January 25, 2025 • 26 mins
The Holocaust is one of the darkest chapters in human history. Understanding the atrocities that were committed during that time is critical to ensure they are never repeated, but as the years go by, it appears the memory of the horrors of the Holocaust is fading to some, especially those in the younger generations. After a life-changing trip to Poland and the Auschwitz concentration camp, Jody Kipnis co-founded the Holocaust Legacy Foundation, and now, the Foundation's work has led to a new Holocaust museum right here in Boston. Jody joins the show to talk about her trip, the Foundation's work, and the plans for the museum that is already under construction in downtown Boston.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
From WBZ News Radio in Boston. This is New England Weekend.
We're right here. Each week we come together, we talk
about all the topics important to you and the place
where you live. It is so good to be back
with you. As always, I'm Nicole Davis. Without question, the
Holocaust remains one of the darkest chapters in human history.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Understanding the atrocities of the Holocaust is critical to make
sure they're never repeated. As the years go by, though,
the memory of the Holocaust and its horrors appears to
be fading to some, especially those in the younger generations.
Jody Kipness is here on the show, and she took
a very profound journey to Europe. Her trip to Poland
brought her to the Auschwitz concentration camp. The experience she
(00:47):
had there inspired her to create the Holocaust Legacy Foundation,
and now the foundation's work is leading to a new
Holocaust museum in Boston. Jody is here with us now
to tell her incredible story. Give us all the details
about the museum. Jody, I appreciate your time. Thank you
so much for being here. Let's get right to it.
Tell me about this trip to Europe that kickstarted all
(01:07):
of this.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
So it started back in twenty eighteen. I traveled to
Poland with my partner and Holocaust survivor, David Chacta, and
I didn't have much background our education on the Holocaust,
even being Jewish. The way they taught when I went
to Hebrew School it was very different than the way
(01:31):
they're teaching now. They didn't really understand a lot about
the lessons, and you know, the way we were teaching
contemporary times now. So what happened was it was a
lot of black and white footage, and when they're showing
that to you at a very young age, fifth grade,
fourth grade, it's really scary. So I call myself a
(01:53):
Holocaust avoid I became a Holocaust avoider. I ever saw
Schendler's List when it came out. I didn't read books
about the Holocaust. Anytime something was on the news or
in the newspaper, I would just skim by it because
I thought, Okay, what do I really need to know?
For I'm Jewish, right, I don't need to know. So
(02:14):
Todd Todd Ruderman, my partner in the project, he back
in twenty eighteen, reached out and said to me, you know,
I'd like you to travel with me to Poland. He
had done it before, the trip with his Holocaust survivor
who happened to be a business partner of his. And
we went, and I didn't want to go. I was
(02:35):
really reluctant, but I went and I walked into ash
which was the first historical site we went to, and
I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought I was on
a movie set. It just was so surreal to me
that I just couldn't imagine of the atrocities that happened
in this camp, in the amount I couldn't even comprehend
(02:58):
the amount of people. So that trip really impacted myself
and impacted Todd as well. And during that time we
really started to reflect on the urgent need to preserve
the memory and the lessons of the Holocaust. And it
(03:19):
was on our flight back that we started to ask
ourselves what can we do? So we came up with
a fellowship. We got a napkin on the airplane. We
started to talk about what can we do and what
would that look like? Because we felt we don't need
to be convinced, but how to where? What is it
(03:41):
about the Holocaust that we want to convey and it
was or who to convey it to and that was
really the next generation, right to get them to buy into,
you know, really understanding what the lessons of the Holocaust are.
And so we put together this fellowship with the help
of another foundation, because who were we right, just who's
(04:05):
going to send these teens with us? And we gathered
sixteen teens whose parents trust trusted us to take them away.
We started in Germany this time. I had never been
to Germany, but I really wanted to go to the
Vance conference because where, you know, when you take some
When I went to Poland, you know, you learned that
(04:27):
the Holocaust did not start in the gas chambers? Right
where how did this all begin? And you know, going
to the Vance conference just to see how the final
solution was drafted us in such a beautiful location was
mind blowing, not just to me but to the teams
and it was such a great place for us to
(04:48):
start before we then made our trip to our journey
from Germany to Poland by us and then the trip
was so successful, the teams were so engaged and on
once we got back, we said, okay, it was great,
let's start a foundation. And then we decided to do
(05:11):
the trip again, and that was the fellowship was going
to be the twenty twenty Fellows. And as we all know,
in twenty twenty, COVID nineteen hits and we had a
lot of time in our hands, and Todd and I
really talked about what how can we make a bigger impact?
