Eugene & Maria Applebaum
Jewish Parenting Center
Congregation Shaarey Zedek
Presents
Internationally renowned expert on
child development and parenting
Museum Names Head
Holocaust Memorial Museum taps insider
to direct its next stage of growth.'
welcomed more than 10 million visi-
tors, nearly four times the number ini-
tially projected. It has an operating
Washington
budget of $53.6 million, 400 staff
fter nearly a year without
members and more than 300 volun-
permanent leadership, the
teers.
U.S. Holocaust Memorial
Bloomfield's selection, however,
Museum has tapped an
comes after a year in which the vener-
insider to be the museum's new execu-
able institution has navigated some
tive director.
rough waters.
Sara Bloomfield, a 13-year veteran
She took over as acting director last
of the institution and the
year after Walter Reich
museum's acting director
resigned in the wake of
since last April, was the
a controversy about the
unanimous choice of a
handling of an invita-
search committee formed
tion to Palestinian
in October by the muse-
Authority Chairman
um's governing body.
Yassir Arafat to tour
"We selected Sara for
the museum. The
her fervent dedication to
museum extended the
Holocaust remembrance,
invitation to Arafat,
her longstanding devotion
retracted it, and
to the museum and its
extended it again
mission, and her proven
before Arafat ultimate-
ability to lead and manage
ly declined.
this major international
The museum later
institution," said Miles
became embroiled in
Sara Bloo m field
Lerman, chairman of the
controversy over its
decision to hire John
U.S. Holocaust Memorial
Council, which voted to give her the
Roth, an internationally renowned
$175,000 job last Friday.
Holocaust scholar, to head the muse-
Bloomfield, who says she considers
urn's new Center for Advanced
herself in many ways a "founding
Holocaust Studies and he resigned.
father of the institution," looks at the
"I've been here for lots of storms
museum as "the most important
over many years," Bloomfield said,
accomplishment I have in my life.
adding that she brings to the post an
"It's a large and complex institu-
understanding of the institution, the
tion, but more importantly a moral
original vision of the founders and the
obligation that I look at with deep
different constituencies who all feel a
excitement and with a lot of respect
sense of ownership.
for the challenge it represents," she
For starters, Bloomfield wants to see
said in a phone interview this week.
the museum continue the process it
Bloomfield, 48, a native of
started last year of extending its reach
Cleveland, who has an English degree
beyond Washington. She launched three
from Northwestern University, joined
highly regarded traveling exhibitions,
the museum staff in 1986 as deputy
"Liberation 1945," "Hidden History of
director of operations when it was still
the Kovno Ghetto" and "The Nazi
in the planning stages. She served as
Olympics Berlin 1936," and says she
executive director of the museum's
wants to build on those projects to make
council from 1988 to 1994, playing a
the museum a national presence.
key role in the creation of the muse-
The museum is also looking to its
new Center for Advanced Holocaust
urn, which opened its doors in 1993.
Studies as a training center for a new
Between 1994 and 1998 she served
as associate director for museum pro-
cadre of Holocaust scholars.
grams and supervised seven of the
But perhaps the biggest challenge
facing the institution, she said, "is
museum's offices.
keeping the resonance and the vitality
The institution she has helped
build has, by all accounts, exceeded
alive as the Holocaust recedes in mem-
ory and the survivors and other eye-
the expectations of its founders.
During its first five years, the museum
witnesses pass from the scene."
Dr. David
Elkind
DANIEL KURTZMAN
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
The Post-Modern
Family
A
/ -
L
(Ties That Stress)
Join us for a lively talk about the joys and challenges of
parenting children of all ages in today's world.
Wednesday, March 10, 1999
7:30 p.m.
Congregation Shaarey Zedek
B'nai Israel Center
4200 Walnut Lake Rd • West Bloomfield
For reservations please call 248-681-5353
Afterglow following program
A gift from The Morris & Beverly Baker Foundation in memory of Morris D. Baker
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