By Ann Niren
Guest Columnist
Ann Glazer Niren, Curator of Jewish Collections at the Filson Historical Society
I hope that everyone had a Zissen Pesach! At the Filson, I have been busy preparing new Jewish programming, meeting with many of you in the community, and making crucial connections, including with new donors. Speaking of which, several of you have graciously offered new material to the Filson. This year alone, we have either received or will receive 12 new Jewish donations! One especially rich collection came from Temple Shalom, comprising much of its history in newspaper articles, programs, bulletins, scrapbooks and photos, going back to its inception in 1976. I have been pre-cataloguing it, which means organizing the material by type and date and sorting items into folders and archival boxes, which are necessary to preserve the content’s integrity over time. We hope you were able to join us, in-person or virtually, for our April 22 program, “A Blessing, not a Burden,” featuring Dr. Alex Kor and Graham Honaker. This event, in commemoration of Yom Hashoah, highlighted the presenters’ book of the same name. Dr. Kor’s parents were both Holocaust survivors; his mother, Eva Kor, was one of the twins on which Dr. Joseph Mengele performed his ghastly experiments in Auschwitz. Even so, Eva maintained a remarkably positive outlook throughout her long life, and her beautiful spirit influenced everyone she touched.
On Tuesday, May 13, we will offer a different kind of Holocaust program: “Children of Terezìn,” at the Filson at 6 P.M. Situated in what is now Czechoslovakia, Terezìn was the location of the which Theresienstadt ghetto — unique among the Nazi concentration camps in that it housed musicians, writers, and artists who were encouraged to continue their respective talents. However, the Nazis used this camp as a propaganda tool to show the world how “well” the inhabitants were treated, even going so far as to create a film to this effect, The Führer Gives the Jews a City. Theresienstadt was one of the last camps to be liberated in May of 1945. This program will feature a panel of local experts: long-time Filson volunteer Rabbi Stan Miles, and educators Fred Whittaker and Daniel Penner, who will share their knowledge and insights about the Holocaust in general and Terezín in particular. Whitaker’s students at St. Francis of Assisi School will also read poems written by children who were inmates at the camp. Baritone Morgan Smith will perform selections from the children’s opera, Brundibár, which had 55 performances at Terezín. This program will serve as a prelude to the Kentucky Opera’s presentation of Brundibár as part of its “Amplify Songs of Remembrance” event Sunday, May 18 at 4 p.m. at the Kentucky Opera Center for Cultural Health, 708 Magazine Street. On a related note, it is not too late to view the Filson exhibit in our Carriage House featuring the Wolf family who escaped Germany on the eve of World War II. This exhibit showcases some of the items in a new donation from Michael Widerschein.
This summer, we are trying something very different. Sunday, June 22 at 2 p.m., we’ll offer a nostalgic trip with our “Camp J Through the Years” program at the Trager Family JCC. Did you attend Camp Tall Trees or Ben F. Washer at Otter Creek Park during the 1950s, 1960s, or 1970s? Maybe you went to the JCC’s day camp, Riccaree or its later iteration, Camp Chaverim. If you would like to relive those halcyon days, this program is designed for you. Come view digitized camp “home movies,” enjoy camp food such as s’mores, sing songs, and participate in camp crafts. Hear from former counselors about their experiences and share some of your own. Reacquaint yourself with friends from long ago and make some new friends of all ages. Registration is limited for all these programs, so visit https://filsonhistorical.org/events/upcoming-events/ to sign up. Looking ahead to late summer, scholar Andrew Porwancher will visit the Filson on Tuesday, Aug. 26 at 6 p.m. to discuss his new book, American Maccabee: Theodore Roosevelt and the Jews. This program promises to be an enlightening event; although many people are familiar with Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s interactions with the Jewish community, fewer people know about Teddy’s dealings with the Jews during an intense period of immigration during the early 20th century. Dr. Porwancher is the author of five books, including The Jewish World of Alexander Hamilton, in which he explains that this founding father was actually Jewish by birth; this work won the Journal of the American Revolution Book-of-The-Year Award.
Some of you have asked me what I do at the Filson, about the donation process, and the Jewish collections. Therefore, in upcoming columns, I will address these and related issues, including how one might donate items to the Filson, what kinds of things make appropriate donations, and what happens to those items once they are received. I will also highlight some of our other recent gifts. In the meantime, as always, if you have questions for me about donations, programming, or anything relating to outreach, please don’t hesitate to call me at 502-635-5083, extension 243, or email me at aniren@filsonhistorical.org. I am always happy to speak with you, and I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at our upcoming events.
Ann Glazer Niren is Curator of Jewish Collections at the Filson Historical Society.