What a summer for us! Since we opened our doors in early June, over 4000 visitors from not just across the nation but from countries around the world—including Australia, Germany, Ireland, Iraq, Israel, and Japan to name a few—have toured our exhibitions. The opening of our new home received an incredible wave of media coverage in print, broadcast, and in online posts including a visit from the Wall Street Journal, coverage in a Japanese publication plus lots of love from our hometown media.
But we cannot rest on our successes, As aptly stated in a recent Oregonian article, “OJMCHE has matured immensely . . . and has now arrived on a deservedly larger public stage just as the political climate has drawn an ugly, jagged red line under the words ‘hate’ and ‘intolerance’ internationally.” The museum’s mission to educate has never been more important, especially as the political environment – national and international – continues to fracture.
I can assure you that as we move from the heady high of our summer opening into the fall and the opening of the academic year, OJMCHE is fully ready for an expanded role in teaching the lessons of the Holocaust as well as important lessons in action and hope. Our education team is anticipating over 15,000 students will visit the museum and the Oregon Holocaust Memorial this year and our staff and trained docents are ready help students make connections between local and global histories while exploring ways that lessons from the past can inform our decisions today.
In the weeks ahead, there are many reasons to visit OJMCHE. We are kicking off our public programming with a rich array of lectures, films, readings, tours. Alefbet, The Alphabet of Memory closes October 3 and will be followed by the not to be missed I AM THIS: Art By Oregon Jewish Artist, guest-curated by Bruce Guenther. Many of you have already joined our weekly Wednesday 1pm exhibition tours. If you haven’t had the opportunity, these tours will continue to be a vital part of our programming. Join a tour or visit on your own and add a stop at Lefty’s Café for a sandwich, pastry and a cup of coffee. We look forward to welcoming you to the museum.
As always, our deep gratitude goes out to all of the members of this community for your continued support and belief in the work of OJMCHE.
Best regards,
Judy Margles
Director