At the Museum “Jewish Memory and Holocaust in Ukraine,” an important cultural and educational institution of the Dnipro Jewish Community, a special program was held in honor of International Museum Day. A rich program of tours, introductions to unique exhibits, and special events was prepared for the guests, offering an opportunity to look anew at the preservation of historical memory and Jewish heritage.
International Museum Day is celebrated annually around the world as a holiday that underscores the significance of museums as spaces for preserving history, fostering cultural dialogue, education, and mutual understanding. In today’s challenging circumstances, the role of museums takes on special importance, as they become custodians of memory and key factors in the formation of identity.
Throughout the festive day, visitors to the Jewish Museum were able not only to freely explore the exhibitions but also to participate in a series of special tours. One of the most vibrant events was a visit to the National Center of Sofrut, conducted by a long-time friend of the museum, the Deputy Secretary of the Dnipro Rabbinical Court, Avraham Yosef Yitzchak Karshenbaum. Participants received a rare opportunity to see the process of writing and checking sacred Jewish texts, becoming acquainted with the painstaking work of sofrut, which requires special skill.
The program continued with an introduction to the temporary exhibition “Unknown Artifacts from the Museum’s Collections.” The special feature of this exhibition was that the artifacts presented were available for viewing for only one day. Also presented to the guests was the temporary exhibition “Some Were Neighbors: Choice, Human Behavior, and the Holocaust,” prepared by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.
The festive program continued throughout the day, and the museum’s guests visited all the prepared locations with great interest, participating in tours, exhibitions, and special events. At the conclusion of this eventful day, a drawing for commemorative gifts was held for the visitors.
“For us, the museum is not only a place for preserving artifacts but also a space for people to meet, for preserving memory, and for transmitting knowledge to future generations,” said Dr. Iryna Radchenko, Director of the Museum. “We sincerely thank everyone who shared this day with us and supports our commitment to preserving history and cultural heritage.”