And Todd would sit in touch a businessman, and he
would sit and he would do the numbers. How can
(05:34):
we make a bigger impact on a broader audience. So
we came up with this crazy idea of let's build
a Holocaust museum. And I thought, okay, what does it
mean to build a Holocaust museum? Went out ordered a
book museums one oh one, and that's how it all started.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Serious and you got a book build.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
I have that book. It's on my bookshelf, a lot
of highlighting, and it really inspired me. And over the
next couple of years, I just educated myself going to conferences,
not just Holocaust conferences, but museum conferences. And then you know, Todd,
being a businessman, could really you know, help with that part.
(06:19):
Todd does a lot of stuff with commercial real estate,
so he understood the construction piece of it. So together
we figured we'd be able to do this, and we
ended up bringing together an amazing team of museum consultant,
project managers, subject matter experts, you name it, and we historians, educators,
(06:44):
and here we are. So in twenty twenty two April
of twenty twenty two, we purchased this old building on
Tremont Street and thought would renovate the building, and it
ended up being that we are now knocking it down
and bringing up a state of the art museum that's
(07:05):
double in.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Size, and that's right there in Boston's downtown. So I mean,
you're gonna have a lot of people coming in through
your museum, and that's really the impact. You want to
have people not just from Boston, but all over.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
We're all over, yeah. So the plan is educators, students, tourists,
residents of all of New England, not just Boston, because
we are going to be the first museum allocaus museum
in all of New England. The next closest museum is Washington.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
I was going to say DC, right, and that one
is so powerful and poignant. I've been there before. If
you don't cry when you're somewhere in that museum, I
don't know what to tell you that museum broke me
for a while. It was just like you said, and
it must have been. It's nowhere close to actually being
at the camps or being at Auschwitz, but it just
(07:56):
that story just hits you, and the smells and the
site and the sounds. I mean, I was just a
wreck so athout.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
So you can imagine what it's like to be an
Aushwitz with a survivor telling his story in front of
the bunker. Yeah, he is there, that he slept, and
he talked about the straw that's still there, and they
would steal straw, and he would talk about how they
would lay three in a bed, maybe more depending on
(08:24):
you know, who arrived into the bunker and his his bunker,
His beds are still there. The bunker is still there
in Auschwitz.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Well, you were talking about younger generations, and I've read
several articles and seen some videos about how younger generations
these days really don't know much, little to nothing in
some cases about the Holocaust, about its impact. Like you mentioned,
how it all came together, not just how it was
devastating for the Jewish people, but also Ramani people, those
(08:54):
who identify as LGBTQ really anybody who was an other.
It was terrifying, It was important, it should never happen again.
Why do you feel kids are not learning as much
about this these days, especially because they have so much
I mean, we have phones, right, We've all got information
at our fingertips. Why are kids not learning about this
right now?
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Nicole, that's a great question as to why kids aren't
learning about it. You know, sister of mine's a teacher
and friends who are teachers, and I think they are
so blogged down with you know, having to teach certain things,
and then it's what to teach? How much time do
they have to teach in the schools? Right, So we're
(09:39):
hoping that this museum becomes a tool not just to
bring students in, but tools for educators on how to
teach the Holocaust and beyond that. Also, you know, when
you think about you know, the rise of Nazi power,
right when when they came to power, they used teachers, yeah,
(10:02):
to turning their students. They used law enforcement, you know,
the medical professionals they turned in their patients. So when
you think about it, you know, it's not just giving
them the tools to teach the Holocaust, but it's also
giving educators to teach what is their responsibility to all
their students.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
I mean here in New England we have seen such
a marked rise in anti Semitism in recent years, especially
after October seventh in Israel, but it had been happening
before that. Why do you think we're seeing so much
anti semitism here Stateside and especially in our part of
the woods, because normally around here we're known as being
you know, really accepting and open for the most part
(10:43):
here in New England. I mean, what's going on here?
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Yeah? I mean, you know, we see it. I mean,
we really are witnessing a rise in anti Semitism, not
just here in Massachusetts, but globally. I mean, we are
seeing it. And you know what I think is it
can attribute to the complex combinations of historical, political, and
(11:08):
cultural factors. You know, it's a polarized world and all
hate is on the rise right now. You know, the
incidents rate range from hate speech to vandalism and to
even physical violence. That's what we're seeing.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
It just it pains me to see that this is happening,
regardless of where it's happening. It's just, you know, how
do we turn this trend around? What do you think
we have to do here to get in front of this.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Education. Education is definitely a tool. You know, Education is
one of the most powerful tools to combat anti Semitism
and all hate. You really need to understand the roots
and consequences of hate, and we need to challenge ignorance
(11:58):
and foster understanding.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
And that's not just with younger generations. Like it makes
me think of what you were saying with your kids
when you brought them over to Auschwitz and they finally understood, right,
they finally got it. This is a message for all generations.
