The Holocaust Museum & Janet G. and Harvey D. Cohen Education Center
975 Imperial Golf Course Blvd., Suite 108, Naples, FL 34110
Info@HMCEC.org 239-263-9200 www.HMCEC.org
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January 2023 Newsletter ... |
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Message from Susan Suarez, President and CEO ... |
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Hope your holidays were happy! Many thanks to all who supported the Museum's mission and programming in 2022. Your generosity impacted the lives of thousands of students, teachers and visitors who learned more about the Holocaust and its lessons.
Welcome Back ...
Welcome back to our seasonal Volunteers, as well as those SWFL Volunteers finally able to return home following repairs from Hurricane Ian damage. With increasing Museum visitation and upcoming Student Field trips, we are very happy to have your assistance once again!
Expanded Hours During Season ...
Beginning January 17, we are adding an extra day to accommodate increased visitor traffic. The Museum be now be open to the public Tuesday - Sunday from 1:00pm - 4:00pm, with the last guests admitted at 3:00pm.
"Two Regimes" Exhibit debuts ...
We invite you to visit our new exhibit in the Estelle and Stuart Price Gallery. "Two Regimes" is a timely display featuring the personal stories of a Ukrainian mother and daughter who suffered under and survived both the Nazi and Soviet occupations of their country. Sadly, the terrible conditions they had to endure are now inflicted upon contemporary Ukrainians living in the same areas because of the Soviet invasion and bombing. The exhibit will be on display through April, 2023.
January 1 - 31, 2023 HMCEC and Baker Museum Reciprocal Admission Discount ...
Show your Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center Admission Ticket purchase proof and you will receive a $5 admission discount at Artis-Naples Baker Museum
featuring the Holocaust-themed exhibit Envisioning Evil: “The Nazi Drawings” by Mauricio Lasansky. NOTE: Your Ticket Purchase Proof must be presented within 7 days of your visit here to receive the discount at the Baker Museum.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day Programming...
We invite you to join us in commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Friday, January 27 for the following events. Please note space is limited and reservations are required:
"Echoes That Remain" Film in the Maureen and Arnold Lerner Classroom
· 11:00am - 12:00pm
· 2:30pm - 3:30pm
"Echoes That Remain" sheds light on pre-Holocaust shtetl life in former Jewish communities in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland and Romania. It combines live action sequences with rare photographs and previously unseen film footage. Seating is limited. Reservations are required - click here to RSVP.
Complimentary Museum Admission 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Please note the last guests will be admitted at 3:00pm. A Docent will be available to answer questions, and will give a tour from 1:30 – 3:00pm if attendance is not too large. Self-guided audio tours are also available. Reservations are required - click here to RSVP.
Construction on Museum Expansion Progresses
Now that the walls are up, our expansion space is really taking shape. While construction progresses, our staff and exhibit committee volunteers are busy finalizing details for our exhibit design firm for the new Auschwitz Gallery, Genocides and Human Rights Gallery, and the related changes to the current exhibits. You can help by making a gift to our Capital Campaign! Please contact me at susan@hmcec.org for more information.
Voting is Now Open ...
Voting is underway for the 2023 "Best of the Gulfshore" survey conducted by Gulfshore Life Magazine. Our Museum is again eligible for the "Best Museum - Collier County" category and we would appreciate your vote! The survey closes on January 31. To cast a vote for us, please click here , select the "Collier County" option and scroll to the "Best Museum" category. Thank you for your consideration!
Save The Date for Triumph 2023 ...
Our annual fundraiser will take place on March 15, 2023 at Arthrex One Conference Center in Naples.
Special Guest speaker will be Michael J. Abramowitz, President of Freedom House, a nonprofit organization founded in 1941 under the leadership of Eleanor Roosevelt and Wendell Willkie to promote democracy and liberty around the world.
