July 2012 draft 01 without Talis pic JHGC Newsletter.indd

Newsletter August 2012
Volume 1 Issue 10
Private Bag X6, Sandringham, 2131
Tel: 011 640 3100 / 011 640 2148
Fax: 011 640 7865
[email protected]
www.holocaust.org.za
Please join us on facebook – www.facebook.com/JHGCentre
�
SOUTH AFRICAN HOLOCAUST & GENOCIDE FOUNDATION
CENTRES:
CAPE TOWN
•
DURBAN
•
JOHANNESBURG
Dear friends of the Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre (JHGC)
Since our last newsletter in April 2012 and the commencement of the
building project, the construction of phase one of the future permanent
home of the JHGC is progressing rapidly.
We encourage you to become involved in this exciting project. If you would
like to visit the site and partner with us in the creation of an important
educational institution for the city and beyond, please contact us.
As the process of construction progresses, our dedicated team continues
to organise many events, commemorations, educational workshops and
other activities, several of which are captured in this issue.
(L-R) JHGC Fundraising Chairman, Gerald Leissner
and Site Foreman, Gideon Ndlovu, on site.
Update from the JHGC construction site!
Driving down Jan Smuts Avenue one cannot help but notice the construction of the JHGC, progressing at a rapid pace.
The slab has been cast - the basement garage is complete as is the mezzanine level. All scaffolding and decking is in place
and the concrete and steel beams are currently being installed for the first floor. You can follow construction updates on our
website http://www.holocaust.org.za and facebook pages. http://www.facebook.com/JHGCentre
Photographed on site (L-R) Architect Lewis Levin, Tali Nates (Director
JHGC) Sipho Mhlongo (Transformation Unit, JPC) and Norman Seligman
(CEO, Sydney Jewish Museum)
Construction at JHGC site, August 2012
Photograph courtesy of Julian Pokroy
In Memoriam
With sadness we record the passing of the following Holocaust survivors
Reuben Drehspul
Sisina Silbermann
Exhibitions and Events
18th Commemoration of the Rwandan genocide
The JHGC partnered in the 18th Commemoration ceremony, held at Freedom Park,11 April 2012
Front (L-R) Joyce Seroke, Tali Nates, Fana Jiyane, (CEO
Freedom Park), HE Vincent Karega (High Commissioner
of the Republic of Rwanda in SA) and Mrs Karega
World Refugee Day (20 June) was commemorated with
a screening of the multi award-winning documentary The Last Survivor
directed by Michael Pertnoy (2010). The film follows the lives of four
survivors of genocide and mass atrocities – The Holocaust, Rwanda,
Darfur and Congo – and presents an intimate look into their experiences,
thoughts and triumphs in their struggle to make sense of tragedy by
working to educate a new generation.
In a JHGC event in partnership with Bet David, Guest speaker, Tina Ghelli,
Senior Regional External Relations Officer for UNHCR shared some personal
experiences with the audience.
(L-R) Argentinean Consul General Mr Carlos Rubio
Reyna, Guest speaker Tina Ghelli (UNHCR), Rabbi
Robert Jacobs (Bet David) and Julia Rubinstein
Photographic exhibition
Displaced Persons, an exhibition of photographs of Holocaust
refugees by renowned photojournalist, Clemens Kalischer has
stimulated much discussion since its arrival in Gauteng.
The exhibition has travelled in Johannesburg and Pretoria.
To commemorate 70 years
since the infamous Vel’ d’Hiv
Roundup (Rafle du Vel’ d’Hiv)
when more than 13 000 Jewish Parisians were
rounded up in July 1942 – the JHGC, the French
Institute of South Africa and the Liliesleaf Trust
held a screening of La Rafle/The Round Up (2010)
directed by Rose Bosch.
(L-R) Nicholas Wolpe CEO Liliesleaf, Tali Nates, Charles Courdent,
cultural attaché and director of IFAS at the screening of La Rafle, at Liliesleaf.
Holocaust Survivors’ Interest Group (HSIG)
Monthly meetings of the HSIG continue to be well attended by Holocaust survivors.
Recently, they enjoyed talks by Lewis Levin (JHGC architect) and Helen Heldenmuth.
Helen Heldenmuth with Holocaust
survivors (L-R) Don Krausz, Shlomo
Pieprz and Jack Shmukler
Margaret Hoffmann, who coordinates the HSIG together with Shoshi Shachar, said after the
latest meeting, “What better way to spend a morning than one with Helen Heldenmuth
who told hilarious and interesting stories of incidents in her life, all connected to ‘Yiddish
Laughter’. The Holocaust Survivors’ group laughed and engaged with her, especially those
who speak Yiddish. Those of us who don’t were helped along by her Yiddish accent and
universal hand signals. Please Helen, come back for an encore!”
Spotlight on Learner Education at the JHGC
New on the JHGC team
It is with great pleasure that we welcome Charlotte Fischer to our
team. Charlotte’s warmth and passion are enjoyed by all who meet her. As Head of Learner Education,
Charlotte is tasked with developing and facilitating programmes to meet requests from both primary
and high schools on Holocaust, genocide and human rights curricula. Together with JHGC educators,
Charlotte has reached hundreds of learners in Gauteng, this term.
Charlotte Fischer (R) and Alice Motsepe, Snr Education Specialist,
Social Science, Jhb North at a programme for Grade 9 learners at
Cosmo City Secondary School
Wallenberg Year
This year marks
100 years since the birth of Raoul Wallenberg.