We all can keep learning, and we all can know
more about what's going on and the patterns and and
what is fueling this because I think a lot of
(12:22):
this comes from fear in one place or another.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
That's the word I hear a lot. It's fear, and
you know, and I think when you know, we don't
challenge hate and we don't put fear aside, you know,
that's when we see all these incidents happen.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
Well, you have a great teaching tool in the Holocaust Museum,
So you've got to knock down this whole building. I'm
not sure if that was part of museum. One oh one,
but I guess here we are, So where is the
process right now? Like where are you in the process
of getting this done?
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Okay? So with the museum, there's two sides. We have
the constructor side and then we have the exhibit. That's true,
so we'll start with the construction side. So at this
point we have now taken the building down and they're
doing what they call excavation, and we'll be ready to
(13:19):
lie the foundation to bring this state of the art
museum to Boston. In April of this year is when
the foundation will be laid down. So with the exhibits,
weren't and what we call design development, where we're really
looking now at the exhibits, the panels, where do we
want to put multi media, where do we want to
(13:41):
put you know, photos, and how the flow is going
to be, and then we're the subject matter experts then
look at that and then you know, together work on
how we tell that story.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
What kind of exhibits do you already have planned? Like
when some it comes to the museum at this point,
what will they be able to take in and see?
Speaker 2 (14:04):
So when we were thinking about the first exhibit, the
introductory gallery, we thought about for students, right, that's our
main visitor. But this museum is for everyone. And when
you think about what a student's going to say when
you're taking them to a museum that they may think
has nothing to do with them, the first thing they're
going to ask is why am i here? Does the
(14:24):
Holocaust have anything to do with me? And when we
think about why the Holocaust started, how the Nazis rose
to power, it's not because anti Semitism was on the right.
It was because democracy was breaking down. So in our
first exhibit, the visitors are going to walk off the
elevator and they're going to be walk into an area
(14:48):
where they will meet visitors who are just like them,
a diverse group of visitors. For those pianels will come
to life. Oh and back to the visitor, ask telling
them a little bit about themselves, how they connect into
the Holocaust, talking about the fragility of democracy and why
(15:10):
we have to protect democracy, and why we have to
stand up for each other, our neighbors, our communities and
just be kind. Really that's what that and we want
to promote critical thinking. So we're going to ask write
the visitor as they go through the museum to go
through with an open mind and open heart and really
(15:34):
think about how they connect to the narrative they're about
to hear to their own personal lives and society. The
reason why this idea came to fruition is because of
our location. I don't know how well it would have worked.
Because what we're going to do you don't see in
a lot of museums, is we're opening a window because
(15:56):
at that point you have a view of the State House,
the embraced statue of what they call Freedom Plaza, Freedom
Trail right there right outside that window, and we're going
to then, you know, be able to ask the visitor,
have them take some time to reflect on what do
(16:16):
you see outside that window? What is freedom to you?
So visitors from the inside and from the outside will
be able to see an authentic railcar that was rescued
from Macedonia, went to Phoenix, and now it's on its
way here to be conserved, and it's going to really
(16:37):
stand as our most profound and symbolic feature, and it's
been carefully placed. We really thought about this and making
it visible to the street. We wanted to be a
visible reminder. So the way the museum is designed, it
almost looks like there's a curtain on the museum and
(16:58):
the curtains pulled back, and we want to make sure
that the rail car is visible as an undeniable reminder
of the Holocaust to the visitor or to the person
that's outside. We don't want it hidden and we want
it present for everyone to see. The other reason for
(17:19):
the rail car, as I call it, walking in their shoes.
The visitor is going to have the opportunity to walk
across the rail car and stepping into the shoes of
those who are forced on these harrowing journeys. They'll be
able to experience not just a physical connection, but we're
(17:39):
hoping to also make an emotional connection as well. And
from the outside, people will see visitors file onto the
rail car and they'll be able to see this right
from the Freedom Trail. It will also we're hoping that
it symbolizes responsibility. So as I said, the watching visitors
(18:04):
walk onto the railcar, not exit, we really want people
from the outside to see that these stories should not
be forgotten and we want people to uphold the responsibilities
of remembrance and action. Is this museum really it's not
(18:24):
just a building, it's about action. So We're hoping that
once they leave that they'll reflect on who they are
and then want to take action and make a difference.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
What a powerful moving piece. And you mentioned the conservation
of such an artifact, I mean getting it here, conserving it.
What kind of a process goes into that making that happen.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Well, i'll get to see in February, but it's going
to be hoisted onto a flatbed driven here. We'll be
protected and driven from Phoenix just right outside the Boston area.
Serve it, will work on it, and then when the
(19:12):
museum hits a certain point of build we are going
to actually lift it up by crane and have it
lowered into the building and then continued to build around
the railcar and that The plan for that is November.
