14 | JANUARY 18 • 2024

As the survivor population
dwindles, the planning group
started thinking about how
best to meet the needs of future
museum visitors. Mayerfeld
said the planners realized they
had the ability to present the
Holocaust story in a new way,
one that would ensure the
survivors’ voices were central.
“The decision to focus
on Holocaust victims and
survivors in the renovation
is a truly unique approach
for a Holocaust museum,
”
said Mark Mulder, director of
curatorial affairs at The HC,
who played a major role in the
renovation. Each gallery topic
encountered incorporates the
first-person Jewish experiences
of survivors, thereby adding
context to visitors’ knowledge
of the Holocaust.
“When we opened here 20

years ago, visitors would have
met a survivor,
” Mayerfeld said.
“Your experience was flavored
by an individual survivor
telling his or her story.
”
Now, the museum is
designed so survivors’ stories
are reflected in displays and
through technology. Visitors
have a new opportunity to
“understand the history and
tragedy of the Holocaust on
a more personal and human
level,
” said Dr. Charles
Silow, longtime director of
the Program for Holocaust
Survivors and Families, a
service of Jewish Senior Life.

MAKING IT HAPPEN
The HC hired Ralph
Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
of New York City as its design
partner for a nearly complete
renovation of the museum’s

educational component.
Founded in 1978, RAA is an
interdisciplinary creative studio
dedicated to the planning
and design of narrative
environments.
Mayerfeld said RAA is
renowned for its work at the
U.S. Holocaust Memorial
Museum in Washington, D.C.,
and other Holocaust museums,
such as one in Houston that
opened in 2019 and another
museum in the design phase in
Lithuania.
“RAA carried out the vision
for what we were trying to
accomplish,
” Mayerfeld said.

The $31 million investment
in the renovation of the core
exhibit is part of a larger
$100 million comprehensive
campaign to fund the
center’s operations, grow
the endowment and expand

continued from page 13

Other Partners for
the Project

Neumann/Smith Architects of
Southfield created the existing
building design about 20
years ago. The design has
“some very powerful spatial
metaphors,” according to
James Cathcart, design lead of
Ralph Appelbaum Associates
(RAA) of New York City.
Part of the redesigning
challenge for RAA, in working
with original architect
Joel Smith, was to find
opportunities to integrate the
content of the new exhibition
to the existing architecture
— to create powerful
relationships between the
space and the story.
Design and Production
(D&P) in Virginia built and
installed the new exhibition.
Sachse Construction of
Detroit also worked with The
HC in renovating the space.

OUR COMMUNITY
COVER STORY

In a main hall,
information about Jewish
life is showcased in a
way that emphasizes the
dramatic nature of the
building’s design.

OWEN KAUFMAN

continued on page 16

SERVING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY FOR OVER 30 YEARS!

our #1 Bloomfield Hills office agent
for the 13th year in a row with
$70 MILLION SOLD in 2023!

Max Broock Congratulates

4130 TELEGRAPH ROAD • BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48302
248.867.7800 MelanieSold.com

NOAH
BISHOP COHEN
The Next Generation of “SOLD”

ns.cohen26@gmail.com

MELANIE
BISHOP

“SOLD” is my middle name

melaniesold@aol.com

OVER 1 BILLION IN CAREER SALES!

Work with the best and expect the best!

Melanie was fantastic! Her knowledge, reputation and experience are second to none. She
fulfilled every promise she made to us, got us top dollar, and made the entire process stress free
from start to finish. I highly recommend Melanie to anyone who wants to work with the best!"

I have had Noah Cohen as my realtor twice, eight years apart. Once was quite early in his
career and one was after he had had substantially more experience. One was for a purchase and
one was for a sale. He was simply excellent on both occasions. Knowledgeable, professional,
personable. He takes charge of the process and is as hands on as it's necessary to be in any given
situation. I strongly recommend Noah for anyone needing a realtor, whether to buy or sell.

This latest purchase was not my first with Melanie and Noah. But this seller was beyond
difficult. Innovative solutions got us over every hurdle. Melanie and Noah are experts
in their field and the results they get prove their expertise. I wouldn’t use anyone else!!

Melanie and Noah are extremely knowledgeable, efficient, and hardworking. In just over
a week we bought a house and sold ours. They had our house beautifully marketed, and
had it sold in 5 days. Melanie was always available and quickly responded to any questions.

Melanie and Noah are everything you want in a capable real estate agent.