PORTRAITS OF SURVIVAL: LIFE JOURNEYS DURING THE HOLOCAUST & BEYOND “Honoring our survivors symbolizes our victory over forgetfulness.” – Elie Wiesel, z”l (1928-2016) Portraits of Survival: Life Journeys During the Holocaust and Beyond
“ To hear a witness, is to become a witness oneself.”
permanent exhibit and educational program have played a crucial and imperative role both in the Santa Barbara community and region. Since its inception in 2003, over 25,000 school children, law enforcement, and
– Elie Wiesel, z”l (1928-2016)
community groups have been impacted by the stories of local Santa Barbara Holocaust Survivors, hearing directly their moving accounts of survival and resilience — and in so doing,
Our Portraits of Survival Program has
becoming witnesses to the powerful
also moved beyond our building into
lessons of history themselves. Originally
schools and other venues, especially
the vision of Mara Visniac Kohn, z"l,
when groups are so large that it
visitors interact with the beautiful
is difficult for them to come to us.
display of contemporary portraits of
In fact, our Portraits on the Road
local survivors and refugees, depicting
Program has spoken to as many as
narratives and archival material, which
1,000 students on a single day in
detail their journeys before, during, and
high school and university settings. A
after the Holocaust. Individuals and
recent addition has been the program
groups can visit the exhibit anytime
Zikaron BaSalon (Remembrance
the building is open, or arrange for a
in a Livingroom), a creative idea
docent-led tour with a survivor speaker
conceived in Israel to interact in
to provide a moving first-hand account
intimate settings with survivors
of their personal story — a truly
and the issue of the Holocaust,
unique and memorable experience.
allowing for free discussion.
In 2012, the original exhibit was
Now we look to the future with a
expanded to include a new installation,
new exciting addition to our original
Upstanders: Courage in the Face of
exhibit, the Portraits of Survival
Evil, with examples of those in our
Legacy Project. This two-part project
community who showed incredible
will include a comprehensive digital
bravery to stand up for others in the
archive of all our priceless survivor
face of unspeakable evil. Thus, the
footage and film materials. It will also
message is expanded for students and
include a new interactive space for
others who visit our program that we
students and other visitors to interact
must all be upstanders in our own
with the material and connect with the
lives every single day, standing up for
archive in new creative ways. This new
what is right and just in our society,
project will ensure that these stories
if we are to create a better world. This
will live forever in a new beautiful
powerful message against hate and
space as well as honor our survivors
intolerance remains most relevant now.
in their community for all time.
JEWISHSANTABARBARA.ORG
Survivor Josie Martin tells her story to a student in the Portraits exhibit space
2020–2021 | SHALOM SANTA BARBARA | 19