We're also going to have a Dimensions in Testimony theater.
We're partnering with the usc show a foundation the survivor
(19:34):
that inspired us. We spent a week with him as
they asked him just under a thousand questions. And then
what they do is they create a hologram. They've done
it with other survivors, but we're going to be the
first to feature this one survivor before it goes we
share it with the other museums. And if you ever
(19:55):
saw Michael Jackson when they brought Michael Jackson back to life,
that's what it's like. I had the op oportunity to
actually ask real time questions. And what this does it
gives the visitor opportunity to have their own self learning.
So you want to know you ask and this is
not AI generated. We're in such an AI generated world, right,
(20:15):
and so many people now are creating these types of
holograms to be AI generated, and this isn't. These survivors
were asked questions. It was a week. It was a
long week. And as a visitor, we have a beautiful
theater where you'll be able to sit and you'll see
a three or four minute film on the Holocaust survivor's life,
(20:39):
where they came from. Give you enough information so this
way you can ask questions like how did you survive?
Questions like you know, what was the last thing your
mother said to you? I think we asked him what
was his favorite food as a child, you know. So
it all depends on what you ask and the way
the technology works, it takes those questions and we'll go
(21:02):
to the answers that he gave.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
Wow, that is stunning. Is he still with us or
has he passed with us?
Speaker 2 (21:08):
And we are planning to have him there for opening
of the museum.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
Good, Oh, that was I was wondering about that.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
That is our plan and like I said, it was
he's the one that really inspired us on as I
said on that first trip, that was the WHI where
I spoke about that's who we plan to have him there.
That wow, one of the most one of the most
powerful answers I heard. And you have to come to
(21:35):
the museum Nicole today and ask it is you know,
what do you want me to learn? What would you
like me to leave here with? And the answer was
so powerful. But I'm not going to share it with
you because you'll come, you'll be my guest.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Yes, thank you.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Make sure you asked that question.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
I will for sure knowing that the answer is going
to be so powerful. I look forward to that and
him seeing his own hologram. I mean talk about just
mind blowing.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
So I don't know if he's ever and I don't
think he has. I think it's been hard for us
to explain he's seen himself on a TV screen. It's
all black around him and sitting on the chair, But
I don't think he really understands what he's about to see.
You know, we've explained it a bit, but it's really
hard to show it to you unless you're sitting in
front of it. And there are a few museums that
do have that hologram.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
So okay, So, I mean, obviously you've got so much
going on here, but I'm sure that it costs money.
Let's be honest. I mean everything costs money. How can
people contribute to the museum, to the work that you're
doing to the foundation or are you looking for volunteers?
Do you need help with exhibits? How can people help
(22:47):
you out here?
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Oh? Great question. We definitely are going to need help
in so many different avenues, especially when the museum opens.
We'll be looking for volunteers. But right now, we have
more than half of the fund raised to build this museum,
and what we're asking is everyone to collectively come together
(23:12):
and match are the initial fifty million dollar donation that's
been gifted to the museum to get it going.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Okay, all right, see you're on the way, but you
still could use some help and how can people do that?
Do you have a website, social media. How can people
connect with you, just not just to donate, but also
to see what else is going on through our website.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Okay, there's you know, there's a there's place on the
website where you could go to our contact us page.
You could click on the donate butt and then we'll
also be having naming opportunities, gifting opportunities, so you know,
there is no donation that's too small or too large,
(23:56):
but you know, we really accepting donation of all sizes.
But we are going to give people the opportunity to
name galleries, to name exhibits, to gift things like a bench.
There will be volunteer opportunities as well, and by going
(24:16):
to our website they'll be able to reach out to
the foundation and inquire about those. We're also looking for
artifacts Holocaust survivor stories. If anybody is related to a survivor,
knows a survivor, we would love for them to reach
out because we really we want to make sure that
(24:38):
Boston or all New England survivors are highlighted in this museum.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
Well in Boston is a city so rich in history.
We have so many institutions that focus on preserving history.
So I really hope they can come together and help
you out with that.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Yeah, we do too.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
Yeah, it's a lot of work, but it's definitely going
to be worth it. And again, one more time, the
timeline for this, the foundation goes down in April. Correct,
and then when do you hope to open?
Speaker 2 (25:03):
We are planning to open November twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
Oh my gosh, al it's gonna fly, it really does.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
Yeah, and that's the same here that we have the
two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of America. It's going to
be a big, big time for Boston.
Speaker 1 (25:18):
Yeah, for sure, there's going to be a lot going on,
but your story matters too, so there's going to be
hopefully we can circle back and you know, in November
of twenty six we can celebrate the opening of your museum.
So again, website, social media, where can people find you?
