5 minute read
At the Museum
Susan Suarez, President & CEO
With season in full swing, we have been very busy, with many near-capacity days for both daily admission and our RSVP-only docent-led tours for the public.
Triumph event sold-out
Our annual fundraising event, "Triumph of Resistance," was a great success, selling out with even more sponsors and tickets sold than last year. Our wonderful special guest speaker, Ruth Bielski Ehrreich, gave a moving presentation, sharing the story of her father, Tuvia Bielski, and his brothers. During World War II, the Bielski brothers built a refuge in the forests of what is now Belarus. For three years, they sheltered 1,200 Jewish men, women and children who were fleeing the Holocaust. Many thanks to Bielski Ehrreich for sharing this very important part of her family’s, and the Holocaust’s, history with us.
Suncoast Credit Union Foundation renews grant
I am grateful to the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation for renewing its $10,000 grant for our "Students and Teacher Holocaust Education Programs." The Foundation noted in its grant statement, "We believe in the work you are doing and believe it deserves recognition." We thank the Foundation for its continuing support of our education mission and congratulate Suncoast Credit Union on its 90th anniversary!
The Museum also re-earned its GuideStar "Candid Gold Seal of Transparency" rating. GuideStar assists potential donors and funders to verify a nonprofit's eligibility to receive grants or tax-deductible contributions.
New ticketing system now online
It’s now easier than ever to purchase tickets for daily admission, docent-led tours, programs and events on our website with your credit card. Simply log onto www. hmcec.org and go to the calendar. Select the admission date or program you're interested in registering for and follow the instructions. You can also make multiple program ticket purchases in one transaction, rather than paying for them separately.
Please note: the first time you use the new system, you'll be asked to create a secure account with an email address and password. For future purchases, you need only enter the email and password to proceed. Once your transaction is complete, you'll receive a confirmation email with your ticket to print out, in addition to a simplified ticket to screenshot with your phone and show at check-in.
April exhibits
April 9 – Lawyers without RightsJewish Lawyers in Berlin After 1933. This new exhibit in the Estelle and Stuart Price Gallery discusses what happened when the pre-Holocaust “just rule of law” was replaced by the “arbitrary rule of law” and discriminatory legislation of the Third Reich government. It resulted in the removal of the rights and dignity of Jewish lawyers in Berlin and throughout Germany. The exhibit will be on display through late June 2024.
April 15 – Special performance of “Remember – The Story of Abe Price.” Gulfshore Playhouse presents a onenight-only performance of “Remember – The Story of Abe Price” on Monday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25.
“Remember” is the touring educational production based on the life of the late Holocaust survivor and Museum cofounder, Abe Price. Written by Jeffrey Binder and directed by Steven Calakos, “Remember” is performed for middle and high school students learning about the Holocaust and is presented in association with the Museum. For more information and to purchase tickets, contact gulfshoreplayhouse.org or call 239-261-7529.
April 25 – Business After 5 networking event at the Museum. The Museum hosts Business After 5, the monthly networking event sponsored by the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce. It will take place on Thursday, April 25 from 5 to 7 p.m. This casual networking event for business professionals will include light hors d’oeuvres, beverages and an opportunity to tour the Museum. Tickets are $30 for Chamber members, and $35 for non-members and for tickets purchased at the door. RSVP is requested to the Chamber at napleschamber.org.
April 27 – Annual Spring Teacher Workshop. Our Spring Teacher Workshop is Saturday, April 27, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The free-of-charge workshop is open to all active Southwest Florida educators in grades 5-12 and college/university. A complimentary light breakfast and lunch will be provided. This year's program includes a tour of the newly expanded Museum, information about guidelines for teaching the Holocaust, demonstrations of our fifth-grade reader project and an eighth-grade lesson plan focusing on the Nazi Olympics of 1936, a walk around our traveling Pop Up Museum, short Holocaust-themed videos and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum timeline exercise.
Reservations are required as space is limited. Please RSVP to Education Specialist David Nelson at David@hmcec. org. Teacher workshops are funded by a generous legacy grant from the Merrill Kuller Educator Series.
On behalf of the Museum’s board and staff, I wish you and your families a Happy Passover. We look forward to seeing you soon at the Museum!
