FALL 2012 July’s Big Week SAVE THE DATES April 19, 2013 Ceremonial Preview Major gifts from American and Polish philanthropies, announced In commemoration of the during the week of July 2, have provided funding toward completion 70th anniversary of the Ghetto Uprising of the Core Exhibition of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews. The Koret Foundation and the Taube Foundation for Jewish Life & October 20, 2013 Culture awarded US $7 million in collaborative and matching funds, GRAND OPENING while Poland’s wealthiest businessman, Dr. Jan Kulczyk, donated Detailed information on the two openings will be provided 20 million zlotys (US $6+ million). this autumn. The Museum’s curators, experts, and staff can now confidently bring the Museum’s Core Exhibition into actualization. After years of research CONTENTS and careful preparation they are diligently working with designers, Museum Construction 1-2 artists, and video and recording experts to present Polish Jewish history Benefactor & Leadership Messages 3-4 using state-of-the art technology, exhibition concepts, and the highest Major Gift News 5-6 scholarly standards. When the Museum opens in fall 2013, the Core Synagogue Reconstruction 7 Exhibition, depicting a thousand years of Jewish life in Poland, will fill Education & Virtual Programs 8-10 eight galleries and over 43,000 square feet of space, more than a third of the entire building. Core Exhibition 11-12 Updates 13 Taube Delegation Visits Museum 14 Museum Donors 15 A Museum for the Jewish People A Museum for the Jewish A Museum for the Jewish People A Museum for the Jewish New Promotional Film 16

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museum The Museum building nearing completion. The façade’s distinctive chasm is visible on the left side, and the group entrance can be seen on the right.

View of the Museum’s glass window, the largest in Poland.

Natan Rapaport Memorial to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, as seen from the Museum’s main hall.

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museum W PLENIPOTENTIARY MESSAGE FROM MUSEUM cultural institution dedicated to the history and legacy cultural institutiondedicatedtothehistoryandlegacy complete andfullyfunctionalmoderneducational structure, operations,andprogramsthatwillmakeita The Museumstaff ishardatworkdevelopingthe the buildingtoMuseumbylatefall. receiving the certificate of occupancy we will transfer of the building by theendofsummer. After construction finish to Weexpect Heritage. National Plenipotentiary by the Minister of Culture and I have been asked to serve as the Museum phase—its production. enable the work onthe exhibition to enter a new and arecrucial to itscompletion. The donations in the development of the Museum’s Core Exhibition Foundations’ milestone significant a mark donations businessman, Dr. JanKulczyk. The Koretand Taube individual—was made by Poland’s most successful San Francisco. The other—thelargest giftfroman Life & Culture and the Koret Foundation, both in is madejointly by the Taube FoundationforJewish was madepossiblethankstotwogenerousgifts.One Exhibition, the heart and souloftheMuseum. This on reachingthefundraisinggoalforCore We havedoneit! We haveturnedthecorner a ldem a r D ą browski

