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passed the most optimistic expectations
of its founders. Some 2 million visitors
pass through the front door every year,
ast week's ouster of U.S. Holo- and despite projections to the contrary,
the flood has not abated.
caust Memorial Museum
It is a place that profoundly affects
director Walter Reich, con-
visitors, mostly non-Jews, many of
trary to reports in the national
whom know almost nothing about the
media, was only peripherally related to
Holocaust. The permanent exhibition
the January controversy over Yassir
makes it easy for visitors to draw con-
Arafat's proposed visit to the facility.
nections between the HOlocaust
Instead, Mr. Reich's decision
and
today's world. The message
not to seek renewal of his con-
The flood of
people
seem to leave with isn't
tract, which came after a week
visitors contin-
of frantic negotiations, was the
ues at the U.S. "oh, those poor Jews," but "we
can't let this kind of thing hap-
Holocaust
result of a rebellion among the
pen again."
Museum.
museum's staff over his manage-
The museum has become a vital 1
ment style. The revolt had gath-
resource for Holocaust scholars around
ered momentum in recent months,-and
the world and ordinary educators who
broke into the open during the Arafat
want to teach the lessons of the Holo-
controversy. . /
caust to their students, and it has
Both issues — the Arafat flap and
become an important link in the world-
the internal guerrilla war within the
wide survivors' network.
museum — represent the first big pub-
Finally, there's the passion of the peo-
lic relations crisis the museum has faced
ple involved. Say what you will about
since it opened almost five years ago.
Walter Reich's skills as an administrator,
The embarrassing scuffle does not
but this is a man who is deeply commit-
alter the fact the museum continues to
ted to the cause of Holocaust education
work better than almost anybody
and scholarship.
expected. Both Mr. Reich's stubborn
So, too, are the staffers who expressed
efforts to hold on to his job and the pas-
concern about his leadership. This was
sion of the staffers who sought to oust
no mere turf war; this was a battle
him reflect one reason; for that success
between people with conflicting views
— an unusual level of dedication to the
of how the museum should be run, but
museum's core mission among the lay
always based on their passionate belief
and professional staffs.
in the value of their shared effort. There 4
But that doesn't mean the next direc-
are no villains in this story.
tor will have an easier time of it: The
Still, there are unresolved and per-
job is a precarious balancing act, and it
reflects in large measure conflicting roles haps unresolvable contradictions in the
museum's function that will require the
for the museum that will continue to
next director to be an adroit high-wire
mean headaches for its lay and profes-
performer.
sional leaders.
In a world of limited resources, keep-
The Holocaust Museum has sur-

JAMES D. BESSER
Washington Correspondent

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