News Briefs – Fall/Winter 2007

Traveling Exhibit Opens in Chicago

Hatikvah’s traveling version of “A Reason to Remember: Roth, Germany 1933-1942” opened in Chicago on October 1, 2007 at the Skokie Public Library. This was the first stop for the traveling exhibit which already has scheduled stops around the country. Over 150 people attended the preview reception.

Herbert Roth and Walter Roth were the featured speakers. They are current residents of Chicago and former residents of Roth, Germany. Learning about the exhibit from the people who lived there, made the evening a memorable experience.

The Skokie Public Library attracts about 60,000 visitors every month and the exhibit received rave reviews from the people who saw it. Plans call for the exhibit to return to Chicago during the winter or spring of 2009.

ADL and Hatikvah Host Workshop for Springfield Police Recruits; Future Workshops for All Springfield Officers

The ADL (Anti-Defamation League) in partnership with Hatikvah led a day-long seminar for the Springfield Police Recruit Class #1107 on October 9, 2007. The seminar, entitled Hate Crime Training for Law Enforcement Professionals consisted of two sessions. Robert Treston from ADL New England taught the morning session. ADL maintains an ongoing liaison with law enforcement agencies and has assisted many states, as well as the federal government in developing hate crime training curriculum and internal policies for law enforcement agencies. This is an interactive program that addresses hate crime identification within the law enforcement ranks as well as issues relevant to counseling victims of hate crimes and reducing community tensions.

The afternoon session was taught by Rabbi Robert Sternberg. It included a tour of the permanent exhibit, “A Reason to Remember.” Using the examples from the exhibit, the session covered what happens when hatred and discrimination go unchecked.

Additional sessions at Hatikvah are planned for all Springfield Police officers during the winter and spring of 2008.

Hatikvah Partners with Hampden County Sheriff’s Department to Work on Hate Crimes Counseling Program

In September, a series of vandalisms occurred at the Jewish Cemeteries in West Springfield. The vandals were caught and are now in the process of being tried. Soon after, Hatikvah was approached by the West Springfield prosecuting attorney. Hatikvah offers hate crimes counseling and community service programs. These services will be utilized for the offenders after decisions are rendered in court.

Hatikvah will work on this program with the Hampden County Sheriff's Department and the Restorative Justice Institute, an organization that has created an international program that addresses the needs of victims, offenders, and the community affected by a hate crime. The program focuses on teaching the offenders accountability and taking responsibility for their action while giving victims and the community a voice in the process of rehabilitating hate crime offenders. The program facilitates communication among all parties and includes an educational as well as a community service component.

Brundibar Opera with Special Testimony from Survivor and Original Cast Member

Date: Sunday, March 30, 2008
Time: 2:30 P.M.
Location: Veritas Auditorium, Elms College, Chicopee, MA

Brundibar is a delightful, allegorical opera for children and adults. It is a culturally and historically significant musical work set within the context of the Holocaust. Its message is about resistance in the face of oppression and triumph of the human spirit over evil. In March 2008, there will be several performances of Brundibar by the Commonwealth Opera. One of these performances will be part of a special event for Hatikvah supporters. This performance on Sunday, March 30 will be preceded by the personal testimony of Ela Stein Weissberger, survivor of Theresienstadt and member of the original cast of Brundibar.

For background information about the Brundibar opera, visit our website: http://www.hatikvah-center.org/events/brundibar.html.

More details about this special event will be available soon. Please visit our website at: www.hatikvah-center.org/events/future.html or call Hatikvah at 413.734.7700.

School Visits to Hatikvah and Outreach Increase Dramatically

On the third anniversary of our permanent exhibit, we are proud to share some impressive statistics with you.

We now annually reach over 5,000 students and work with teachers representing over 450 classrooms. An additional 2,500 people have visited "A Reason to Remember" since it opened in October 2004.

All schools that attended last year have plans to return again. In addition, a number of new schools are planning to come to Hatikvah this year. They include: Minnechaug Regional, Southwick, South Hadley, St. Mary’s (Longmeadow), Wilbraham-Monson, Cathedral, Commerce, and Lowell High School. Moreover, new workshops will be given at Central High School and West Springfield.

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