Artis Gold Medal in 2010. in Medal Gold Artis Warsaw. For his cultural contributions, he received the Gloria Gloria the received he contributions, cultural his For Warsaw. including the opening of the Fryderyk Chopin Museum in in Museum Chopin Fryderyk the of opening the including Institute. In 2008, he chaired the Chopin 2010 Celebrations, Celebrations, 2010 Chopin the chaired he 2008, In Institute. History of Polish Jews. Mr. D Mr. Jews. Polish of History Film Institute, the Theatre Institute, and the Audiovisual Audiovisual the and Institute, Theatre the Institute, Film he served as Minister of Culture, responsible for the new Polish Polish new the for responsible Culture, of Minister as served he On May 30, 2012, the Polish Minister of Culture appointed appointed Culture W of Minister Polish the 2012, 30, May On the Polish Grand Theater — National Opera. From 2002-2005, 2002-2005, From Opera. National — Theater Grand Polish the from a distinguished career in the arts. He is the Director of of Director the is He arts. the in career distinguished a from a ldem a r D r historic event on an international scale. historic eventonaninternationalscale. the HistoryofPolishJewsinOctober2013willbean one involved. The grandopeningoftheMuseum the knowledge,experience,anddedicationofevery ahead ofus,Iamsurethatwewillsucceedthanksto and itsinstallation. Although monthsofhardworkare important stage:theproductionofCoreExhibition of Polish Jews. We are delighted now to bein the most the completionexhibition.” the of phase— anew enter work to and enablethe Museum’sCore Exhibition ofthe development the in mark asignificantmilestone “The Koret andTaube donations Foundations’ ą browski Plenipotentiary of the Museum of the the of Museum the of Plenipotentiary browski ą browski comes to the Museum Museum the to comes browski — Museum Plenipotenti W a ldem a r D ą browski, a ry ry - 3 museum news | 3 MESSAGE FROM AN INVITATION FROM Tad Taube Piotr Wiślicki Chairman, American Friends Chairman of the Association of the Museum of the History of the Jewish Historical of Polish Jews Institute of Poland Honorary Consul for the Republic of Poland Chairman, Taube Philanthropies President, Koret Foundation Great accomplishments do not happen by accident. Many people must work long and hard, and contribute much to the effort, for the endeavor to succeed. So The Museum of the History of Polish Jews is moving it is for the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, rapidly toward its magnificent physical reality, with with which I have the great honor of being closely a beautiful building and innovative exhibitions and associated. I know from personal experience over the education programs that will present the millennium past years the important contributions of people all of Polish Jewish life. Now it is entering the final over the world, and especially in the . phase that will bring it to life. I invite you to join me Many decades ago large numbers of Jews from the in contributing to the vital tasks lying ahead. Polish lands emigrated to America, and now their First, we must ensure that the large and intense effort children and grandchildren are returning to the to finish the Core Exhibition has all the funds needed ancestral places to visit family, to make a connection for completion. The large gifts announced in this with their heritage, and very often to contribute to newsletter have nearly reached the fundraising goals, the construction of the Museum and the wonderful but we still require additional support. exhibitions within it. I want to thank all who have helped make the Museum a reality. “By linking history to moral choices today, I also want to urge you to consider contributing to the Museum will carry out its function as the establishment of the Museum’s endowment fund a civic institution committed to democratic to secure the many fine programs that the Museum values and the building of a robust civil is developing. The Education Program, for example, society in Poland and abroad.” will be an essential part of the future—the future Second, the Museum’s education program also needs of the Museum’s connection with Jews and non- your support. Outreach to Jews is vital to our global Jews across the world. The Museum’s educational mission. We seek to educate not only Jews and , programming will help undo negative stereotypes of but people everywhere about the history, culture, and earlier times, dispel myths, and open up possibilities life of Poland’s Jews. By linking history to moral of mutual understanding. Please consider contributing choices today, the Museum will carry out its function to the Museum, and then visiting it. We look forward as a civic institution committed to democratic values to welcoming you! and the building of a robust civil society in Poland and abroad. “ For generations my family was active in social The Museum is creating innovative, diverse edu- and political life, both Jewish and Polish. My cational programs for people of all ages and back- commitment to the Museum of the History of grounds, pioneering efforts that must be expanded Polish Jews continues a family tradition of and implemented. We have a grand story to tell. Join 4 public service. For me, this Museum affirms the me in making it known to the millions who would permanence of Jewish life on Polish soil. There benefit from seeing, hearing, and experiencing this is no history of Poland without the Jews and no epic living heritage. history of Jews without Poland.” —Piotr Wiślicki Deputy Chairmanofthe Association oftheJewish Marian Turski, Chairman of the Museum Council and scribed the Museum asa place that unites peoples. tion of theJewishHistorical Institute of Poland,de Piotr the Wiślicki,institutions. of Chairman Associa- be oneofthe world’s mostimportant new cultural ture andNational Heritage, said that the Museumwill of the Museum. Bogdan Zdrojewski, Minister of Cul sentatives of institutions responsible forthecreation The press conference began with remarks by repre rebirth ofJewishlifeandcultureinPoland. business that has givenhimthemeanstosupport relocated to San Francisco, where he built a successful before theGermaninvasion for theUnitedStates. He Tad Taube was borninPoland1931andleft shortly much tomaketheMuseumareality.has givenso who honor Tad Taube, the Polish American businessman Participants gathered to acknowledge the giftsandto donors andfoundations. largest total commitment to the Museum from private of approximately$16million US totheMuseum, Koret and Taube Foundations havecontributed a total will benamed forthetwofoundations.Since2007 honor ofthesegiftstheMuseum’s CoreExhibition Jewish Life & Culture and theKoretFoundation.In US $7million in gifts from the Taube Foundation for scaffolding andconstruction equipment—to announce special press conference at the building site—amid On July4theMuseum’s leadership convened a Culture MinisterBogdan Tad Taube’s Gifts and Taubegifts. Zdrojewski announcingKoret