Freedom House keeps watch over the global state of political rights and civil liberties. Mr. Abramowitz engages with human rights defenders from all over the world. These include brave political activists, civil society leaders, journalists and others who are pushing back against repressive governments and dictatorships to secure basic rights and freedoms in their countries. Although Freedom House has tracked a steady decline in political rights and civil liberties in the last 16 years, Mr. Abramowitz says he has hope for the long-term because of the persistent and widespread demand for freedom.
Weekend Guest Relations Volunteers Wanted ...
Interested in volunteering with the Museum but busy during the week? We are looking for Volunteers to serve in Guest Relations positions on Saturday and/or Sunday. Hours are 12:45pm - 4:00pm. Please contact Info@hmcec.org for more information.
Good luck, Tim ...
Tim Morrison has accept an offer to work in the development department at WGCU. We all wish Tim well – he has been with the Museum for nearly 7 years and has helped to grow and improve our development and guest relations efforts. I know you join me in thanking him for all he has done for the Museum.
Happy New Year from all of us at the Museum! We look forward to seeing you at the Museum and at our upcoming programs!
Susan
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Recent Tribute and Memorial Gifts to the Museum ...
In Honor of:
In honor of Rosalee and Jerry Bogo from Morton A. Cohn
In honor of David Heilbrunn from Dr. Edwin Lyons
In honor of Gracia Kuller from Libby Bramson, Joyce and Ted Cardozo, Delores and Corky Levin, Barbara Winthrop
In honor of Maureen and Arnold Lerner from Catherine McClutchy, Mary Reisert
In honor of Sarah Rockler from Michelle Mercer
In honor of Luba Rotszain from Jamie Ross
In honor of Mr. and Mrs. David Smith from Nancy Kelly
In honor of Jay Sterns from Thomas Resnick
In Memory of:
In memory of Riffy and Barry Goz from Emily and Andy Roz
In memory of Murray Hendel from The Barron Collier Jr. Foundation
In memory of Dr. Morris J. Lipnick from Natalie and Larry Lipnik
In memory of Maggie and Leo from Mr. and Mrs. Fran and Bruce Plusker
In memory of Martin Waldman from Dennis Feivelson and Louis Goldstein
In honor and memory of our Survivors, Liberators, Guest Relations Volunteers, Docents, Event Committees, Boards of Directors, Amy, Cody, Danielle, David, Joan, Katie, Lorie, Marco, Sam, Tom, and Susan. Thank you for your support, leadership, guidance, and friendship over the last 7 years. From Tim Morrison.
To Make an "In Honor of" or an "In Memory of" Donation ...
If you would like to make an "In Honor Of" or an "In Memory Of" donation to remember friends or loved ones, you can easily do so online on our website - just click here. We will send a card with your personal message to the individual/family member you designate, and you will receive a separate acknowledgement of your donation. Thank you to those who have generously made these gifts.
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Thank you to Our Legacy Society Members for
Their Generous Support of Our Mission ...
The Legacy Society has been created to honor friends who affirm their commitment to our Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center through their will or other planned gift. Participation in the Legacy Society represents an investment in the future of our Museum and its mission – to teach the lessons of the Holocaust to inspire action against bigotry, hatred and violence.
Anonymous
Hymie Akst
Carla Benninga
Howard and Dorothy Berger
Herb Berkeley
Irving Berzon*
Patti and Pete Bloom
Rosalee and Jerry Bogo
Joyce Rogol Feldstein *
Richard and Barbara Glowacki
Shelli Halper
Homer Helter *
Merrill Kuller *
Maureen Lerner
Suzanne C. Low
Daniel and Jean Mann
Candace Patton
Estelle and Stuart Price
Fredric Roth
Michael Seaman *
Stephen Strome
Peter Thomas *
* deceased
Gifts from Legacy Society members provide ongoing support to create and host special exhibits, educational programs, artifact conservation, Museum admission costs for students and more.
You can become a member of the Legacy Society by taking any of the following steps:
- Name the Museum as a beneficiary in your will or trust
- Name the Museum as a beneficiary of your retirement plan or life insurance policy
- Make a gift to the Museum that provides you, or someone you name, with income for life
- Make a gift to the Museum through a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust
Just include the full name and address of the Museum in your will or gift documents: The Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center, 975 Imperial Golf Course Blvd., Suite 108, Naples, FL 34110.
Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Legacy Society members are honored in our newsletters (unless you prefer anonymity) and at a special gathering each year. For more information, please contact Museum President and CEO Susan Suarez at 239-263-9200, ext. 203 or e-mail Susan@hmcec.org.
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Friday, January 27 - International Holocaust Remembrance Day … |
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The Museum will commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27 with special programming. There will be two screenings of the film "Echoes That Remain" at 11:00am – 12:00pm and 2:30pm - 3:30pm in the Maureen and Arnold Lerner Classroom. Seating is limited and advance reservations are required – click here to RSVP for the film.
That afternoon, we will also offer complimentary admission from 1:00pm – 4:00pm, with last guests admitted at 3:00pm. Please note space is limited and advance registration is required - click here to RSVP. Walk-ups will be admitted only if space allows.
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January and February 2023 Lecture Series “Nazi-Looted Art – Unfinished Business”
Museum Docent Ellaine Rosen brings back her popular series, “Nazi-Looted Art – Unfinished Business.” The five-part series will be held at the Museum in the Maureen and Arnold Lerner Classroom from 2:00pm – 4:00pm on the following Mondays: January 16, 23, and 30 and February 6 and 13. The lectures are free but a suggested minimum donation of $18 is greatly appreciated! Advance registration is required – click here to RSVP.
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February and March 2023
Stuart Mest, M.D. Lecture Series - "Eugenics, Experiments, Ethics: Nazi Germany, Japan and the United States" This two-part series will be presented twice at the Museum from 5:00pm – 6:00pm on the following dates: Part 1 Tuesday, February 28 and Part 2 Tuesday, March 7; and repeated on Thursday, March 23 (Part 1) and Thursday, March 30 (Part 2.) Tickets are $40 for the two-part series, and advance registration is required. Click here to RSVP and purchase tickets.
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January, February and March 2023
Yiddish Group
Interested in learning or brushing up on Yiddish phrases? You are invited to attend a three-part series on to be held at the Museum from 4:00pm – 5:30pm on the following Sundays: January 22, February 12 and March 19. You do not need experience with the language to attend this fun class. The program will be conducted by Sol Awend, Harriet Bernman and Felicia Anchor. Admission is free, and advance registration is required. Click here to register.
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Hosting Out-of-Town Visitors?
Looking for a memorable activity for visiting family and friends? Visit the Museum! Starting January 17th, our hours will be Tuesday through Sunday from 1:00pm – 4:00pm. We offer daily Docent-led tours at 1:30pm, and self-guided tours are always available. With the increase in attendance, we suggest you book your tickets online prior to your visit. Online reservations guarantee admission at your preferred time on a busy day; walk-up guests will be admitted if space is available. And, you save $2 off the admission price.
If you have a big crowd, you can also book a Private Group tour for 10 – 25 people. We have a variety of Tour options available. Click here to see the details. If interested, please contact Education Specialist David Nelson at David@hmcec.org or call 239-263-9200, ext. 205.
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New Exhibit in the Estelle and Stuart Price Gallery ... |
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Two Regimes
On display January 2023 - April 2023
Two Regimes shares the story of a family living in Mariupol, Ukraine, under the brutal regimes of Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler. Teodora Verbitskaya, her young daughters Nadia and Lucy, and extended family, were swept up in the collateral damage of genocide and war, including the 1932-1933 Holodomor ordered by Stalin and the Holocaust.
During World War II, the Nazis sent Teodora and her two daughters to Germany to work as slave laborers in forced labor camps. They endured this until 1945 when they were liberated by United States troops. When the war ended, they spent time in displaced persons camps until Teodora and her daughters were able to emigrate to Canada.
Two Regimes includes passages from Teodora's memoir about her life from 1920-1945, as translated by her granddaughter, Lucianne Vanilar. The exhibit's paintings, done from memory by daughter Nadia, a professionally trained artist, strikingly illustrate the family's wartime experiences.
