Y Ear in Review 2018
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Highlights and statistics from an exciting year 2018 Year in Review Year Board Staff Co-Presidents Executive Director Education Officers Pauline Rockman OAM & Warren Fineberg (retired Oct 2018) Anatie Livnat Sue Hampel OAM Fanny Hoffman Museum Director Fiona Kelmann Treasurer Jayne Josem (appointed Dec 2018) Richard Michaels Executive Assistant Curator & Head of Collections Evelyn Portek Vice-President Jayne Josem David Cohen Office Manager Director of Education Lena Fiszman Secretary Lisa Phillips Elly Brooks Communications Officer Director of Marketing Tosca Birnbaum Board Directors & Development Abram Goldberg OAM Leora Harrison Volunteer Coordinator Paul Kegen Rae Silverstein Director of Testimonies Project Helen Mahemoff Phillip Maisel OAM Bookkeeper, Database Non-Executive Directors Coordinator and IT Support Director of Community Relations Allen Brostek Daniel Feldman Michael Cohen Anita Frayman Phil Lewis Senior Archivist Melanie Raleigh Dr Anna Hirsh Mary Slade Marketing Manager Danielle Kamien JHC Foundation Librarian/Information Manager Julia Reichstein Chairperson Assistant Curator, Museum Helen Mahemoff Redevelopment Project Gavan O’Connor Trustees Nina Bassat AM Archives Assistant Joey Borensztajn AM Claude Fromm (retired Apr 2018) Allen Brostek Audio-Video Producer David Cohen Robbie Simons Jeffrey Mahemoff AO Jewish Holocaust Centre, Melbourne Front cover: Victorian school students writing reflections from their visit to the 13–15 Selwyn Street, Elsternwick VIC 3185 Jewish Holocaust Centre jhc.org.au Photographer: Joe Lewit The Jewish Holocaust Centre is dedicated to the memory of the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators between 1933 and 1945. We consider the finest memorial to all victims of racist policies to be an educational program that aims to combat antisemitism, racism and prejudice in the community, and fosters understanding between peoples. Passport for Rudolf Czerniejewer (later Cherny), Glogow, Poland, 1937 4 JHC Year in Review 2018 Message from the Board Pauline Rockman OAM & Sue Hampel OAM, Co-Presidents Never has the mission of the Jewish Holocaust In 2018 Warren Fineberg retired as JHC Executive Centre (JHC) been more vital and relevant. The Director and Jayne Josem moved into the new role current world-wide surge of racism, extremism, as Museum Director. Warren’s wonderful service over intolerance and hate-inspired speech demands that the past eight years has put the Centre in a strong we redouble our efforts and programs to educate position for the future. Jayne has a clear vision for the widely for acceptance of a culturally diverse and next decade and beyond – to take the foundational cohesive society. work of the survivors and build on it exponentially to ensure their legacy is in safe hands well into the The JHC today provides education programs to future 23,000 Victorian school students each year, as well as a variety of other groups. In 2018, over 1300 students from years 5–8 attended the ‘Hide and Seek’ program. One of our goals has been to involve Our vision is being realised with the planned building younger people in the running of the redevelopment – and planning is going well thanks to JHC, and we are delighted that the JHC our dedicated committees. Currently the JHC is 65% along the way to its target to raise $16 million to build Board consists of a Holocaust survivor, a world-class new facility. children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors. We believe that including all We are delighted that the Australian Government has submitted our application to become a full member three generations is important to ensure of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance the continuity and vibrancy of the JHC. (IHRA), with the expectation that we will be formally admitted into this organisation in 2019. Co-presidents Pauline Rockman and Sue Hampel have been active The JHC delivers the important universal lessons participants in the Australian delegation to IHRA, of the Holocaust, such as social responsibility, lending their expertise to the Australian campaign. human rights, racism, prejudice, antisemitism and discrimination, through a range of education programs. Let us continue to go from strength to strength. JHC Executive Director Warren Fineberg, Curator Jayne Josem, Co-President Sue Hampel OAM, Australia’s Ambassador to Germany and Head of IHRA Delegation, Lynette Wood, Dr Donna-Lee Frieze, Abram Goldberg OAM, Co-President Pauline Rockman OAM and Phillip Maisel OAM JHC Year in Review 2018 5 Message from the Museum Director Jayne Josem Our social media presence stepped up a notch with the arrival of Danielle Kamien, who took up the newly created position of Marketing Manager. We farewelled long-serving archives assistant Claude Fromm as well as Director of Community Relations & Research Dr Michael Cohen, who will be greatly missed. Michael is a doyen of the community and especially made his mark on the many commemorative events held annually