The Museum of Jewish Heritage
After visiting the Museum of Jewish Heritage which is located in downtown Manhattan at Battery place, I was left feeling very weary and somber. The museum itself stands as a memorial dedicated to those died in the Holocaust even though not everything found in the museum’s exhibitions deals with that period of history. I am not Jewish, however I am from Poland which was where most of the Holocaust concentration camps were located. This museum has details and information about the Holocaust which cannot be learned simply by reading a textbook. There are hundreds of pictures as well as many voice recordings in the exhibitions which are really effective in understanding the impact of this tragedy. Also, several items which were recovered such as personal belongings, diaries, and letters are featured in the museum. One of the most interesting and important items in my opinion, was a large book which contains the names of most of the victims who were killed in the concentration camps. It took a long time for this book to be put together and it is really worthwhile just to glance through the pages and really feel the impact in seeing the endless list of people. I also think that the museum’s exhibitions are put together beautifully in a way that really flows and makes sense to visitors. The first section focuses on early Jewish history, the middle section on the Holocaust, and the third section focused on the Jewish renewal or the modern Jewish culture. I would strongly recommend visiting this museum to others, in order to understand the Holocaust from the Jewish point of view, and to get a unique look at Jewish culture and lifestyle.