Historical Institute. Association oftheJewish Piotr Wiślicki,Chairman,

- - - development. of thoseoriginalideasandjoyinsupportingtheir the years.Hespokeofhisprideinseeingfruition of the Museum concept, and his collaboration with them over the originators with meetings first his about Culture andPresidentoftheKoretFoundation,talked Chairman of the Taube Foundation for Jewish Life & Republic ofPolandintheSanFranciscoBay Area, Honored guest Tad Taube, HonoraryConsulforthe and theprogressthathasbeenmade. Historical Institute, recalled theinitial stages ofwork lnptnir Wlea Dbosi otd the gathering, held in Tad Taube’s hosted honor, which was Dąbrowski Museum Waldemar Park. Plenipotentiary Łazienki in Palace Water elegant Taube andhisdelegation attended a banquet atthe On the evening prior to the press conference, Tad media turnoutforaculturalinstitutioninPoland. The July 4pressconference was the largest-ever provided anopportunitytovisitindividual galleries. International, presented a virtual simulation that Design Nizio of head the Nizio, Mirosław Director. Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, Core Exhibition Knast, CoreExhibition General Director, andDr. the CoreExhibition, with presentationsby Alicja The secondhalfofthepressconference addressed Koret Foundation. Philanthropies; President, Tad Taube,Chairman, Taube “ Museum fromprivatedonors.” made thelargesttotalcommitmentto The KoretandT 

aube Foundations have aube Foundationshave architectural designs. Taube Philanthropies,receiveMuseum Tad Taube; ShanaPenn,ExecutiveDirector, L tor:Jeffrey Farber, CEO,KoretFoundation; 5 museum news | 5 Tad Taube and U.S. Ambassador Lee Feinstein. L to r: Culture Minister Zdrojewski, Dr. Jan Kulczyk, and Museum Council Chair Marian Turski at official announcement of Dr. Kulczyk’s $6+ million gift.

attended by government and community leaders, When asked by the media why he made this including Janusz Cisek, Undersecretary of State generous gift, Dr. Kulczyk replied, “Life is not just from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Piotr a business, not just economics. We must remember Żuchowski, Secretary of State from the Ministry of what was.” That a Polish citizen would offer Cultural and National Heritage, U.S. Ambassador such a large private gift to the Museum suggests Lee Feinstein, Israeli Ambassador Zvi Rav-Ner, how deeply the Museum has reached into public Australian Ambassador Jean Dunn, Marian Turski, awareness throughout Poland. Piotr Wiślicki, Director Emeritus Jerzy Halbersztadt, New Gift by PKN Orlen Distinguished Benefactor Irene Pletka, and Chief Rabbi of Poland Michael Schudrich, among others. The Polish company PKN Orlen, a major European After the banquet, Grupa MoCarta entertained with petroleum firm, has become a Museum Builder skillful violin stylizations. sponsor (for gifts up to $300,000) with its latest gift to the Gwoździec Re!Construction project. The gift supported the highly acclaimed exhibition MORE GIFTS TO FINISH THE JOB of painted sections of the Gwoździec Synagogue

