ANNUAL REVIEW 20212021 has been an incredibly challenging yet productive year for our whole team at the CTHGC. I say team because that is truly what we have become. On all levels I have seen colleagues supporting, working together, and encouraging one another in various capacities and projects. This has boosted morale and further enhanced the important work we are committed to doing. Despite Covid and intermittent closures of the Centre during this year, we both partnered with and hosted, more than 50 webinars via zoom or in-person events, reaching thousands Director’s Note AN INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING YET PRODUCTIVE YEAR of people across the globe. We took advantage of rare windows of opportunity and hosted, at the CTHGC, for the first time in 19 months, international guest speaker, Dr Zuzana Pavlovská and the Jewish Museum of Prague’s exhibition: I Have Not Seen A Butterfly Around Here. We were honoured to celebrate Ella Blumenthal’s 100th birthday which was held at the Centre and streamed online. Miriam Lichterman’s 99th Birthday was also an in - person and streamed event and we were delighted that her sons Ivor and Joel could be 2 CTHGC ANNUAL REVIEW 2021 2021: here for the occasion. When possible, excited learners once again attended programmes at the Centre; and when not, the Education Department were extremely busy with online lessons, teaching at schools or facilitating Educator Training Workshops. I invite you to read our Annual Review of 2021, which offers you an overview of all we have achieved this year Our work would not be possible without you, our generous Donors and Friends of the CTHGC. Your continuing commitment and support enables us to do this very important work and we deeply appreciate this. If you are not yet a Donor or would like to support one of our programmes, please do not hesitate to contact me. I would like to thank our Board of Trustees for their guidance during this challenging time. Wishing you happy holidays and a safe and healthy 2022. Heather Blumenthal CONTENTS PAGE Director’s note A Calendar Full of Events Holocaust Survivors’ Impact Educational Programmes White Rose Online Creative Project Temporary Exhibitions News from the Archive PG 2 PG 10 PG 4 PG 17 PG 18 PG 23 PG 24 PG 26 Our Reach in 2021 New Intern PG 28 PG 28 Making your Bar/ Batmitvah even more meaningfulHOLOCAUST SURVIVORS THEIR IMPACT Holocaust survivors have volunteered at the Centre on a regular basis since its inception 22 years ago – engaging with visitors, sharing their testimonies, translating historic materials, and more. They are an integral part of the work that we do. We honour and reflect on their invaluable contributions to the Centre’s mission. 4 CTHGC ANNUAL REVIEW 2021E lla Blumenthal, whose centenary year was celebrated on Women’s Day, is a case in point. The CTHGC honoured Ella with an online and in-person celebration which included the screening of the award-winning documentary about her life, I Am Here. Being very confident with technology, Ella was able to do online lessons with students, and was part of not only local, but many international programmes, where she engaged with young people from all over the world. One of the very few public outings Ella undertook was to the DF Malan High School, where a garden of lights, named for Ella, was inaugurated. Ella was there to switch on the lights, flanked by a guard of honour made up of the learners, all of whom had listened to her testimony. Ella continues, with her ebullient spirit, to inspire and teach. Holocaust Survivor ELLA BLUMENTHAL 5 CTHGC ANNUAL REVIEW 2021O ur beloved Miriam Lichterman turned 99 years old this year. We celebrated this major milestone with two separate events. First, we had a delicious birthday tea in the Succah on the shul campus. We then organised a concert honouring her, at the CTHGC. The event, which was also streamed online, was deeply moving, and full of song and laughter. Miriam’s sons Joel and Ivor, both of whom are Cantors in their respective shuls in the US, were in Cape Town for the event. They sang to their mother who, elegantly dressed, sat dignified as ever, her eyes shining with love and pleasure. Ivor and Joel shared stories of growing up with a loving, generous and caring mother, and their anecdotes about their home and friends afforded us a glimpse into another aspect of the life of our wonderful Miriam. Holocaust Survivor MIRIAM LICHTERMAN 6 CTHGC ANNUAL REVIEW 2021H enia Bryer has been working with our Centre for over a decade, spreading tolerance, learning and understanding, to help ensure that ‘Never Again’ becomes a reality. Henia Bryer has always readily engaged with learners, answering their questions with compassion and kindness. The documentary about her, Prisoner Number A26188: Henia Bryer (directed by her niece Lisa Bryer), continues to touch the lives of millions across the world. It is Henia’s calm, and engaging manner during the sharing of her testimony that seems to draw people to her, even if they have never met her in person. We have received messages from so many viewers, who contact us because they are so moved by the documentary, and by Henia. We make sure to share with Henia these comments, which so clearly illustrate that her testimony continues to have an incredible impact on people today. For Henia’s 96th birthday, we created an audio “book” of greetings from those who have met and become close with Henia over her years with the CTHGC. Holocaust Survivor HENIA BRYER 7 CTHGC ANNUAL REVIEW 2021H elene Joffe, who as a child spent the last two years of the war hidden in in the mountains of France, has a story that although different is no less harrowing. At the beginning of this year, the Together We Remember organization held a 24-hour online vigil. The programme explored the experiences of people displaced due to genocide, mass atrocities and gender- based violence. Helene agreed to be filmed for this event, where she shared her story and her hopes for the world at large. Helene attends in-person events at our Centre whenever she can, and has given talks about her war experiences to audiences both local and international. Holocaust Survivor HELENE JOFFE 8 CTHGC ANNUAL REVIEW 2021Holocaust Survivor L ina Kantor has a remarkable life story which has been made . into a documentary film. Her unusual story explores the exceptional interventions of the Turkish Consul- General Selahattin Ülkümen, who was stationed on Rhodes Island in Greece during World War II. In July 1944, he saved 42 Jews from deportation to Auschwitz by the Nazis. Among those saved was our own Lina. An avid attendee of all our in-person lectures and panel discussions in the past, Lina now attends all of these events online, maintaining her contact with all of us via technology and demonstrating her passion for continued learning about all issues related to human rights. LINA KANTOR 9 CTHGC ANNUAL REVIEW 2021Next >