One more time, so.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
People can find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and by
going to our web page at www. Holocaust Legacyfoundation dot org.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
Jody, all the best to you is you continue this
effort and tell the stories that people desperately need to
hear and remember.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Okay, a safe and healthy weekend, and please be sure
to stay warm. Join us again next week for another
edition of the show. I'm Nicole Davis from WBZ News
Radio on iHeartRadio
From WBZ News Radio in Boston. This is New England Weekend.
We're right here. Each week we come together, we talk
about all the topics important to you and the place
where you live. It is so good to be back
with you. As always, I'm Nicole Davis. Without question, the
Holocaust remains one of the darkest chapters in human history.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Understanding the atrocities of the Holocaust is critical to make
sure they're never repeated. As the years go by, though,
the memory of the Holocaust and its horrors appears to
be fading to some, especially those in the younger generations.
Jody Kipness is here on the show, and she took
a very profound journey to Europe. Her trip to Poland
brought her to the Auschwitz concentration camp. The experience she
(00:47):
had there inspired her to create the Holocaust Legacy Foundation,
and now the foundation's work is leading to a new
Holocaust museum in Boston. Jody is here with us now
to tell her incredible story. Give us all the details
about the museum. Jody, I appreciate your time. Thank you
so much for being here. Let's get right to it.
Tell me about this trip to Europe that kickstarted all
(01:07):
of this.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
So it started back in twenty eighteen. I traveled to
Poland with my partner and Holocaust survivor, David Chacta, and
I didn't have much background our education on the Holocaust,
even being Jewish. The way they taught when I went
to Hebrew School it was very different than the way
(01:31):
they're teaching now. They didn't really understand a lot about
the lessons, and you know, the way we were teaching
contemporary times now. So what happened was it was a
lot of black and white footage, and when they're showing
that to you at a very young age, fifth grade,
fourth grade, it's really scary. So I call myself a
(01:53):
Holocaust avoid I became a Holocaust avoider. I ever saw
Schendler's List when it came out. I didn't read books
about the Holocaust. Anytime something was on the news or
in the newspaper, I would just skim by it because
I thought, Okay, what do I really need to know?
For I'm Jewish, right, I don't need to know. So
(02:14):
Todd Todd Ruderman, my partner in the project, he back
in twenty eighteen, reached out and said to me, you know,
I'd like you to travel with me to Poland. He
had done it before, the trip with his Holocaust survivor
who happened to be a business partner of his. And
we went, and I didn't want to go. I was
(02:35):
really reluctant, but I went and I walked into ash
which was the first historical site we went to, and
I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought I was on
a movie set. It just was so surreal to me
that I just couldn't imagine of the atrocities that happened
in this camp, in the amount I couldn't even comprehend
(02:58):
the amount of people. So that trip really impacted myself
and impacted Todd as well. And during that time we
really started to reflect on the urgent need to preserve
the memory and the lessons of the Holocaust. And it
(03:19):
was on our flight back that we started to ask
ourselves what can we do? So we came up with
a fellowship. We got a napkin on the airplane. We
started to talk about what can we do and what
would that look like? Because we felt we don't need
to be convinced, but how to where? What is it
(03:41):
about the Holocaust that we want to convey and it
was or who to convey it to and that was
really the next generation, right to get them to buy into,
you know, really understanding what the lessons of the Holocaust are.
And so we put together this fellowship with the help
of another foundation, because who were we right, just who's
(04:05):
going to send these teens with us? And we gathered
sixteen teens whose parents trust trusted us to take them away.
We started in Germany this time. I had never been
to Germany, but I really wanted to go to the
Vance conference because where, you know, when you take some
When I went to Poland, you know, you learned that
(04:27):
the Holocaust did not start in the gas chambers? Right
where how did this all begin? And you know, going
to the Vance conference just to see how the final
solution was drafted us in such a beautiful location was
mind blowing, not just to me but to the teams
and it was such a great place for us to
(04:48):
start before we then made our trip to our journey
from Germany to Poland by us and then the trip
was so successful, the teams were so engaged and on
once we got back, we said, okay, it was great,
let's start a foundation. And then we decided to do
(05:11):
the trip again, and that was the fellowship was going
to be the twenty twenty Fellows. And as we all know,
in twenty twenty, COVID nineteen hits and we had a
lot of time in our hands, and Todd and I
really talked about what how can we make a bigger impact?
And Todd would sit in touch a businessman, and he
would sit and he would do the numbers. How can
(05:34):
we make a bigger impact on a broader audience. So
we came up with this crazy idea of let's build
a Holocaust museum. And I thought, okay, what does it
mean to build a Holocaust museum? Went out ordered a
book museums one oh one, and that's how it all started.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Serious and you got a book build.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
I have that book. It's on my bookshelf, a lot
of highlighting, and it really inspired me. And over the
next couple of years, I just educated myself going to conferences,
not just Holocaust conferences, but museum conferences. And then you know, Todd,
being a businessman, could really you know, help with that part.