Dr. Jan Kulczyk Gives $6+ million ceiling at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, July 16-31. Update July’s Big Week saw Poland’s wealthiest citizen, Thanks to PKN Orlen, more than 3,000 visitors got Dr. Jan Kulczyk, pledge a gift of 20 million zlotys a sneak peek at parts of the synagogue even before (US $6+ million) to help fund production of the the Museum’s grand opening. Museum’s Core Exhibition. Two Gifts for Core Exhibition Elements A third-generation Polish businessman, born in 1950, Two significant gifts will support integral aspects Dr. Kulczyk owns a firm based in Warsaw and an of the Core Exhibition. A US $1.2 million grant investment house with offices in Dubai, Kiev, Lon- from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims don, and Luxembourg. Dr. Kulczyk is Chair of the Against Germany will underwrite the design and Board of Green Cross International. Recently, Kulc- production of the Holocaust gallery. The European

6 zyk Investments was a strategic sponsor of the Polish Association of the Museum of the History of Polish

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Olympic team. In 2012, Dr. Kulczyk and New York Jews has contributed 100,000 euros for the design real-estate magnate Larry Silverstein established the and production of the Tolerance installation, which news Warsaw-based Kulczyk Silverstein Properties. is part of the Paradisus Iudaeorum gallery. museum Update Gwozdziec Re!Construction ing attheRoyalCastlein Warsaw. The display, could seeselectedpaintedsectionsoftheceil two weeksinJuly, members ofthepublic painted ceiling and timber-framed roof. For is reconstructing sectionsoftheelaborately An international team of experts and students of PolishJews. recreated insidetheMuseumofHistory imagination butwillsoonstandsplendidly synagogue thatexistsnowonlyinimageand painted ceiling of a beautiful 17th-century the reconstructionofroof,bimah,and complete to is goal Its Gdańsk. in agogue 22 May during apressconferenceattheNewSyn on officially launched Re!Con- struction Gwoździec of stage second The Model ofGwoździecSynagogue. - -

Timber-framing ofthesynagogue. the stagesofwork,metanenthusiastic which included a videoinstallation depicting on approach. of thearts,history, andsciencewithahands- dedicated to education and the perpetuation organization non-profit Massachusetts-based 18th-century gallery. HandshouseStudioisa terpiece of the Core Exhibition in the 17th- house StudiototheMuseum—willbeacen roof—and thebimah,agiftfromHands The reconstructed synagogue’s ceiling and the Museum ofthe History ofPolishJews. the JewishHistorical Institute ofPoland,and ect of HandshouseStudio,the Association of proj- joint a is Re!Construction Gwoździec public responseandmuchmediaattention. Participants insynagogueworkshopGdańsk. Core Exhibition.” Core centerpiece of the the of centerpiece synagogue will be a a be will synagogue reconstructed “The

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museum news | 7 L to r: Children at art workshop; calligrapher working on the Gwoździec painted ceiling; Polish Intercultural Youth Encounters. EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PLAN FOR North America Millions of American Jews who trace their ancestry to the Polish lands will surely have a great interest in the Museum, but they will need guides to assist them in reconnecting with their heritage. The Museum has therefore created an educational outreach program designed specifically for North American Jews. A traveling exhibition is being planned to tour Jewish Community Centers in the United States. It will describe the process of conceptualizing the Museum’s exhibition and the building’s architectural style and meaning. A documentary film showing the process of creating the Museum in the context of changes that have taken place in Poland over the last twenty years will help viewers understand why a country so deeply associated with the Holocaust is now intensely interested in rediscovering and nurturing its Polish Jewish heritage.

