New York City’s Museum of Jewish Heritage announced this week that it will open its first Holocaust exhibit for children in the fall of 2023.
Courage to Act: Rescue in Denmark, which was developed for elementary school-aged students 9 and up, commemorates the 80th anniversary of what the museum described as “one of the most effective episodes of mass resistance in modern history.”
“The exhibition will use age-appropriate themes of separation, bravery, and resilience to help young people make connections to their own lives and reflect on the dangers of prejudice – as well as their own potential for compassionate, moral, and courageous collective action and upstanding.”
The exhibit will use high tech designs, interactive media, and creative storytelling, including dynamic hologram technology, to immerse visitors in the inspiring story of “ordinary Danish citizens united against Nazism saving nearly 95 percent of Denmark’s Jewish population.”
“Together, Jewish and non-Jewish neighbors of all ages mobilized to create one of the most effective – and exceptional – examples of mass resistance and escape in modern history,” the museum explained.
Courage to Act addresses, in a climate of increasing antisemitism and lack of Holocaust awareness, a critical age group by reaching young children who do not receive Holocaust education in New York City public school until the eight grade, the museum added.
“As our Museum marks its 25th anniversary, we recognize the increasingly important role institutions such as ours must fill in the next 25 years. As the number of Holocaust survivors decreases and we confront resurgent antisemitism, we must proactively engage new generations in the fight for a better world. Our charge is to inspire and equip young people to be compassionate upstanders and leaders,” says Museum of Jewish Heritage CEO Jack Kliger said.
The Consul General of Denmark in New York, Ambassador Berit Basse, said of the exhibit: “Educating our children about the Holocaust and the story of the courage and compassion of the people that stood up against it in Denmark, is a crucial initiative in the fight against hate crime and antisemitism. Our children are our hope for a better future. I am most proud and honored to support this exhibition.”