(06:19):
Todd does a lot of stuff with commercial real estate,
so he understood the construction piece of it. So together
we figured we'd be able to do this, and we
ended up bringing together an amazing team of museum consultant,
project managers, subject matter experts, you name it, and we historians, educators,
(06:44):
and here we are. So in twenty twenty two April
of twenty twenty two, we purchased this old building on
Tremont Street and thought would renovate the building, and it
ended up being that we are now knocking it down
and bringing up a state of the art museum that's
(07:05):
double in.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Size, and that's right there in Boston's downtown. So I mean,
you're gonna have a lot of people coming in through
your museum, and that's really the impact. You want to
have people not just from Boston, but all over.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
We're all over, yeah. So the plan is educators, students, tourists,
residents of all of New England, not just Boston, because
we are going to be the first museum allocaus museum
in all of New England. The next closest museum is Washington.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
I was going to say DC, right, and that one
is so powerful and poignant. I've been there before. If
you don't cry when you're somewhere in that museum, I
don't know what to tell you that museum broke me
for a while. It was just like you said, and
it must have been. It's nowhere close to actually being
at the camps or being at Auschwitz, but it just
(07:56):
that story just hits you, and the smells and the
site and the sounds. I mean, I was just a
wreck so athout.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
So you can imagine what it's like to be an
Aushwitz with a survivor telling his story in front of
the bunker. Yeah, he is there, that he slept, and
he talked about the straw that's still there, and they
would steal straw, and he would talk about how they
would lay three in a bed, maybe more depending on
(08:24):
you know, who arrived into the bunker and his his bunker,
His beds are still there. The bunker is still there
in Auschwitz.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Well, you were talking about younger generations, and I've read
several articles and seen some videos about how younger generations
these days really don't know much, little to nothing in
some cases about the Holocaust, about its impact. Like you mentioned,
how it all came together, not just how it was
devastating for the Jewish people, but also Ramani people, those
(08:54):
who identify as LGBTQ really anybody who was an other.
It was terrifying, It was important, it should never happen again.
Why do you feel kids are not learning as much
about this these days, especially because they have so much
I mean, we have phones, right, We've all got information
at our fingertips. Why are kids not learning about this
right now?
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Nicole, that's a great question as to why kids aren't
learning about it. You know, sister of mine's a teacher
and friends who are teachers, and I think they are
so blogged down with you know, having to teach certain things,
and then it's what to teach? How much time do
they have to teach in the schools? Right, So we're
(09:39):
hoping that this museum becomes a tool not just to
bring students in, but tools for educators on how to
teach the Holocaust and beyond that. Also, you know, when
you think about you know, the rise of Nazi power,
right when when they came to power, they used teachers, yeah,
(10:02):
to turning their students. They used law enforcement, you know,
the medical professionals they turned in their patients. So when
you think about it, you know, it's not just giving
them the tools to teach the Holocaust, but it's also
giving educators to teach what is their responsibility to all
their students.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
I mean here in New England we have seen such
a marked rise in anti Semitism in recent years, especially
after October seventh in Israel, but it had been happening
before that. Why do you think we're seeing so much
anti semitism here Stateside and especially in our part of
the woods, because normally around here we're known as being
you know, really accepting and open for the most part
(10:43):
here in New England. I mean, what's going on here?
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Yeah? I mean, you know, we see it. I mean,
we really are witnessing a rise in anti Semitism, not
just here in Massachusetts, but globally. I mean, we are
seeing it. And you know what I think is it
can attribute to the complex combinations of historical, political, and
(11:08):
cultural factors. You know, it's a polarized world and all
hate is on the rise right now. You know, the
incidents rate range from hate speech to vandalism and to
even physical violence. That's what we're seeing.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
It just it pains me to see that this is happening,
regardless of where it's happening. It's just, you know, how
do we turn this trend around? What do you think
we have to do here to get in front of this.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Education. Education is definitely a tool. You know, Education is
one of the most powerful tools to combat anti Semitism
and all hate. You really need to understand the roots
and consequences of hate, and we need to challenge ignorance
(11:58):
and foster understanding.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
And that's not just with younger generations. Like it makes
me think of what you were saying with your kids
when you brought them over to Auschwitz and they finally understood, right,
they finally got it. This is a message for all generations.
We all can keep learning, and we all can know
more about what's going on and the patterns and and
what is fueling this because I think a lot of
(12:22):
this comes from fear in one place or another.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
That's the word I hear a lot. It's fear, and
you know, and I think when you know, we don't
challenge hate and we don't put fear aside, you know,
that's when we see all these incidents happen.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
Well, you have a great teaching tool in the Holocaust Museum,
So you've got to knock down this whole building. I'm
not sure if that was part of museum. One oh one,
but I guess here we are, So where is the
process right now? Like where are you in the process
of getting this done?