Training teachers about Polish Jewish history and culture forms an important part of the education effort. American and Polish teachers will meet in a seminar in Poland during 2013, for familiarization with the exhibitions and to establish routes for visitors at the Museum designed to accommodate cultural and Concert in the Ohel (Heb. “tent”), Museum installation. historical differences between countries.

The Museum will also continue its successful student program, Polish Intercultural Youth Encounters (PIYE), which seeks to familiarize young people with Polish Jewish history. Currently the program brings some 35,000 Israeli high school students to Poland for workshops and meetings with their Polish peers. Now the Museum plans to extend the same opportunity to students from Canada and the United States, while giving Polish students the chance to study at American universities and live with American families. For more information please go to: http://www.jewishmuseum.org.pl/en/cms/polish-israeli-students-exchange/

Educational Mission The Museum’s educational mission is to reconstruct the history of Polish Jewry, to instill moral values through the teaching of this heritage, and to help form modern individual 8

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and collective identities among Poles and Jews in Europe and the world. Its vision is to

news offer visitors a transformative experience and a new way of exploring history.

museum the answerisusually, “Both.” ask, reasonably, iftheir ancestry is PolishorRussian. And Polish than as Russian. Today the emigrant’s descendants land, and the emigrant might personally identify more as pire. Yet lessthanacenturybeforethecityhadbeeninPo Russian, becausethecitywasthenpartofRussianEm declare to the authorities at Ellis Island that he or she was might example, for Białystok, from migrant Aterritories. to existasapolitical entity, butfromoneofthedominating 1800s, theydidnotcomefromPoland,whichhadceased emigrated from theselandstotheUnitedStates,during the Commonwealthintothree“partitions.” When Jews ly assertive states of Austria, Prussia,andRussiadivided home to millions ofJews. Then, in the late 1700s, the new including parts nowwithinRussiaandBelarus,was monwealth extended over vast areas of Eastern Europe, Core Exhibition willexplain,thePolish-Lithuanian Com- American Jews andRussianJews.Centuries ago, asthe Education Program iscentral to theinterests of many One of the topics addressed by the Core Exhibition and Connections POLISH-RUSSIAN - - - were requiredtoliveinthe19thcenturyuntilendofWWI. Pale ofSettlement,theCzaristterritoryinwhichPolishJews and cessionsofterritoryafteritsfounding in1569. Map ofPolish-LithuanianCommonwealth showingadditions from theearliesttimesto thepresent. show themigrationsofJews inEasternEurope interactive map-based simulation, which will in development is fact, oneofthevirtualrealityprojectsnow Poland, Russia, , or Belarus. In history, whether it happens to lie today in resource center for EasternEurope’s Jewish its missionandregardsitselfasaneducational has embraced that shared identity as part of simply onthelinesofamap. The Museum commonalities than might be supposedbased many more cultural, religious, andlinguistic and Poles—Jewishnon-Jewish—have Polish lands, explaining that today’s Russians national identity of Jewishancestors from will examine the complex issue of the The Core Exhibition and Education Program Paths ofPolishJews, an

museum news | 9 Virtual Programs

“Virtual” is the new reality in today’s world, and artistic, and cultural perspectives. Another new therefore the Museum is boldly entering the virtual offering will be Jewish Warsaw Today, for visitors who realm. It began in 2012 with a smart phone app, My would like to tour contemporary Jewish Warsaw, as Warsaw—Warszawa jest moja, which combines the well as see the buildings and locations once important functions of a city guide, urban game, and compendium to the Jewish community. Both of these tours are of knowledge about Dr. Janusz Korczak, who directed scheduled to become mobile apps, accessible on smart the Warsaw Jewish orphanage during the ghetto. When phones as visitors stroll through the Museum. Warsaw the ghetto was liquidated, Dr. Korczak remained with Ghetto will commemorate the 70th anniversary of his children and accompanied them to Treblinka. Using the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. It will be an internet archival photos, audio tracks, and other materials, the database providing lesson plans for teachers as well as app shows how Warsaw looked and sounded in the source material describing the Uprising in the wider years before the war and then during the period of context of the ghetto’s history. the ghetto. The app is easy to download from the App Younger visitors will also get a new virtual treat, Store or Google Play, bilingual—and free. designed to answer a question that has preoccupied Even more virtual programming is coming. The Jews and non-Jews alike for centuries: Jewish—What Virtual Highlights Sightseeing Platform, which will Does It Mean? When mounted on the Museum’s be part of the Museum’s website, will present the website, this educational game will address basic Core Exhibition via objects described from historical, issues of Jewish culture and history.

