The Museum of Jewish Heritage commemorates the murder of six million Jews at the hands of the Nazis while honoring those who survived the Holocaust to rebuild their lives, begin families and create vibrant communities around the world.
The museum opened on September 15, 1997. In addition to some 2,000 photographs and 800 artifacts, 24 original video documentaries chronicle the experiences of survivors and include testimonies from the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, a video repository created by filmmaker Steven Spielberg. Three full-floor exhibitions depict the Holocaust within the context of 20th-century Jewish life.
On the first floor, Jewish Life a Century Ago explores pre-Holocaust culture. In devastating contrast, the second floor's exhibition, the War Against the Jews, depicts the Holocaust. Jewish Renewal, on the third floor, chronicles the creation of modern Israel, the establishment of America as a dynamic home of Jewish culture and tradition and the regeneration of the Jews as a people.
The museum's building is a hexagonal ziggurat that resides on the waterfront; on clear days it offers dazzling views of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. In 2003, a $45 million expansion added 82,000 square feet to the museum, including a 375-seat theater, special exhibition galleries, Andy Goldsworthy's Garden of Stones and an education center.
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Jewish Life in the 20th Century
Ongoing The 2,000 photographs, 800 historical and cultural artifacts and 24 original documentary films on rotating display illustrate the story of Jewish heritage in the 20th century. The exhibition is arranged around three chronological themes, each told on a separate floor.
Enemies of the People: My Family's Journey to America
Mon, Sept 20, 2010 Author Kati Marton draws on her skill as an investigative reporter to discover who her journalist parents really were—and how they survived the Nazis in Budapest and imprisonment by the Soviets during the Cold War.
Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story
Sun, Sept 26, 2010 (USA/Canada, 2010, DigiBeta, 95 min.)Post-screening Q&A with director Peter Miller and baseball player Adam Greenberg of the Bridgeport BluefishNarrated by Dustin Hoffman, this film celebrates the impact Jewish major leaguers have had on the lives of American Jews throughout the history of the game. The film features never-before-seen interviews with an astounding cast from on and off the field including Sandy Koufax, Ron Howard, and Larry King.
All Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial to the Holocaust Listings