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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Please note:
The Museum is closed to the public
until mid-October
as we complete construction and installation of
exhibits and displays in our new North Wing.
During this time, Staff can be reached by email. For general questions, please contact us at
Please watch our website for updates on re-opening!
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Message from Susan Suarez, President and CEO ... |
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We can’t wait to welcome you to our expanded and updated Museum! We will re-open in mid-October and have planned special Re-Opening celebrations in November. Our website – hmcec.org – will have additional opening information as we get closer to October.
In addition to adding new galleries and classroom space in the new North Wing, we will also unveil a new series of displays in the existing Museum. “Resistance and Rescue” displays throughout the Museum. These will include the Kindertransport, Hidden Children, the Warsaw Underground (Zegota), the Reigner Telegram, Oskar Schindler, the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, the Danish Rescue, the Auschwitz Revolt, and more. These stories of Upstanders demonstrate the strength and power of moral courage in many different situations. As you reflect on the brave acts of the people in these stories, we hope you too will be inspired to stand up for those who are unjustly bullied or persecuted because of who they are, not what they do.
Now that school is in session, we invite SWFL teachers to contact our Education Department to schedule their Student Field trips and at-school Museum Educator visits. This year, we will be introducing several new activities for students from fifth grade through high school, available at the Museum and for in-school classes. We work with teachers and students in five SWFL counties, and from public, private, charter, home school and alternative school learning environments.
As you read this newsletter, grab your calendar and mark down the programs you want to attend! We have many interesting programs and events scheduled and we hope to see YOU there!
Susan
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Thanks for Your Part in a Successful 2022-2023!
Your generous donations of financial assistance, time and talents made it another great year at the Museum! Because of your support, our Education programs, special events, and exhibits impacted thousands of lives, from across town to across the country and the world. People of all ages interacted with us, but perhaps the greatest impact of your support was felt by the thousands of students and teachers we served right here in SWFL.
This year, these children not only learned more about the terrible consequences of hate throughout history, they learned how to act against that hate now and in the future with the tools our Education programs provided. You have helped create a lasting ripple effect which will bring positive change to our communities.
Thank you again for supporting our mission - to teach the lessons of the Holocaust to inspire action against bigotry and hatred - so steadfastly. We cannot wait to show you our new North Wing and updated Museum galleries and exhibits when we re-open!
Click the button below to see a brief video of highlights from this past year at the Museum.
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Recent Tribute and Memorial Gifts to the Museum ...
In Honor of:
In honor of Stanley Porter from Henny Porter
In honor of Robert Subin from Gracia Kuller
In Memory of:
In memory of Margary Adelson from Nancy Kaplan
In memory of Steve Brazina from Merry Korn
In memory of Alan Kaplan from Nancy Kaplan
In memory of Alan Kaplan from Estelle and Stuart Price
In memory of Paul Longo from Patti Bloom
In memory of Walter Porges from Chris Curle
In memory of Louise Warshauer from Gracia Kuller
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
Sandra and 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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Save the Date for The Luncheon ...
Date: Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Time: 11:30am – 1:30pm
Location: The Vineyards Country Club, Naples
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ONE PLAY. TWO VOICES.
A BOUNDLESS HOPE FOR HUMANITY.
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"Letters from Anne and Martin" is a dramatic presentation drawn from the writings of Anne Frank and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This unique adaptation combines their iconic words and examines their parallel experiences living in the shadow of hatred and prejudice in different decades, on different sides of the globe, but within the same generation …
In conjunction with the Anne Frank Center USA, we will present a live performance of "Letters from Anne and Martin" at our annual winter fundraising event, The Luncheon.
We hope you will be able to join us for this very special event! Additional information will be provided as we get closer to the event. Sponsorship Packages are now available - please click here for details.