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Top and right: Views of Warsaw streets in news

augmented reality. museum Kirshenblatt-Gimblett Dr. Barbara Update from CORE EXHIBITION: participation. setting thegoldstandardinmuseumeducation and history-education projects”andiswidelyviewed as of thegreatparticipatoryart-Jewish-museum-craft- monument preservationistSamuelGruberas“one Wrocław. This project was justly heralded by Jewish- joyous celebrationatthe White StorkSynagoguein wooden Gwoździec the synagogue projectconcludedin August witha for workshop last The multimedia components. of set first the for storyboards, of production the for completed scriptguidelines,whichformthebasis components isnowwellunderway. We have graphic final design. Preparationofaudiovisualandinteractive their on sign-offs have Exhibition stand now. All ofthehistoricalgalleriesCore preparing theCoreExhibition?Here’s wherethings report onlygoodnews.Howarewedoingwith I aminthewonderfulpositionofbeingableto First EncountersGallery. Forest Gallery.

want togetitright—andwewill! will betosomanypeopleacrosstheglobe,and we receiving. We allknowhowimportant the Museum completed exhibition worthyofthepraiseitisalready and meticulousattention todetailthatwillmakethe My summary, thoughbrief,conveysthe coherence ing oftheirownhistorylackacrucialdimension.” Poland’s Jewishpast,theireducationandunderstand ership. ItinsiststoPolesthatwithoutknowledgeof ad detailsaboutaheritageoverwhichtheyclaimown It will“teachcontemporaryJewsnewideasandmyri seum thatrankswiththebestinworld.” ed thattheresultwillbe“ahistoricalmu guished historian Moshe Rosman conclud knowledge ofitscontents,thedistin Core Exhibition,basedonintimate In arecentarticleabouttheMuseum’s about toreviewtheentireexhibition. Scholars andmuseumspecialistsare Holocaust Gallery. - - -

struck byJewishminters. with Hebrewletters, Medieval Polishcoin - - -

11 11 museum news | Encounters with Modernity Gallery.

Paradisus Iudaeorum Gallery.

Into the Country Gallery.

Postwar Gallery. The Street Gallery.

“We think of our exhibition as a theater of history. Our visitors will find themselves immersed in a place, immersed in a time, and immersed in the lives of the people whose stories we tell. I like to think of the Museum as completing the memorial site. If the monument honors those who died by remembering how they died, then what the Museum does is to honor their memory by remembering how they lived. On the inside there’s a huge chasm down the middle, and for me that chasm says rupture, it says break, it says wound. But at the same time there is a series of bridges that stand for 1212

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the mission of the Museum, which is to create a bridge, a bridge across time, a bridge

news across continents, and a bridge across people.”

