The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art

Book Review: The Hare With Amber Eyes

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Writer Edmund de Waal shares the story of his once wealthy European Jewish family—how family members were scattered, their wealth appropriated and their art collection stolen by the Nazis. The book will be reviewed by Museum Curator Karen York on Tuesday, May 21 at 11:00 a.m. This exciting event is being offered at no charge. Netsuke from Tulsa private collections will be on display during this event.

Following the review, please make time to visit the museum until 5:00 p.m. and be sure to take advantage of the FIG: Café & Bakery on our campus for lunch which is open until 2:00 p.m.

2013 Interfaith Holocaust Commemoration: “The Kindertransports”

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From Dec. 1, 1938, to the start of World War II on Sept. 1, 1939, nearly 10,000 Jewish children were sent, without their parents, out of Nazi Germany, Austria, Poland and Czechoslovakia to safety in Great Britain. While more than 1.5 million children perished in the Holocaust, these children were saved by the Kindertransport rescue movement.

Kurt and Margaret Goldberger, child survivors of the Kindertransports, will share their personal stories of the Kindertransports at Tulsa’s 16^th annual Interfaith Holocaust Commemoration on Thursday, April 11 at 7 p.m. at Congregation B’nai Emunah, 17^th Street and Peoria Avenue.

The Yom Hashoah Commemoration is an annual event sponsored by the Council for Holocaust Education, a committee of the Jewish Federation of Tulsa, in cooperation with numerous interfaith and community organizations, including the Circle Cinema and Tulsa City-County Library.

Born in Vienna, Austria, Kurt Goldberger emigrated to England on a Kindertransport in 1939 when he was almost 14. Born in Berlin, Germany, Margaret Goldberger also emigrated to England on a Kindertransport in 1939 when she was 13. The couple met in New York at a gathering of refugees in 1947. Kurt served as past president of The Kindertransport Association of North America from 1999-2012, and currently serves as vice president of the World Federation of Jewish Child Survivors of the Holocaust. Margaret is an active board member of The Kindertransport Association, as well as a docent and speaker for the Holocaust Memorial and Educational Center of Nassau County, N.Y.

According to The Kindertransport Association’s website at http://www.kindertransport.org, the Kindertransport rescue operation was unique in that Jews, Quakers and Christians of many denominations worked together to rescue primarily Jewish children. These children were spared the horrors of the death camps, but were uprooted, separated from their parents, and transported to a different culture where they faced “not the unmitigated horror of the death camps, but a very human mixture of kindness, indifference, occasional exploitation and the selflessness of ordinary people faced with needy children.”

As in past years, the commemoration program includes an exhibit of projects created by students in Holocaust studies classes from various Tulsa area schools. In addition, a 10-piece orchestra conducted by Tulsan Dan Wooten will present selected music from Lee Holdridge’s compositions from the film “Into the Arms of Strangers.” Holdridge has composed, conducted and orchestrated music for many award-winning Hollywood films and TV shows. Plus, the Tulsa City-County Library will have available for checkout many Holocaust books and media.

Due to limited parking at Congregation B’nai Emunah, there will be free shuttle rides available from Temple Israel, 2004 E. 22^nd Place. Contact the Jewish Federation of Tulsa at 918-495-1100 for more information about the commemoration. Contact the Tulsa City-County Library at 918-549-7323 for more information about Holocaust resources.

Meeting: Tulsa Jewish Genealogical Society of Tulsa

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The next meeting of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Tulsa will be on Sunday, May 5 at 2:00 pm in the Dan Room of the CSJCC. We will be discussing DNA testing and how it relates to genealogy. JGS of Tulsa members Joyce Flinchum (who because of her DNA test found a relative here in Tulsa that she had never met before or even knew about!) and Kathy Pierandri (who discovered where her Jewish ancestors came from and what percent Jewish that she is) will be talking about their DNA results. If you have done a DNA test, please bring your results to the meeting as well!