by the JHC. After nearly a decade at the helm, Warren Fineberg retired this year, leaving a legacy of a very stable centre in an excellent position from which to begin a massive redevelopment project. Visiting academic Dr Michael Berenbaum reminded us that our work remains ‘frighteningly relevant’ and that we have a pivotal role as heirs to the memories of the survivors. We must work harder This has been a monumental year for the JHC than ever over the coming years to ‘remember with redevelopment plans receiving town planning the past and build the future’. approval and much work going into its design. Our excellent and increasing student numbers I look forward to sharing the journey with you. necessitate the rebuild and we are heartened by the support the Capital Campaign is receiving from the community. The design teams of Kerstin Thompson Architects and Thylacine exhibition designers are assisting us to create the best museum possible. I took up the position of Acting Director in July. This turned into a formal appointment to the position in December, which is a great honour. The JHC team of staff and volunteers is extremely dedicated and hard-working, and I look forward to the challenge of leading us all through the rebuild. The JHC held many events in 2018 and you will find the highlights outlined in the following pages. We continued to receive many significant donations of artefacts to the JHC Collection, and work in the archives continued apace. The Testimonies Project interviewed survivors and descendants throughout the year, while our library began lending books to the public for the first time. Members of the Education team were run off their feet delivering programs to a record number of students. Holocaust survivors remain central to our operations and we put much effort into ensuring their welfare so that they can continue to share their stories with so many. 6 JHC Year in Review 2018 2018 Highlights Centre Redevelopment Jewish Holocaust Centre, Melbourne, artist’s impression In 2018 the JHC continued to plan learning spaces, and enhanced and curators met around 20 for a major redevelopment, and memorial spaces. The projected times in 2018 and completed the the year was filled with great budget is over $16 million. concept design of the permanent success and momentum in working museum. In November the towards this goal. The need for In April of 2018 the City of Glen committee was privileged to this significant project is the Eira granted a Town Planning work with international Holocaust direct result of the success of our Permit, and our Project Control museum expert Professor Michael Holocaust education program, Group has working closely with key Berenbaum, who provided input coupled with the widespread museum staff, Kerstin Thompson and advice on our museum plans. recognition of the relevance Architects and other consultants of our message. to deliver a detailed design of the project ensuring both the Fundraising has commenced fulfilment of the brief and the through the Capital Campaign greater vision of a truly immersive ‘Remember the Past, Build the museum experience for all. This Future’, co-chaired by Helen experience is aimed at one which Mahemoff and Phil Lewis, and in respectfully encompasses the 2019 the JHC will take the Capital past achievements of the original Campaign to the wider community. museum, but also looks to the future and how our new home will Our new four-storey building will put the JHC on the world map. include an upgraded Permanent Museum Display, dedicated The major focus of the museum Phil Lewis and Helen Mahemoff Photographer: Joe Lewit Children’s Museum, Temporary team was on planning our new Exhibition Gallery, expanded library museum spaces. A wonderful and resource facilities, flexible committee comprising educators JHC Year in Review 2018 7 Visitor Communications Numbers & Social Media 2018 was a busy year in the In May 2018, the JHC employed its We published two issues of Centre JHC Education Department. first Marketing Manager, Danielle News which were distributed to Over 23,000 students attended Kamien, who is working closely our many supporters by mail. The our education programs from 300 with the Director of Marketing and magazine is also available in digital schools, breaking our 2017 record Development, Leora Harrison. format on the JHC website and, of 22,000. Most schools are from Danielle’s focus has been on events, by the end of 2018, there were the metropolitan region, although exhibitions, communications and almost 1,000 online subscribers. there is strong representation the development of a new JHC The most important mission of of country schools. website. One of her key tasks is to Centre News is to document the develop the JHC presence on social stories of Holocaust survivors while There was a 50% increase from media. Danielle has been working also featuring articles by respected 2017 in ‘Hide and Seek: Stories closely with JHC Audio-Video academics from Australia and of Survival’, the JHC’s program Producer Robbie Simons to achieve overseas.