—Dr. Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett museum “Who is the Museum for? For Poles—particularly Polish youth—to offer them a virtual way of filling the void left after almost 1,000 years of Jewish presence on Polish soil. For Jews—particularly Israeli youth—to make them familiar with a very important chapter in their past; indeed, for many centuries Poland was home to the largest and most significant Jewish Diaspora Community. For Everyone—to give all people the opportunity of meeting a Jewish community that offered world civilization fabulous thinkers, leaders, scholars, writers, musicians and painters.” —Marian Turski, Chairman of the Museum Council Updates

Marian Waldemar Turski Dąbrowski receives to Visit San Francisco, French Legion with Special Reception of Honor in His Honor

Marian Turski was awarded the French National Waldemar Dąbrowski, Plenipotentiary for the Mu- Order of the Legion of Honor on Monday, seum of the History of Polish Jews, will visit San March 26, 2012, for his contribution to shaping Francisco in early September. Ann and Gordon relations among the Jewish Diaspora, France, Getty will host a reception in his honor on Wednes- and Poland. Historian, Holocaust survivor, and day, September 5. The guests will include benefac- long-time journalist for Polityka, Marian Turski tors of the Museum and patrons of the city’s opera, currently serves as Chairman of the Museum symphony, and museums. The Taube and Koret Council and Deputy Chairman of the Association Foundations comprise the host committee. of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland, Mr. Dąbrowski, who also serves as Director of which is responsible for the Core Exhibition. the Polish Grand Theater—National Opera, will With the opening of the Museum, Marian attend the season opening of the San Francisco Turski will achieve the lifelong mission to Opera, where renowned soprano Aleksandra which he has selflessly dedicated himself. There Kurzak of the National Opera will perform Gilda are decorations which bestow honor on their in Verdi’s Rigoletto. Dianne and Tad Taube recipients, and there are recipients who honor the will host Mr. Dąbrowski at the Opera Ball on decoration they are awarded, and Marian Turski Friday, September 7, preceding the opening night

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certainly belongs in the latter category. He is performance. Dianne Taube serves on the Opera |

truly, as the French ambassador said in his award Board and the Taube and Koret Foundations are news ceremony, a “faithful witness of memory.” major supporters of the San Francisco Opera. museum Delegation views bridge across chasm. L to r: Shana Penn, Tad Taube, Jeffrey Farber.

Tad Taube BRINGS DELEGATION TO MUSEUM SITE

On July 1-8, Tad Taube and Shana Penn, greeted the group on site and briefed them on Chairman and Executive Director of Taube the progress of construction. Robert Supel, Philanthropies, brought a delegation to Poland Building Director, and Alicja Knast, General to meet the leaders of core Jewish institutions Director of the Core Exhibition, led a tour and tour the Museum of the History of Polish of the building while explaining how the Jews. The guests included Drs. Eugenia and eight Core Exhibition galleries will form a Michael Brin; businessman Gregory Hartman; series of links in the story of Jews in Poland. President of the Kronhill Pletka Foundation The delegation marveled at the Museum’s and Museum Distinguished Benefactor Irene spectacular exterior, with glass panels rising in Pletka; David Berg Foundation President columns and reflecting the etched letters “Po- Michele Tocci and her husband, Joseph; in English and Hebrew. “Polin” is (פולין) ”lin Esther and Dr. Stan Wojcicki; Sean Taube, Esq.; Koret CEO Jeffrey Farber, and Koret the Hebrew word for Poland, interpreted as “here you may dwell.” Museum Distinguished Director of Grant Operations Tina Frank. Benefactor Irene Pletka. A major highlight of the eight days in Guests were also impressed by the largest Warsaw and Kraków was a hard-hat tour glass window in Poland, the bridge across the of the nearly completed Museum building. central chasm, and the view of the Warsaw Rainer Mahlamäki, the Museum’s architect, Ghetto Memorial.

Museum architect Rainer Mahlamäki L to r: Dr. Michael Brin, Gregory Hartman, Dr. Eugenia Brin, Joseph Tocci, greeting Tad Taube. Esther Wojcicki, and Museum Building Director Robert Supel.