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Okay? So with the museum, there's two sides. We have
the constructor side and then we have the exhibit. That's true,
so we'll start with the construction side. So at this
point we have now taken the building down and they're
doing what they call excavation, and we'll be ready to
(13:19):
lie the foundation to bring this state of the art
museum to Boston. In April of this year is when
the foundation will be laid down. So with the exhibits,
weren't and what we call design development, where we're really
looking now at the exhibits, the panels, where do we
want to put multi media, where do we want to
(13:41):
put you know, photos, and how the flow is going
to be, and then we're the subject matter experts then
look at that and then you know, together work on
how we tell that story.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
What kind of exhibits do you already have planned? Like
when some it comes to the museum at this point,
what will they be able to take in and see?
Speaker 2 (14:04):
So when we were thinking about the first exhibit, the
introductory gallery, we thought about for students, right, that's our
main visitor. But this museum is for everyone. And when
you think about what a student's going to say when
you're taking them to a museum that they may think
has nothing to do with them, the first thing they're
going to ask is why am i here? Does the
(14:24):
Holocaust have anything to do with me? And when we
think about why the Holocaust started, how the Nazis rose
to power, it's not because anti Semitism was on the right.
It was because democracy was breaking down. So in our
first exhibit, the visitors are going to walk off the
elevator and they're going to be walk into an area
(14:48):
where they will meet visitors who are just like them,
a diverse group of visitors. For those pianels will come
to life. Oh and back to the visitor, ask telling
them a little bit about themselves, how they connect into
the Holocaust, talking about the fragility of democracy and why
(15:10):
we have to protect democracy, and why we have to
stand up for each other, our neighbors, our communities and
just be kind. Really that's what that and we want
to promote critical thinking. So we're going to ask write
the visitor as they go through the museum to go
through with an open mind and open heart and really
(15:34):
think about how they connect to the narrative they're about
to hear to their own personal lives and society. The
reason why this idea came to fruition is because of
our location. I don't know how well it would have worked.
Because what we're going to do you don't see in
a lot of museums, is we're opening a window because
(15:56):
at that point you have a view of the State House,
the embraced statue of what they call Freedom Plaza, Freedom
Trail right there right outside that window, and we're going
to then, you know, be able to ask the visitor,
have them take some time to reflect on what do
(16:16):
you see outside that window? What is freedom to you?
So visitors from the inside and from the outside will
be able to see an authentic railcar that was rescued
from Macedonia, went to Phoenix, and now it's on its
way here to be conserved, and it's going to really
(16:37):
stand as our most profound and symbolic feature, and it's
been carefully placed. We really thought about this and making
it visible to the street. We wanted to be a
visible reminder. So the way the museum is designed, it
almost looks like there's a curtain on the museum and
(16:58):
the curtains pulled back, and we want to make sure
that the rail car is visible as an undeniable reminder
of the Holocaust to the visitor or to the person
that's outside. We don't want it hidden and we want
it present for everyone to see. The other reason for
(17:19):
the rail car, as I call it, walking in their shoes.
The visitor is going to have the opportunity to walk
across the rail car and stepping into the shoes of
those who are forced on these harrowing journeys. They'll be
able to experience not just a physical connection, but we're
(17:39):
hoping to also make an emotional connection as well. And
from the outside, people will see visitors file onto the
rail car and they'll be able to see this right
from the Freedom Trail. It will also we're hoping that
it symbolizes responsibility. So as I said, the watching visitors
(18:04):
walk onto the railcar, not exit, we really want people
from the outside to see that these stories should not
be forgotten and we want people to uphold the responsibilities
of remembrance and action. Is this museum really it's not
(18:24):
just a building, it's about action. So We're hoping that
once they leave that they'll reflect on who they are
and then want to take action and make a difference.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
What a powerful moving piece. And you mentioned the conservation
of such an artifact, I mean getting it here, conserving it.
What kind of a process goes into that making that happen.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Well, i'll get to see in February, but it's going
to be hoisted onto a flatbed driven here. We'll be
protected and driven from Phoenix just right outside the Boston area.
Serve it, will work on it, and then when the
(19:12):
museum hits a certain point of build we are going
to actually lift it up by crane and have it
lowered into the building and then continued to build around
the railcar and that The plan for that is November.
We're also going to have a Dimensions in Testimony theater.
