10" Program this year because we work with more than just 5 th , 8 th and 10th grades (6th and 7 th grades, high schools, colleges as well!) . If you or another active teacher you know would like a Program catalog, please contact Sam Parish, Director of Operations/Education Specialist at 239-263-9200 or Sam@HMCEC.org .

To Schedule A Program or Field Trip ... If you are interested in arranging a program or Field Trip for your students, please contact Director of Operations/Education Specialist Sam Parish at Sam@HMCEC.org . As noted above, we have a variety of age-appropriate programs available. Public, private, charter, alternative and home schools groups are welcome to inquire about scheduling a program for their students. You have the option of coming to the Museum or hosting Museum Educators at your location.

Holocaust Survivor Eva Sands with students

Student group from St. Elizabeth Seton School in Naples toured the Museum.

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Host a PopUp Museum! ...

I nterested in hosting a PopUp Museum for your students or organization? If you can't easily get to the Museum, we can bring the Museum to you! An orientation session is provided so you will have the necessary information to host your exhibit. You will receive Holocaust overview Museum panels, easels, a sampling of artifacts, documents and the history behind them. These items can be tailored to your lesson plans or interests. Installation and de-installation is done by Museum Staff. Please contact Sam Parish at 239-263-9200 or Sam@HMCEC.org to schedule. PopUp Museum Program Sponsorships are also available. For more information please contact Susan Suarez, President and CEO of the Museum, at Susan@HMCEC.org or 239-263-9200.

Private Group Museum Tours Now Available ...

Group Tour from Shell Point in Ft.Myers with Museum Docent Derek Chorlton

Members of the VFW of Lee County with Museum Docent Gil Rashbaum and Sam Parish

Looking for an interesting activity for your group or association? We would love to host a tour of our new Museum for your group of 12 or more members. Group tours are scheduled in the mornings, before the Museum opens to the public in the afternoon. This allows your group time to look around. Depending on your schedule, you have a number of options in addition to the basic Docent-led Tour. You can add a meal - either light breakfast or light lunch. You can also meet with a Holocaust Survivor who will share the story of their family's experiences during the Holocaust. We work with you to provide your group with a memorable experience they will talk about long after your visit concludes. For more details about scheduling a visit at the new Museum and our special "Summer Tour" rates, please contact Education Assistant David Nelson at 239-263-9200 or David@HMCEC.org .

8th Annual Elliott Katz Lecture Series ... The popular Elliott Katz Lecture Series returns for its 8th year in 2020! Hodges University will again host the series in the White Community Room on its Naples campus. Click here to purchase single lecture tickets now . Location (same as last year): Hodges University Naples Campus, White Community Room 2647 Professional Circle, Naples, FL 34119 Time : 10:00am - 12:00pm Dates/Topics:  Thursday, January 9, 2020 "Hooray for Hollywood and Sieg Heil" (SOLD OUT) Thursday, January 23, 2020 "Executive Order 9066. America's Shame. FDR's Legacy" Thursday, February 6, 2020 "All the News Unfit to Print" Thursday, February 20, 2020 "The Other Triangles: The Pink, the Purple and the Brown" Thursday, March 5, 2020 "The Germans Who Protested and Died; The Women of Valor" Thursday, March 19,2020 "Righteous Among the Nations" Don't delay - click here to purchase your tickets today!

GenShoah SWFL is a group for children of Holocaust Survivors and anyone interested in the mission of GenShoah of SWFL: promotion of Holocaust education and human rights, preservation of history and memories of the Holocaust, and the connection of the Second Generation with one another and support of The Holocaust Museum & Education Center.