The government of Hungary have declared Commemorative bookmarks were given to learners
2012 Wallenberg Year. The Hungarian Embassy participating in the exhibition programmes
in Pretoria kindly offered the exhibition ‘Raoul
Wallenberg – Man Amidst Inhumanity’ for use by the SAHGF Centres. The JHGC education
team facilitated a programme around the exhibition in 9 schools in Gauteng. One person can
make a difference tells the story of Wallenberg – a story that has inspired the world, reminding
us of the importance of personal courage and of taking a stand against racism and indifference.
(L- R) Michael Caplan (educator), Charlotte Fischer (JHGC), HE Hungarian
Ambassador László at the launch of the Wallenberg exhibition at Redhill School
Mandela Day 18 July The JHGC was honoured to participate in Wits
University’s ‘94 Minutes of Kindness’ initiative to celebrate Madiba’s 94th birthday.
On the day, the JHGC education team facilitated a special programme at the
National School of the Arts (NSA).
One group of NSA learners in discussion during an activity
JHGC Bar/Bat Mitzvah Twinning programme
JHGC educator,
Arlene Sher facilitated a Bar/Bat Mitzvah Twinning programme with Grade 7 learners at King
David, Sandton. The Twinning programme aims to assist Bar/Bat Mitzvah participants to learn
about the Holocaust in a personal way, by researching and honouring the life of one child who
did not have a chance to reach this joyous milestone, because of the events of the Shoah.
Participants researched and prepared a speech on their chosen ‘twin’ and will be presented
with a special keepsake certificate on completion of the project. This project adds depth
to learning and offers the participants the opportunity to experience the values of kavod
(honour), chesed (kindness), and tzedakah (charity).
Arlene Sher (back left) and KD educator, Louise Benigson (back right) photographed
with one group of learners who participated in the Twinning programme.
Visiting scholars
The JHGC’s education team shared
an insightful morning learning from Kay Andrews, National
outreach coordinator, Holocaust Education Development
Programme Institute of Education, University of London and
Dr Amos Goldberg who teaches Holocaust studies at the
Department of Jewish History and Contemporary Jewry at
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and is a co-editor of the
bilingual Journal: Dapim Journal: Studies on the Holocaust.
Back row (L-R) Janine Cohen, Thuli Malinga, Dr Amos Goldberg, Charlotte
Fischer, Kay Andrews, Arlene Sher, Bonaventure Kageruka, John Biyase
and Lauren Segal
Seated (L-R) Carolyn Smollan, Cliff Matthews and Barbara Buntman
More news
March of the Living 2012 (MOTL)
85 people from SA, Australia, US, Canada, Israel, Costa
Rica and Colombia participated in the MOTL International
group, led by Tali Nates. The group was honoured to
include Dutch Holocaust survivor Maude Dahme from the
US. Joining the group for four days were Polish, Lithuanian,
Hungarian and Dutch students.
Johannesburg psychologist, Tracey Farber is currently
completing her PhD, the focus of which is the long term
impact of trauma on Holocaust survivors. Tracey facilitated
group discussion on the impact of the Shoah on the Second
Generation as well as reflection and debriefing sessions
throughout the trip.
Tracey Farber, Tali Nates, Dominic Mahlangu, Deputy Editor of The Times
and Ann Harris, (Trustee SAHGF) marching from Auschwitz I to Birkenau
during the March of the Living. Dominic described his experience on the
MOTL as “Life-changing.”
For the first time liberators of the camps were
honoured in a moving Holocaust Remembrance
Day Ceremony in Auschwitz-Birkenau.
International conference at Yad Vashem
Educators from 52
countries attended the 8th International Conference on Holocaust Education at Yad
Vashem in June. Tali Nates attended the conference together with Richard Freedman
(Director, SAHGF) and Mary Kluk (Director, Durban Holocaust Centre).
Tali Nates is photographed with (L-R): Dr Robert Bernheim, Executive Director Holocaust and Human Rights
Centre of Main; Tom White, Coordinator of Educational Outreach Cohen Centre for Holocaust and Genocide
Studies, Keene State College, New Hampshire; and Mark Weitzman, Director of Government Affairs at the
Simon Wiesenthal Center, New York.
SAUPJ 80th Anniversary Conference
Speaking at the SAUPJ (South African Union for Progressive
Judaism) 80th Anniversary Conference in Johannesburg Tali
Nates addressed the topic Seeking justice in Africa?
Tali Nates with Chairman of the SAUPJ, Steve Lurie
We are dependent on the generosity of caring individuals, foundations and organisations
to make the new Centre a reality. We invite you to be a partner in this important
endeavor and ask you to consider making a contribution to the JHGC.
You may want to honour the memory of the Holocaust or other genocides; you may be committed through educating
future generations to ensuring that genocide, xenophobia or other human rights abuses never happen again.
Whatever your reason, we would like you to partner with us.
For more information on donor and benefactor opportunities please contact [email protected] or call +27116403100
Forthcoming events
October/November 2012: To commemorate 70 years since the Lidice massacre, the JHGC in partnership with the Czech Embassy
will screen Lidice - a Czech drama film produced by Adam Dvorák (2011), that tells the story of the Nazi atrocity of the massacre at–
and destruction of–the Czech village of Lidice.
November 2012: Kristallnacht commemoration – details to follow
Have you visited our website?
Go to the South African Holocaust & Genocide Foundation website www.holocaust.org.za
�
SOUTH AFRICAN HOLOCAUST & GENOCIDE FOUNDATION
CENTRES: CAPE TOWN • DURBAN • JOHANNESBURG