Information on special programs associated with this exhibit will be available shortly.
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Education Department News ... |
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2023 Teachers' Workshop
Saturday, February 25, 2023
9:30am - 4:00pm
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Registration is now open for the Saturday, February 25, 2023 Teachers' Professional Development Workshop at the Museum. All active SWFL middle and high school and college/university level teachers are invited. The full day program (9:30am - 3:30pm) will include both breakfast and lunch.
The Workshop is funded by the generous Legacy gift from the Merrill Kuller Educator Series, so there is no charge for teachers to attend.
Joining Education Specialist David Nelson will be U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Teaching Fellow Keith Stringfellow from Winter Haven, FL.
Participants will also learn about the available Holocaust Education resources of both our Museum and the USHMM.
To RSVP, please click here. For questions, please contact David Nelson at David@hmcec.org or call 239-263-9200, ext. 205. Feel free to share this information with other teachers who might find it of interest to attend.
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Oak Ridge Middle School Visit ... |
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Last month, Oak Ridge Middle School visited the Museum. Teacher Cindy St. John, several of her colleagues and chaperones brought over 400 8th grade students on six different days for Field Trips!
Education Specialist David Nelson was assisted in conducting tours and activities for the group by Education Assistant Katie Butte and Education Volunteers Irving Waldman, Tom Wilde, and Susan Moricca.
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Schedule Your School Field Trip or on-Campus Program Now ...
Our 2023 education schedule is filling up. If you would like to arrange an age- appropriate Field Trip for your middle or high school students or one of our many on-campus programs, please contact Education Specialist David Nelson at
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SWFL Holocaust Survivor Memoirs ... |
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We have been honored to work with many Holocaust Survivors over the years. They have generously given of their time as Education Volunteers, speaking to students at the Museum and in schools, as Museum Speakers at community organization events, and as Docents and Volunteers at the Museum. Each one has made a lasting impact on others by sharing their family's experiences during the Holocaust.
Several Survivors have written their memoirs and donated copies to the Museum to help raise funds for our Holocaust Education Programs. Copies are available in our Lobby or can be mailed for a small shipping fee. Please contact Info@hmcec.org if you wish to have copies mailed. Current titles available are:
Imperfect Memories - A Memoir of Escape from the Holocaust
by Michael Eisenstadt
Not A Trace of Smoke
by Cesare Frustaci
Memoirs of a Survivor: My Life Under Nazi Occupation
by Abe Price (Abram Piasecki)
Holocaust Survival of Hella and Heinz Heinz Wartski
by Hella and Heinz Wartski
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Curatorial Department News ... |
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New Tires for Boxcar Flatbed Trailer ...
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The Boxcar Exhibit is ready for a new year of travel around Southwest Florida. After returning to the Museum from its display at DeLaSalle Academy in Fort Myers, its flatbed trailer was fitted with eight new tires. We were so pleased that Collier Tire was able to do the work on-site in our parking lot, as you can see in these photos.
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The Boxcar Exhibit schedule for 1st Quarter 2023:
- January 2023 at the Naples Central Avenue Branch Public Library
- February 2023 at the North Fort Myers Public Library
- March 2023 at Naples High School
The Boxcar Exhibit is on loan to the Museum from F.E. and Jack Nortman and The Boxcar Foundation. To schedule a Boxcar visit to your school, library or organization, please contact Education Specialist David Nelson at 239-263-9200 or David@hmcec.org.
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This Month in Holocaust History ... |
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2G Stories: "Portraits of Remembrance" Project ...
Due to the wonderful response to the stories created by GenShoah SWFL members for the "Portraits of Remembrance" Project, we are running the series again. Written to be shared with SWFL students in our Education programs, the stories share the important personal stories of those affected by the Holocaust.
This important Project preserves for future generations the important stories of GenShoah SWFL members’ parents and grandparents. If you are interested in submitting a story about your family's Holocaust experiences, e-mail genshoahswfl@hmcec.org for more information. The writing should be for a middle school-age audience, and be approximately 500-700 words in length. We request you also include appropriate geographical and accurate historical references, a personal highlight and photograph. We have posted the stories on our website "Education - Resources."