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Help the Museum with specific items needed to serve our student and adult visitors!
iPads (3) for interactive exhibits and listening stations
$300 each
Video screens (5) for exhibits and education (various sizes)
$150 to $1,000 each
Rolling TV Stand (1)
$400
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SAVE THE DATES FOR
"MOVIES THAT MATTER" Steve Brazina Memorial Film Series 2023 ...
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You CAN make a difference!
Join us to educate, engage, and facilitate discussion around Human Rights topics through film. Learn how these issues affect Southwest Florida and how you can help.
There is no charge to participate in the discussions, but donations are appreciated. Registration is required for each - RSVP at hmcec.org.
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Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Poor Kids
This documentary explores what poverty means to children in America through the stories of three families.
4:00pm Eastern Time (U.S. and Canada)
Expert Panel Discussion/Q&A via ZOOM
Viewing link will be available prior to discussion
Wednesday, October 25, 2023
Repairing the World
Documentary on Pittsburgh's powerful community response to hate and antisemitism after the deadly 2018 Tree of Life Synagogue attack.
Time and Location: TBD
Expert Panel Discussion/Q&A
Wednesday, November 1, 2023
The Invisible Class
Documentary explores what it means to be homeless in America, and the stereotypes and systemic causes of this issue.
4:00pm Eastern Time (U.S. and Canada)
Expert Panel Discussion/Q&A via ZOOM
Viewing link will be available prior to discussion. A film link for Beyond Homelessness: Finding Hope will also be provided.
Sponsorships are now available. Please click the button below for details.
We hope you'll join us for this season's important
films and community discussions!
Movies That Matter is presented by GenShoah SWFL, Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center, Interfaith Alliance, Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, Naples United Church of Christ, and Temple Shalom.
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Museum Programming for 2023-2024 Season |
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2023-2024 Exhibits
in the new
Estelle and Stuart Price Gallery
Forgeries and the Holocaust
October - December 2023
Stitching History from the Holocaust
January - March 2024
Lawyers Without Rights: The Fate of Jewish Lawyers in Berlin After 1933
April - October 2024
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2023-2024 Lectures and Programs
in the new
Herbert H. Schiff Classroom
Family Day, Re-Opening Celebration with activities for kids of all ages
Saturday, November 4, 2023; 1:00pm-3:00pm
Special Veterans Day Museum Re-Opening Program
Saturday, November 11, 2023; 1:00pm – 3:00pm;
Complimentary Admission; Film Program RSVP required
The Rescue in the Philippines - Film/Q&A with Filmmakers
Wednesday, January 17, 2024
Time: 2:00pm - 4:00pm Ticketed Event - RSVP required
International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Friday, January 26, 2024
Complimentary Admission; Film Program
1:00pm - 3:00pm; RSVP required
Ellaine Rosen Lecture Series “Witness to Goodness”
Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
2:00pm - 4:00pm; Free of Charge Ticketed Events -
Donations appreciated - RSVP required
Stuart Mest, M.D. Lecture “The Holocaust: Medically-Driven Genocide”
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
2:00pm - 4:00pm; Ticketed Event - RSVP required
VE Day Commemoration
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Complimentary Admission; Film Program
1:00pm-3:00pm; RSVP required
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2023-2024 Museum Fundraising Events
The Luncheon with special program "Letters from Anne and Martin"
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
11:30am – 1:30pm
The Vineyards Country Club
RSVP Required; Tickets $150; Sponsorship Packages available
Triumph 2024 Annual Fundraising Evening
Wednesday, March 6, 2024
5:30pm-8:30pm
Arthrex Conference Center
RSVP Required; Tickets $350; Sponsorship Packages available
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2023-2024 Community Commemoration Events
Annual Community Kristallnacht Commemoration
Sunday, November 5, 2023
2:30pm-4:30pm
St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, Naples
Open to the public and free to attend
Annual Community Yom HaShoah Commemoration
Sunday, May 5, 2024
4:00pm - 5:00pm
Jewish Federation of Greater Naples
4720 Pine Ridge Road, Naples
Open to the public and free to attend
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Education Department News ... |
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Our Education Department is accepting reservations for Student Field Trips to the Museum, In-Class programs, the traveling Boxcar Exhibit, and PopUp Museum displays.