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museum Thank You to Our Donors

The Museum of the History of Polish Jews is the largest public-private enterprise in Poland and is estimated to cost close to $108 million. Poland’s Ministry of Culture and the Municipality of Warsaw have committed the entire cost of the building, well over $70 million. The Ministry of Culture and Municipality of Warsaw have joined in public-private partnership with a Jewish non-governmental organization based in Warsaw, the Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland. The Association is responsible for raising all funding for the exhibition and educational programs from private donors, foundations, corporations, and other governments. The Federal Government and the City of Warsaw have been responsible for the physical building, the “body” of the Museum, and the Jewish organization has been responsible for the Museum’s content, that is, for the “soul” of the Museum. This partnership is similar to the public-private venture that created and continues to sustain the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. The Museum is indebted to the many generous and thoughtful donors who have already become part of the Museum family. We gratefully recognize their support.

Eric A. Benhamou Nita and Robert Hirsch Harry and Carol Saal Family Maria and Jerry Brenholz Jewish Community Endowment Foundation Drs. Eugenia and Michael Brin Fund of San Francisco Sindy Samuels Linda and Neil Brownstein Franklin and Catherine Johnson Donald z”l and Ruth Seiler John and Jill Freidenrich Koret Foundation Stuart and Josie Shiff Phyllis Friedman James and Catherine Roselyne C. Swig Koshland Fund Friend Family Foundation Tad Taube and the Taube Linda and James (Skip) Law Foundation for Jewish Life Frances K. and Theodore & Culture H. Geballe The Libicki Donor Advised Fund Laszlo Tauber Family Foundation The Goldrich Family Foundation Brian Lurie Jack z”l and Helen Tramiel John and Cynthia Gunn George and Judy Marcus Tomasz Ulatowski Gregory and Sally Hartman MZ Foundation John Weiser Shelley and John Hébert Barbro and Bernard Osher Philanthropic Fund Rick Parasol Ronald and Anita Wornick Lori and Alan Zekelman Warren Hellman z”l and the Irene Pletka, Kronhill Pletka Hellman Family Fund Foundation

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museum MUSEUM Promotional Film CELEBRATE 1,000 YEARS! MUSEUM OF THE HISTORY JOIN US IN SUPPORT OF THE MUSEUM OF OF POLISH JEWS THE HISTORY OF POLISH JEWS

www.jewishmuseum.org.pl A MUSEUM FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE

TAUBE FOUNDATION FOR JEWISH LIFE & CULTURE TAUBE PHILANTHROPIES © Taube Foundation for Jewish Life & Culture and the Koret Foundation

Emmy Award-winning David R. Grubin Productions building the replica of the 17th-century Gwoździec has created a promotional film for the Museum of Synagogue. It provides a succinct and engaging por- the History of Polish Jews, underwritten by the trait of an enormous work in progress that is approach- Taube and Koret Foundations. The film features ing completion. In the film Tad Taube, Distinguished Dr. Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize recipient, and Dr. Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, Director of the Benefactor, emphasizes the need for the Museum and Core Exhibition, describing the beginning of Jewish invites support for this landmark institution. This film civilization through World War II, culminating in the was made possible with additional contributions from Jewish cultural revival in Poland’s new democracy. the Friend Family Foundation, the Jewish Commu- The film documents the Museum’s development from nity Endowment Fund of San Francisco, and Lori and its groundbreaking and includes footage of volunteers Alan Zekelman.

“The Museum is a geographical place of memory, and you cannot be in the place of the Ghetto Uprising and not feel something very deep. There were 1,000 years of Jewish history in Poland; 1,000 years of activity, of extraordinary aspirations and endeavors and dreams and metamorphoses; 1,000 years, which must be studied and communicated and shared.” —Elie Wiesel

16 CONTACTS united states: poland: Shana Penn Marta Wróbel, Development Director American Friends of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews Museum of the History of Polish Jews c/o Taube Philanthropies Ul. Warecka 4/6, 00-040 Warsaw, Poland 2945 Magnolia Street, Berkeley, CA 94705 Email: [email protected] / Tel.: (48) 22 47 10 319 Email: [email protected] / Tel.: 510-643-1372 jewishmuseum.org.pl