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2G Story by GenShoah SWFL Member Flo Giltman |
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GenShoah SWFL member Flo Giltman wrote "William Frohlinger’s Hidden Story" in honor of her father. It tells of the consequences on his family's life when the Nazis came to power and the terrible tragedy he had to live with the rest of his life. Click here to read it.
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Yiddish Group …
Interested in learning or brushing up on Yiddish phrases? You are invited to attend a three-part series on to be held at the Museum from 4:00pm – 5:30pm on the following Sundays: January 22, February 12 and March 19. You do not need experience with the language to attend this fun class. The program will be conducted by Sol Awend, Harriet Bernman and Felicia Anchor. Admission is free, with advance registration required. Click here to RSVP.
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Update on Ukrainian Relief Mission ...
In March 2023, former Board President Jack Nortman and his sister Margie Commerford brought supplies and funds to aid Ukrainian Refugee Relief Organizations. Jack and Margie are grateful to all those who contributed to this effort, and asked us to share an update with you - click here to read.
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January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month ...
January 2023 is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide – including in the U. S. It can happen anywhere and victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. The state of Florida and the city of Miami are consistently ranked as areas with the highest rates of human trafficking. It is such an area of concern that our inaugural “Movies That Matters” season featured the documentary “I Am Jane Doe” about victims of sex trafficking.
In the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security has jurisdiction over the prevention of human trafficking and protection of exploited persons. Its "Blue Campaign" program promotes awareness of how to recognize and respond to the signs of human trafficking.
Blue Campaign offers training, educational activities and awareness events. On January 11 it will promote "Wear Blue Day" to raise awareness of human trafficking. the public is invited to share and share on social media photos of themselves, friends, family, and colleagues wearing blue clothing with the #WearBlueDay hashtag. Anyone can participate, all you need is a piece of blue clothing.
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Helpful Links ..
To learn more about human trafficking, click here.
For more information on other upcoming Blue Campaign events, click here.
To report suspected human trafficking to Federal law enforcement: 1-866-347-2423
Para reportar un posible caso de trata de personas: 1-866-347-2423
To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733)
Obtenga ayuda de la Línea Directa Nacional de Trata de Personas: 1-888-373-7888 o enviando un mensaje de texto con HELP o INFO a BeFree (233733)
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Around the Museum ...
Visitor Comments ...
What did you like best about your visit?
"I've been to Holocaust Museums ALL over the world - yours is excellent"
"The truth & accuracy as hard as it is to read."
"The real life testimonies."
"The whole thing"
"The photos, art and items."
"Very nicely presented in a simplified way."
"To learn how the Nazis facilitated and developed their horrible programs of persecution and annihilation."
"All the Videos."
"The organization and buildup to the mission of the Nazi regime."
What could we improve upon?
"Nothing - just continue educating the public."
"Everything was great."
"Nothing - "Thank you for this Museum."
Of Interest to Holocaust Survivors and Their Families ...
The New York-based Center for Jewish History is launching the DNA Reunion Project, offering DNA testing kits to Holocaust Survivors for free through an application on its website. Click here to read about it.
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Thank You to the following organizations for sponsoring
Museum Programming and Events ...
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Funding has been provided to the Holocaust Museum & Janet G. and Harvey D. Cohen Education Center from Florida Humanities through the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. NEH is committed to Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by the Holocaust Museum & Janet G. and Harvey D. Cohen Education Center, do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Public Recognition Awards ... |
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We are honored to have received these awards as a result of Museum visitors sharing their experience on review sites. Thank you so much for spreading the word about our Museum and work! |
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The Guidestar Gold Transparency Seal signifies to potential Donors that an organization is in good standing and worthy of their support. We are honored to have received this distinction.
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For more information on how you can support the Museum's Education mission, please contact Museum President and CEO Susan Suarez at 239-263-9200, ext. 203, or e-mail Susan@hmcec.org. Thank you!
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