Please note the Boxcar and PopUp Museum exhibits are also available to community organizations. Please contact Education Specialist David Nelson for more information - David@hmcec.org.
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2023-2024 Private Group Tours ...
We are pleased to present new options for Private Group Tours in 2023-2024!
If you are looking for a memorable experience for your community, organization, friends and family members, schedule a Private Group Tour of our new, expanded Museum!
- Four new Tour options suitable for groups of 10-25 people
- New Tour option available for groups of up to 70 people
- Private Group Tours offered when the Museum is closed to the public
- Customized for your group's interest and time schedule
Click the button below for the details. For questions and to schedule a Private Group Tour, please contact Education Specialist David Nelson at David@hmcec.org or 239-263-9200, ext. 205
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SWFL Holocaust Survivor Memoirs ...
We have been honored to work with many Holocaust Survivors over the years. They have generously given 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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The Boxcar Exhibit will be on display in the our Museum's parking lot through early November.
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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Curatorial Department News ... |
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The Curatorial has been busy with numerous projects relating to the renovation. One of the biggest is getting our new permanent Auschwitz gallery ready. In order to create a unique feel in the space, the Museum’s design team thought a floor treatment would help with this. We worked with a local concrete surfacer to select a material that looks close to soil in tone yet would provide a safe surface for this area. As you can see there is a path set up using the darker tones. This will guide our guests touring independently to key points throughout the space. |
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Interactive displays are always a challenge to create. The ultimate goal is for them to be engaging. Right now the goal is getting the displays themselves ready! The photo on the left shows the recently-arrived stands for the Auschwitz Gallery displays which will present Survivor stories. The photo on the right shows plastic-wrapped pieces resembling video screens which are actually tablet holders for our Human Rights Gallery interactive displays. Each display will be carefully assembled so they are stable, secure, and safe for our guests. |
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Artifact safety is on Cody’s mind as well. Reviewing the lighting in the new Estelle and Stuart Price Gallery, he realized that even at the lowest intensity, the lamps would be far too bright for artifacts! So began a quest to find just the right lights for our spaces. After searching on and off for the past few months, new track lights and lower intensity bulbs were found! Between projects, Cody will be installing the new lights in both the Price Gallery and the new Auschwitz Gallery. |
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In addition to the ongoing North Wing work, we are also fully revamping two existing Gallery spaces in the Museum to prepare for new exhibit installations. Some of the content in the Marion and Irene Glass and the Bobbi and Randy Heiligman Galleries is slated for relocation into the new Auschwitz Gallery, with new content being prepared to take their places.
"Other Duties As Assigned" ...
Curator Cody Rademacher and the rest of the staff have worked diligently to move cases safely out of the way so that preparation work could begin in these Galleries. This included the tedious removal of existing wallpaper, and much more. Few realize how physical curatorial work in a small museum can be until they do it themselves! As you can see from the photos below, Cody has taken to the DIY aspects well! He is shown filling the numerous holes caused by drywall anchors and adhesives in preparation for the new displays.
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GenShoah SWFL News ...
GenShoah SWFL is an affinity group at the Museum for children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors. A number of interesting programs are in the works for the upcoming season. For more information, please contact GenShoah SWFL Co-Chairs Shelley Lieb (liebro@gmail.com) and Ida Margolis (genshoahswfl@gmail.com)
2023 GenShoah SWFL Programs
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Tuesday, August 22, 2:00pm Book Discussion of One Hundred Saturdays on ZOOM. Registration required - please contact Estelle Kafer at ekafer520@gmail.com.