The Exodus: 3400 Years of the Jewish Diaspora

development — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:59:09 +0000

The Exodus explores the many migrations undertaken by Jewish communities throughout history. From the biblical exodus to the ship Exodus, Jews have moved from empire to state, from country to continent as politics, economics, and prejudice affected their status and living situations. The exhibit highlights the settlement of the Jews in unexpected locations.

Butterfly Making Workshop

development — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 19:42:48 +0000

Butterfly Making Workshop · Sun., April 7 · 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. · Museum Lobby · Pavel Friedman, a prisoner of the Terezin concentration camp, wrote the moving poem, “The Butterfly” in 1942. Although the author died in Auschwitz two years later, after more than half a century, activists were inspired by his words to launch a project to commemorate the child victims of the Holocaust. The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art presents an art workshop for children and families to create an artistic butterfly. Modeled after similar projects, the creation of handmade butterflies serves as a symbol of remembrance and renewed life, as well as a tangible reminder of what was lost. There is no cost to participate in the workshop and participants will receive free museum admission for the day.

L’Chaim-To Life!

development — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 20:47:55 +0000

During the month of May, join the Tulsa Artists’ Guild in a celebration of the Jewish expression “L’Chaim” (to life!) during this exhibition and sale of guild members’ works. This show will be a celebration of life with a portion of the sales benefiting the museum. The show will run May 1 – June 2, 2013 with an opening reception on Thursday, May 2 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Views from the Old Country: Life in Eastern Europe

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Many of Tulsa’s founding Jewish families traveled from Eastern Europe and Russia to settle in the wilds of Indian Territory. This exhibit features objects, paintings and sculpture from the museum’s permanent collection that illustrate village life, as well as objects that traveled from the old country to Oklahoma with our founding families. This temporary exhibit is on display in the Mezzanine Gallery.

Seventh Annual Purim Mask Invitational

development — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 21:11:38 +0000

In spring 2013, area K-12 students will participate in the Seventh Annual Purim Mask Invitational, with the opportunity to have their creations displayed for several weeks within the museum. On Purim, it is a mitzvah (commandment) to hear the Megillat Esther (The Book of Esther) that tells the story of Purim read aloud. Due to Esther’s disguising her identity as a Jewess, it has become custom to dress up and mask one’s identity during the Purim feast. Students create wearable masks recognizing Purim, a joyful holiday occurring on February 24, 2013 (Jewish Year 5773). The majority of students in Tulsa area schools are from faiths other than Judaism and are often unaware of Jewish culture and traditions. In creating a mask for Purim and learning the story of Esther and other Purim traditions, students are able to learn more about other cultures and religions. The show is on display in the Education, Brodsky and Special Exhibition Galleries from February 24 – April 7, 2013.

The masks are juried by a panel of local art experts in separate age divisions with all masks competing for the “Best in Show” award.

Click here to view the entire Seventh Annual Purim Mask Invitational exhibit virtually.

Tikkun in Tulsa: Caring for the Earth Exhibition – Paintings from the Green Country Watercolor Society

development — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 19:54:03 +0000

For this premier event, members of the Green Country Watercolor Society interpreted the Jewish philosophy, Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World) in water color paintings. The exhibit was a juried members’ show, and all works exhibited were available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds benefiting The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art. This show was on display in our Mezzanine Gallery November 14 – December 26, 2012.

David Halpern: A Few of My Favorites and the Stories Behind Them

development — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 15:17:17 +0000

David Halpern is a photographer living in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Since 1973, his photographs have been exhibited annually in museums and galleries across America, and he has been the recipient of numerous awards. An avid traveler, he has photographed a variety of subjects throughout the United States, and in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, South America, England, Italy, Africa and Greece. Until recently, his most recognizable images were his large format black and white prints of the American Landscape. However, since 1997, virtually all his photographs have been made with digital cameras, and he has published a large volume of images in color.

During this special exhibition, David will highlight “A Few of My Favorites and the Stories Behind Them” in our Mezzanine Gallery from September 9 – October 29, 2012.