NEW CASTLE Arts program to focus on Holocaust remembrance

By VIRGINIA ROSS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Quoting a passage from the Bible's book of Deuteronomy, Atty. Jonathan Solomon stressed the importance of choosing life over death.
The New Castle man explained that Adolf Hitler tried to eradicate the Jews some 60 years ago. The program to be presented at the Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts in New Castle this spring and summer serves as a reminder of the lives of those Jewish people.
"This exhibit of history, art, theater and photographs is a celebration," he said. "It's a celebration of life. We are to choose life and not death."
Thursday marked the Holocaust Remembrance Day, which serves to recognize the 6 million people murdered nearly 60 years ago.
Exhibits
Solomon, a member of the Hoyt board of trustees, spoke Thursday during a session designed to provide a glimpse of two nationally acclaimed exhibits -- "Schindler" and "The Fifth Horseman" -- and several accompanying programs to be featured May 26 through July 7 at the Hoyt.
Oskar Schindler, the Nazi party member responsible for rescuing more than 1,000 Jews during the Holocaust, is the subject of the traveling exhibit "Schindler" to be featured at the Hoyt.
The 12 free-standing panels, on loan from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., contain reproductions of maps and photographs and a copy of Schindler's famed list chronicling his role in the rescue of those Jews.
The second exhibit features subjects from the Holocaust painted by Fritz Hirschberger, whose parents died in the Holocaust.
Other events include an Evening of Jewish Poetry featuring a discussion led by David Swerdlow, chairman of the English department at Westminster College, and Philip Terman, English and creative writing professor at Clarion University. That program will begin at 7 p.m. June 1.
In their own words
Also, "Voices of the Holocaust," a play directed and produced by Scott Mackenzie, theater professor, and Neal Edman, student affairs dean, both from Westminster College, will be featured at the New Castle Playhouse May 29 to June 5. The play chronicles the personal accounts of Holocaust survivors in their own words.
School performances of the play will begin at 10 a.m. and noon June 1 and 2. Public performances will begin at 8 p.m. June 3 and 7 p.m. June 5.
A public artist reception featuring the unveiling of a sculpture by Patricia McLatchy and the exhibit "Transformation of the Human Spirit" with paintings by Philip Chan will run from 2 to 4 p.m. June 5.
There will be a free performance by Eastern Watershed, a Pittsburgh Yiddish folk group, at 3 p.m. June 5.
A Jewish music festival concert is scheduled for 2 p.m. June 19. The free program features the "Schindler's List" movie score and other compositions related to the Holocaust.
Also, Hoyt's program director, Robert Karstadt, has compiled a comprehensive Holocaust curriculum for youth in grades four through 12.
The exhibits are open to the public from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The Hoyt is closed Sundays and Mondays.
Admission is free. However, donations are accepted.
Free guided tours of the Holocaust exhibits may also be scheduled.
The Hoyt is at 124 E. Leasure Ave.
For more information, contact the Hoyt at (724) 652-2882, or visit www.hoytartcenter.org.