HGHREC News

The Exhibit: A Journey to Life

The Exhibit: A Journey to Life opened on March 15, 2009 to record-breaking crowds at the Monmouth Museum. Born of our commitment to preserve the testimonies and lessons of local Holocaust survivors, this exhibit provides a comprehensive study of the Holocaust through the individual human stories of our friends and neighbors. The exhibit begins with their lives of their families before the war, travels through their Holocaust experiences and concludes with the successful lives they created here in our community. “Suitcases” containing scrapbooks detail the lives of eleven survivors through their photographs, documents and artifacts. Multimedia presentations share photographs of the lives of over 130 local survivors before the Holocaust and their new lives here. Their personal testimonies affirm to their courage, strength and dignity. These photographs and statements were combined into our latest publication: A Tribute to Holocaust Survivors in Our Community.
 

If the world had answered the Holocaust survivors’ cries of “Never Again,” The Exhibit: A Journey to Life would have ended here. But we live in a world in need of change and the Persistence of Genocide display focuses on educating about historical and contemporary genocides and human rights abuses to create awareness and activism. “Take Action Now” sheets gave concrete suggestions so that each exhibit visitor could take responsibility to respond immediately to crises in our world today.
 

Close to 6000 visitors attended the exhibit including thousands of students and teachers from across the state. Teachers found the specifically designed Teacher’s Guide to Student Activities a valuable tool to enhancing their students’ visit. Students could be seen nestled in corners of the exhibit, engrossed in the scrapbooks of the survivors’ lives. The most rewarding moments were when the visitors, especially the students, met one of the survivors at the exhibit. The survivors were recognized for the heroes they are and the visitors’ emotional responses to meeting them was palpable.
 

The exhibit received accolades in the press including front-page articles and a praiseworthy editorial, and exhibit project director Dale Daniels and Holocaust survivor Helena Flaum were welcomed on NBC’s Today in New York show on Sunday, April 26th to talk about the exhibit. The Monmouth County Arts Council has recognized HGHREC as a Community Champion for The Exhibit: A Journey to Life. Please contact HGHREC for more information to bring this exhibit to your location. 

Survival of the Human Spirit

The Holocaust, Genocide & Human Rights Education Center at Brookdale Community College is privileged to have a group of Holocaust survivors who work closely with the Center, sharing their stories with students to help eliminate hate.

As time marches on, we are faced with the reality that future generations will not be able to meet Holocaust survivors and hear their stories firsthand. We asked these survivors to provide a story from their Holocaust lives accompanied by their message to tomorrow's children, a legacy they wish to be remembered and taught.

These stories have been published in our book, To Tomorrow's Children. This book has become a traveling exhibit, Survival of the Human Spirit: Triumph over Adversity, which is on display at area libraries. See the exhibit as it was on display at the West Deptford Public Library.

This exhibit has displayed at the following libraries: Plainfield Public Library, Monroe Township Library, Ocean County Library Headquarters, Toms River, Old Bridge Public Library, and Monmouth County Library Headquarters, Manalapan, Bloomfield Township Public Library, Springfield Public Library, West Deptford Public Library and the Westfield Public Library. Please contact HGHREC if you wish to bring this exhibit to your location.