Update to 2019-2020 GenShoah Programming ... Not the Usual WWII Film and Special Second-Generation Program Scheduled:   “Cheating Hitler: Surviving the Holocaust,” a highly recommended documentary, has been added to the outstanding programs presented this season by GenShoah SWFL and the Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center as part of the Butterflies of Hope and Remembrance programming marking the 75th Anniversary of the end of WWII and the liberation of the concentration camps. This Newberger Feature film is not the usual Holocaust film, but is an ideal addition this year's programming. “Cheating Hitler” is a film about how “three Canadian Holocaust Survivors with unanswered questions from their past journey back to hometowns, killing sites and hiding places in search of clues.” Some tissues may be needed when the Survivors connect with the people who saved them. This film will be presented on Tuesday, February 11 at 7 p.m. at Beth Tikvah, 1459 Pine Ridge Rd, Naples. For information and to rsvp contact genshoahswfl@gmail.com . The annual opportunity for sharing stories for Second Generation (2gs) only, will take place on Sunday, February 9 at 2 p.m. This year those sharing stories will be asked to do so in a new format which will be called “The Butterfly,” modeled after the storytelling format known as “The Moth.” Each 2g is to relate a 3-4-minute story about what it was like growing up as a child of survivors. And, if possible, the story should contain some bit of humor. If you would like more information about the format of the storytelling contact Betsy at isidancer@gmail.com . This is an ideal time to meet and relate with other 2gs. This program will be held at a member’s home. Space is limited and reservations must be made at rene@geistgroup.com . We invite you to join us for these other special programs: Friday, January 10: Film “Not the Last Butterfly” South Regional Library at 2pm with accompanying art exhibit. 8065 Lely Cultural Parkway, Naples, 34119. The program is open to the public and free of charge, but RSVP is required. RSVP to CollierLibrary.org/events . Wednesday, January 15: Discussion of Alyson Richman’s historical novel “The Lost Wife.” South Regional Library at 2pm.  The program is open to the public and free of charge, but RSVP is required. RSVP to at CollierLibrary.org/events . Sunday, January 26: Film Screening of “Boys of Terezin,” with a music performance and special guest appearance following the screening; Temple Shalom, 4630 Pine Ridge Road, Naples,FL 34113 at 2 pm.  The program is open to the public and free of charge, but RSVP is required. RSVP at HMCEC.org . Monday, January 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day- Film Screening of “Defiant Requiem” Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center, 975 Imperial Golf Course Blvd, Suite 108, Naples at 2pm.  The program is open to the public and free of charge, but RSVP is required. RSVP at HMCEC.org . Wednesday, March 18, Film, “Footsteps of My Father,” dedicated to the memory of Perry Switzen whose father was a Liberator, and Honoring all Liberators, Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center, at 6:30 pm.  The program is open to the public and free of charge, but RSVP is required. RSVP at HMCEC.org . For information about GenShoah SWFL, upcoming programs in March and April and to receive the GenShoah newsletter, e-mail genshoahswfl@gmail.com . The GenShoah program lineup for the 2019-2020 Season is available - just click here for a schedule card.

Volunteer Spotlight ... This month we spotlight two Volunteers who helped us in so many ways over the years, and are moving to be closer to their family in Indiana. Millie and Thad Whitinger could always be counted on for whatever we needed done. Millie not only oversaw the Volunteer Program and juggled its scheduling, she helped out at events. One year, they collaborated to create a memorable Volunteer Appreciation gift, planting and decorating individual plant pots and including a quote from Anne Frank for every Volunteer in our program. As an expert Docent, Millie constantly received high marks from visitors who had taken her tour. When asked how she became involved with the Museum, Millie used to joke that she "just came in to buy a cookbook" and the rest is history. The late Lorie Mayer, founding Curator, relied on the superb engineering skills of Thad from time to time to build exhibits or make repairs. Along with the talents of Jesse Fritz, Lorie had a formidable and rapid response expert repair team on call! Millie and Thad have left their mark on the Museum in so many ways. These longtime members of the Museum family will be greatly missed. We wish them the best of luck in their new home and hope they will come back to visit!

It's Time to Vote for "Best of the Gulfshore 2020"! Many thanks to all who voted for the Museum in last year's Gulfshore Life annual "Readers Choice Awards." Because of your support, the Museum was voted category winner for "Best Museum - Collier County." We would appreciate your vote again this year for us in the "Museum" category! Entries must be received by 1/31/20; one entry per e-mail submission allowed. Thank you for your consideration and for your continued support of our Education programs and mission - to teach the lessons of the Holocaust to inspire action against bigotry, hatred and violence . Please click here to enter the survey and vote for us! Scroll down to the "Museum" category and enter our name. Survey results will be published in the June issue of Gulfshore Life.

The Holocaust Museum & Janet G. and Harvey D.Cohen Education Center 975 Imperial Golf Course Blvd., Suite 108, Naples, FL 34110 239-263-9200 Info@HMCEC.org www.HMCEC.org