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Sunday, October 15, 3:30pm “Zoog Mir in Yiddish” Yiddish Discussion Group, Location: TBD; Space Limited; Registration required at hmcec.org. (Please note: registration access available shortly)
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Wednesday, October 18, 2:00pm Movies That Matter - Poor Kids. Link to film available prior to ZOOM Expert Panel discussion. Registration required at hmcec.org.
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Wednesday, October 25, Movies That Matter - Repairing The World. Time and Location: TBD. Expert Panel discussion/Q&A following. Registration required at hmcec.org.
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Wednesday, November 1, 2:00pm Movies That Matter - The Invisible Class on crucial housing and homeless issues. Link to film available prior to ZOOM Expert Panel discussion. Registration required at hmcec.org.
- Sunday, November 5, 2:30pm Kristallnacht Commemoration - Location: St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, 5225 Golden Gate Pkwy., Naples
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Sunday, November 19, 3:30pm “Zoog Mir in Yiddish” Yiddish Discussion Group, Location: Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center; Space Limited; Registration required at hmcec.org. (Please note: registration access available shortly)
- Sunday, December 10, 5:00pm Annual Potluck (Location: Private residence.) More information will be available in December.
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Sunday, December 17, 3:30pm “Zoog Mir in Yiddish” Yiddish Discussion Group, Location: Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center; Space Limited; Registration required at hmcec.org. (Please note: registration access available shortly)
2024 GenShoah SWFL Programs
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Sunday, January 21, 3:30pm “Zoog Mir in Yiddish” Yiddish Discussion Group, Location: Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center; Space Limited; Registration required at hmcec.org. (Please note: registration access available shortly)
- Friday, January 26, Holocaust Remembrance Day (Location: Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center.) More information to follow.
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Sunday, February 4, 1:00pm “Our Stories” (Location: Private residence.) Registration required with Shelley at liebro@gmail.com.
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Sunday, February 18, 3:30pm “Zoog Mir in Yiddish” Yiddish Discussion Group, Location: Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center; Space Limited; Registration required at hmcec.org. (Please note: registration access available shortly)
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Sundays, February 25 and April 7, 1:00pm - 3:00pm Genealogy Workshops, Naples. Register with Shelley for more information at liebro@gmail.com.
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Sunday, March 17, “Zoog Mir in Yiddish” Yiddish Discussion Group, Location: Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center; Space Limited; Registration required at hmcec.org. (Please note: registration access available shortly)
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Sunday, April 21, 3:30pm “Zoog Mir in Yiddish” Yiddish Discussion Group, Location: Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center; Space Limited; Registration required at hmcec.org. (Please note: registration access available shortly)
- Sunday, May 5, 4:00pm - 5:00pm Community Yom HaShoah Commemoration, Jewish Federation of Greater Naples - Nina Iser Cultural Center, 4720 Pine Ridge Road, Naples.
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2G Story by GenShoah SWFL Member Henry Bitterman ... |
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This month's "Portrait of Remembrance" essay is "Mayer Bitterman's Holocaust Story Revealed," written by his son, Henry Bitterman. Click here to read it.
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2G Stories: "Portraits of Remembrance" Project ...
The above is an example of stories created by GenShoah SWFL members for the "Portraits of Remembrance" Project. Written to be shared with SWFL students in our Education programs, the stories share and preserve the important personal stories of families affected by the Holocaust.
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 under the "Education - Resources" tab.
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Information about GenShoah of SWFL ...
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
· the connection of the Second Generation with one another
· support of the Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center
For more information about GenShoah SWFL, please contact genshoahswfl@hmcec.org. GenShoah SWFL Co-Chairs are Shelley Lieb and Ida Margolis.
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One of our new neighbors in the plaza is the Sales Office for Grand Living at Naples, a luxury Senior Living community being constructed in North Naples.
You are invited to attend an informational meeting about Grand Living here at the Museum on Thursday, August 24th from 2:00pm - 3:30pm. Click here for more details.
To reserve your spot, please call 239-946-5604.
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Thank You to the Following Companies and Organizations for Their Generous Support: |
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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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