Skokie Remembers
Never again.
That’s the mantra that has flowed through the collective conscience of the Jewish people since the Holocaust, a pledge that there will never again be genocide on such a horrific scale—on any scale—against any group of people or nationality. That idea was the spark behind the Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois (HMFI), which has created the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center to memorialize not only those who suffered and perished in the Holocaust, but also the survivors. As the past grows dimmer, as eyewitnesses to the horrors of that time age and pass on, such museums are even more important to remind the world of what can happen when we lower our guard.The museum is the result of an incident in the late 1970s when a group of Neo-Nazis planned a march through the predominantly Jewish area of Skokie. According to Barbara Carter Berger, Director of Marketing and Development for the Museum, the threat was a shock and a wake-up call to Holocaust survivors around the world. She says, “They realized that, despite their desire to leave the past behind, they could no longer remain silent. In the wake of these attempted marches, Chicago-area survivors joined together to form a group focused on combating hate with education.” Thus, in 1981, the Education Center began on Main Street in Skokie, its goal to educate school and community groups about the need to be vigilant against intolerance of any form.
Now, in the desire to reach throughout the state and the Midwest, a new, larger museum opened on April 19, 2009. The Illinois museum provides an accessible link to the past for residents of the Midwest, along with the ability to reach many of Illinois’ 2.5 million students and 121,000 teachers. In 2005, the old museum site was host to about 30,000 students. It is hoped that the new building will welcome more than 250,000 visitors a year, teaching the lessons necessary to avoid hatred and racial intolerance.
Along with being a teaching tool for school groups, the museum also provides other educational tools. A speakers bureau currently sends around 40 Holocaust survivors as far as Peoria, Indianapolis and Southern Illinois to spread the message of tolerance. It is hoped that, by putting a personal face on tragedy, the lessons will have a greater impact, allowing audiences to relate and respond to the speakers and their messages. The building also offers a library/resource center, and will continue to present graduate-level courses in Holocaust studies, as well as monthly educational and cultural programs.
Although based on the Holocaust, the Foundation’s focus is on genocide in general. It decries the hatred that causes such disasters in any country, and monitors and calls for help for such areas as Darfur and other scenes of “ethnic cleansing.” It encourages donations and the use of political pressure to alleviate such oppression around the world. The new museum’s Legacy of Absence gallery, especially, houses a permanent collection of artwork reflecting the global effects of violence, wherever it happens.
Project and Executive Director Richard S. Hirschhaut believes the museum is a testament to tolerance and acceptance, showing the past and shaping the future. “This museum will fulfill the long-held dreams of so many,” he says. “Because of the determination of the survivors, most of whom are from Skokie, this museum will be a world-class educational institution, a state-of-the-art museum and an inspirational memorial to those who perished in the Holocaust. The people of Skokie and their elected and appointed officials have helped make this important dream come true. We will stand together knowing that we are teaching hope and understanding to new generations of Americans.”
The new Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center is located just off the Edens Expressway at 9603 Woods Drive. Reservations for school groups and speaker requests are welcomed.
How Do You Design A Memory?
The building design of the new Holocaust Museum is an enormous metaphor built in three parts. Visitors follow a linear path throughout the new museum, entering a dark-colored metal building that represents a descent into darkness. In this section, visitors take a sobering journey, observing and experiencing the growing atrocities the Nazis inflicted not only on Jews, but also Gypsies, Jehovah’s Witnesses and homosexuals, among other groups. Included in the exhibitions are personal family mementos from the Holocaust—letters, papers, photographs, articles of clothing and more—which help personalize the time and put a face on those who suffered, bringing them closer to the visitor.
The middle section of the building, the “hinge” or “cleave,” is a memorial exhibit honoring those who died in the Holocaust. The cornerstone exhibit is a vintage German railway car like those used for transporting prisoners to concentration camps. Visitors may walk through the car to personally experience the horror of such a journey, adding much to an already solemn experience.
But it’s not all darkness and despair. From there, visitors pass into the educational center, a white building representing ascent into the light, celebrating triumphs of liberation and survival that also honor those who hid or smuggled Jews from the Nazis. Finally, before leaving, visitors enter the Hall of Reflection, where they have the chance to absorb their experiences in personal thought.
The museum building houses a special exhibitions gallery, children’s exhibit, classrooms and an events hall on the ground floor, while the main floor features an auditorium, the core exhibition and library and resource center. The second floor includes the Book of Remembrance, the Legacy of Absence gallery and Trustee’s Board Room, with staff offices located on the third floor.
Want to Play a Part?
The new Holocaust Museum is running a capital campaign to raise $45 million, of which $35 million is set to complete the building and exhibits, along with a $10 million endowment. As of this writing, $37.5 million has been raised, and anyone wishing to contribute may do so at a variety of levels. Naming rights are available for gifts of $10,000 or more. In addition, a Founding Membership allows participation at levels from $250 to $10,000, with a special Founding Membership price for survivors. All Founding Members receive museum passes and permanent recognition, with additional benefits at higher levels. Volunteers are also needed and appreciated, as are artifacts chronicling the time and events of the Holocaust. To volunteer or donate, go to the Web site at www.hmfi.org.
 |
 |
|---|---|
 |
|
