TRIUMPH 2020

“Dr. Ruth”

The Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center proudly presents Triumph 2020, with featured speaker Dr. Ruth Westheimer.  The annual fundraising dinner on Monday evening, March 2, at Grey Oaks Country Club benefits the museum’s education programs.

While many people are familiar with Dr. Ruth’s programs, books and articles, they may not be aware she is a Holocaust Survivor.  An only child, she was living with her parents and grandmother in Germany as the Nazi party came to power.

In 1938, shortly after Kristallnacht, she witnessed the frightening sight of her father being taken away by the authorities. As things became more dangerous for Jewish people in Germany, her mother and grandmother arranged for eleven year old Ruth
to travel by herself to safety. She went on a Kindertransport to Switzerland, where she lived in an orphanage for the duration of the war.

At war’s end, Ruth was unable to reunite with her family, and was on her own. It wasn’t until years later that she found out they
perished in the Holocaust. The now teenaged Ruth decided to leave Switzerland and create a new life for herself, and it has been
an exciting journey. She lived in di­fferent countries, completed her education and eventually came to the United States to begin a
whole new chapter, and became the Dr. Ruth we all know. It is sure to be a memorable evening as she shares her life story. Business sponsors for Triumph 2020 include Life in Naples, First Florida Integrity Bank and WGCU Public Media. Baer’s Furniture is the featured speaker sponsor.

The Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center recently moved to new quarters at 975 Imperial Golf Course Blvd.,
Suite 108 in Naples. This was made possible by the generous lead capital campaign gift of local philanthropist Janet G. Cohen and other donors. The new museum features an award-winning design, larger space, new exhibits and displays. The expanded classroom space utilizes updated technology and accommodates much larger student and private group tours than the previous location.

The museum’s education programs are offered in seven Southwest Florida counties for grades K-12 and college/university. Each year an average of 15,000 Southwest Florida students and teachers participate in student programs and educator workshops.
The current exhibit, on display through March 31st, is Resistance Art & Propaganda in Nazi Occupied Holland. It was developed and is distributed by the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect in New York City (www.annefrank.com.)

The museum’s next exhibit is “Liberation 75” commemorating the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Nazi concentration camps. It will be on display from April 2 – October 23, 2020.

The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday afternoons. Daily docent led, self-guided and audio tours are available.  A year-round program of special exhibits, events and programs is offered. The museum is wheelchair accessible, with expanded parking for cars and buses. For more information on museum programs, hours of operation, scheduling school and private group tours, please visit www.HMCEC.org.