We're partnering with the usc show a foundation the survivor
(19:34):
that inspired us. We spent a week with him as
they asked him just under a thousand questions. And then
what they do is they create a hologram. They've done
it with other survivors, but we're going to be the
first to feature this one survivor before it goes we
share it with the other museums. And if you ever
(19:55):
saw Michael Jackson when they brought Michael Jackson back to life,
that's what it's like. I had the op oportunity to
actually ask real time questions. And what this does it
gives the visitor opportunity to have their own self learning.
So you want to know you ask and this is
not AI generated. We're in such an AI generated world, right,
(20:15):
and so many people now are creating these types of
holograms to be AI generated, and this isn't. These survivors
were asked questions. It was a week. It was a
long week. And as a visitor, we have a beautiful
theater where you'll be able to sit and you'll see
a three or four minute film on the Holocaust survivor's life,
(20:39):
where they came from. Give you enough information so this
way you can ask questions like how did you survive?
Questions like you know, what was the last thing your
mother said to you? I think we asked him what
was his favorite food as a child, you know. So
it all depends on what you ask and the way
the technology works, it takes those questions and we'll go
(21:02):
to the answers that he gave.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
Wow, that is stunning. Is he still with us or
has he passed with us?
Speaker 2 (21:08):
And we are planning to have him there for opening
of the museum.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
Good, Oh, that was I was wondering about that.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
That is our plan and like I said, it was
he's the one that really inspired us on as I
said on that first trip, that was the WHI where
I spoke about that's who we plan to have him there.
That wow, one of the most one of the most
powerful answers I heard. And you have to come to
(21:35):
the museum Nicole today and ask it is you know,
what do you want me to learn? What would you
like me to leave here with? And the answer was
so powerful. But I'm not going to share it with
you because you'll come, you'll be my guest.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Yes, thank you.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Make sure you asked that question.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
I will for sure knowing that the answer is going
to be so powerful. I look forward to that and
him seeing his own hologram. I mean talk about just
mind blowing.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
So I don't know if he's ever and I don't
think he has. I think it's been hard for us
to explain he's seen himself on a TV screen. It's
all black around him and sitting on the chair, But
I don't think he really understands what he's about to see.
You know, we've explained it a bit, but it's really
hard to show it to you unless you're sitting in
front of it. And there are a few museums that
do have that hologram.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
So okay, So, I mean, obviously you've got so much
going on here, but I'm sure that it costs money.
Let's be honest. I mean everything costs money. How can
people contribute to the museum, to the work that you're
doing to the foundation or are you looking for volunteers?
Do you need help with exhibits? How can people help
(22:47):
you out here?
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Oh? Great question. We definitely are going to need help
in so many different avenues, especially when the museum opens.
We'll be looking for volunteers. But right now, we have
more than half of the fund raised to build this museum,
and what we're asking is everyone to collectively come together
(23:12):
and match are the initial fifty million dollar donation that's
been gifted to the museum to get it going.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Okay, all right, see you're on the way, but you
still could use some help and how can people do that?
Do you have a website, social media. How can people
connect with you, just not just to donate, but also
to see what else is going on through our website.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Okay, there's you know, there's a there's place on the
website where you could go to our contact us page.
You could click on the donate butt and then we'll
also be having naming opportunities, gifting opportunities, so you know,
there is no donation that's too small or too large,
(23:56):
but you know, we really accepting donation of all sizes.
But we are going to give people the opportunity to
name galleries, to name exhibits, to gift things like a bench.
There will be volunteer opportunities as well, and by going
(24:16):
to our website they'll be able to reach out to
the foundation and inquire about those. We're also looking for
artifacts Holocaust survivor stories. If anybody is related to a survivor,
knows a survivor, we would love for them to reach
out because we really we want to make sure that
(24:38):
Boston or all New England survivors are highlighted in this museum.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
Well in Boston is a city so rich in history.
We have so many institutions that focus on preserving history.
So I really hope they can come together and help
you out with that.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Yeah, we do too.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
Yeah, it's a lot of work, but it's definitely going
to be worth it. And again, one more time, the
timeline for this, the foundation goes down in April. Correct,
and then when do you hope to open?
Speaker 2 (25:03):
We are planning to open November twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
Oh my gosh, al it's gonna fly, it really does.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
Yeah, and that's the same here that we have the
two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of America. It's going to
be a big, big time for Boston.
Speaker 1 (25:18):
Yeah, for sure, there's going to be a lot going on,
but your story matters too, so there's going to be
hopefully we can circle back and you know, in November
of twenty six we can celebrate the opening of your museum.
So again, website, social media, where can people find you?
One more time, so.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
People can find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and by
going to our web page at www. Holocaust Legacyfoundation dot org.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
Jody, all the best to you is you continue this
effort and tell the stories that people desperately need to
hear and remember.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Okay, a safe and healthy weekend, and please be sure
to stay warm. Join us again next week for another
edition of the show. I'm Nicole Davis from WBZ News
Radio on iHeartRadio
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