Centre News SEPTEMBER 2019 the Magazine of the Jewish Holocaust Centre, Melbourne, Australia
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Centre News SEPTEMBER 2019 The magazine of the Jewish Holocaust Centre, Melbourne, Australia Building for the future Registered by Australia Post. Publication No. VBH 7236 JHC Board The Jewish Holocaust Centre is dedicated to the memory of the six million Co-Presidents Pauline Rockman OAM Jews murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators between 1933 and 1945. & Sue Hampel OAM Vice-President David Cohen We consider the finest memorial to all victims of racist policies to be an Treasurer Richard Michaels educational program that aims to combat antisemitism, racism and prejudice Secretary Elly Brooks in the community, and fosters understanding between people. Executive Directors Abram Goldberg OAM Helen Mahemoff Paul Kegen Non-Executive Directors Allen Brostek IN THIS ISSUE Anita Frayman Phil Lewis From the Presidents 3 Melanie Raleigh Mary Slade Editor’s note 3 JHC Foundation Chairperson Helen Mahemoff Director’s cut 4 Trustees Allen Brostek David Cohen Education 4 Jeffrey Mahemoff AO Joey Borensztajn Federal Government supports JHC 5 Nina Bassat AM to expand its reach to every Victorian child Office of the Museum Director Museum Director Jayne Josem Reflections on the 35th anniversary 6 Executive Assistant Evelyn Portek of the Jewish Holocaust Centre Education Director of Education Lisa Phillips Australia becomes a full member of IHRA 7 Educational Engagement Jennifer Levitt Maxwell Manager Remember the Past – Build the Future: 8 Education Officer Anatie Livnat Taking the JHC building campaign to the community Education Officer Fanny Hoffman Education Officer Soo Isaacs Saved by selfless acts of courage 10 Museum Senior Curator Sandy Saxon Just Add Love 12 Curatorial Assistant Gavan O’Connor Collections Connecting to eyewitnesses in sites of atrocity 14 Senior Archivist Dr Anna Hirsh Director of Testimonies Phillip Maisel OAM The penalties of survival 16 Project Librarian & Information Julia Reichstein Saving lives in the shadow of the SS 18 Manager Audio-Visual Producer Robbie Simons Loloush 20 Development & Marketing Director of Marketing Leora Harrison A tree of life 22 & Development Marketing Manager Danielle Kamien March of the Living 2019 24 Operations Memories for a lifetime 26 Operations Manager Laura Etyngold Finance Manager Roy John New acquisitions 27 Special Projects & Daniel Feldman Bookkeeper Seen around the Centre 28 Office Manager Lena Fiszman Volunteer Coordinator Rae Silverstein Administrative Support Karen Miksad Community news 30 Officer Administrative Support Georgina Alexander Officer Operations Support Lana Zuker Officer Operations Support Claire Jordaan Officer Austrian Intern Nargis Kurtaya Austrian Intern Michael Stromenger 13–15 Selwyn Street OPENING HOURS Centre News Elsternwick Vic 3185 Editor Ruth Mushin Mon–Thu: 10am–4pm Australia Yiddish Editor Alex Dafner Fri: 10am–3pm t: (03) 9528 1985 Sun & Public Hols: 12pm–4pm f: (03) 9528 3758 On the cover: Closed on Saturdays, e: [email protected] Jewish Holy Days and (l-r) Abram Goldberg OAM & w: www.jhc.org.au some public holidays the Hon Josh Frydenberg MP Photo: Zina Sofer Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in Centre News are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the magazine editor or editorial committee. While Centre This publication has been designed and produced News welcomes ideas, articles, photos, poetry and letters, it reserves the right to by Grin Creative / grincreative.com.au accept or reject material. There is no automatic acceptance of submissions. student has at least one, if not two, opportunities to visit the JHC museum and participate in our education programs to learn the vital lessons of the Holocaust – lessons about the dangers of racism and the value of democratic processes. In order to achieve the goal of reaching every Victorian school student we are rebuilding and enlarging our centre, commencing next year with a view to reopening in 2022. In the meantime we will find a temporary location and continue running a modified program. As well as increasing student numbers, this grant will ensure that we expand our programs to educate teachers, as well as key members of our community, including politicians at all levels, members of the police and armed forces, and many more citizens in pivotal decision-making roles. (Further details can be found on page 5 of Centre News.) Australia’s admittance to full membership of the IHRA would not have happened without the on-going efforts over decades of several different Australian governments in pursuing and finally achieving this highly valuable outcome – placing Australia among the world leaders in Holocaust education. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Senator Marise Payne deserve special recognition for seeing this process through to a positive conclusion. From the Presidents ‘I think that it is very important for an organisation dealing with Pauline Rockman Holocaust education, remembrance and research to have the Australian people, through their government, joining the International & Sue Hampel Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).’ These were the inspiring and most welcoming words from the honorary chair, Professor Yehuda Bauer, when we spoke to him after Australia’s acceptance into the IHRA. (You can read more about IHRA on page 7.) wo events have occurred recently that will have a most profound impact on the Jewish Holocaust Centre (JHC). As Australians, we are all very proud to be doing this important T In April we were thrilled to announce that the JHC is work and we are mindful of the important legacy bequeathed to the proud recipient of a $10 million grant from the Australian us by the Holocaust survivors who established and ran the JHC Government, and in June Australia was admitted as a full for many decades. member to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) at Mondorf-les-Bains, Luxembourg. L’shana tova! The Federal Government grant, announced by Treasurer the Pauline Rockman OAM and Sue Hampel OAM are co-presidents Hon Josh Frydenberg MP, will ensure that every Victorian school of the Jewish Holocaust Centre. JHC. Julia Mayer features the stories of Sarah Saaroni and twins Stephanie Heller and Annetta Able in her article about Irris Makler’s wonderful book Just Add Love: Holocaust Survivors Editor’s note Share their Stories and Recipes. And we bring you the late Kitia Altman’s moving story ‘Loloush’ – one of ‘those who have no one Ruth Mushin to remember them’ she honours in her beautifully written book Memories of Ordinary People. Kitia was an important mentor in educating me about the Holocaust when I first became involved in the JHC, and one of her lthough we regularly feature articles by academics and ‘causes’ was the recognition of the Righteous Among the Nations. other experts on the Holocaust, and keep you up to I think Kitia would be proud to see the article about Alfred Rossner A date with what is happening at the Jewish Holocaust – a German whom she credits with helping to save her life and who Centre (JHC), I always feel that one of the most important tasks himself paid for his courageous deeds with his life. German writer of Centre News is to tell the stories of Holocaust survivors. In Hannah Miska, who was also mentored by Kitia when she lived in this edition, the stars truly are the Holocaust survivors involved Melbourne and volunteered at the JHC, embarked on a voyage with the JHC. We feature the stories of volunteer guides Joe de of discovery about Alfred Rossner after learning that he had been Haan and Charles German, and introduce you to Jenny Chaenkel, instrumental in saving Kitia’s life. I hope you enjoy these and the a Melbourne survivor who has left a generous bequest to the other articles in this edition of Centre News. JHC Centre News 3 Director’s cut Education Jayne Josem Lisa Phillips he well-known quote from the movie Field of Dreams I have been bringing students each year for quite a is: ‘If you build it, he will come.’ At the Jewish Holocaust number of years now and each year the girls cite this T Centre (JHC), however, the question we are currently as one of the most profound and moving experiences asking ourselves is: ‘When they come, what will they learn, that remain with them. what will they remember and how can we make a difference to their lives?’ o began a thank you letter received in June, articulating the moving experience we witness each day at the The message board at the JHC is always full of comments S Jewish Holocaust Centre (JHC). Our work is important from students praising the experience and thanking survivors and the passionate education team of survivors, volunteers for sharing their stories. But what about the students who and staff makes sure that we plant a seed of acceptance, and don’t leave inspiring messages? And those who manage to that students learn the dangers of hatred and prejudice each ignore the lessons or who just aren’t paying attention? What time we deliver a program. can we do to ensure we reach them? Behind the scenes we are working on developing new It is troubling to think that we might be missing the mark with programs and ways we can continue to engage students using some students, so we are now intent on exploring what more cutting edge technology and learning strategies. We know we could be doing. We are seeking feedback from students that students learn best when they are not passive listeners, and teachers to better understand their thoughts about their but are actively involved in the learning process. As a result we visit and about Holocaust education in general. What did have begun to change the way the students interact with the they respond well to? What resources do teachers need to museum displays. We have been trialling the use of a ‘guided help them teach this challenging subject? facilitation’, giving students a list of eight artefacts to discover in the museum.