Courage to Act: Rescue in Denmark

mjhnyc.org/couragetoact
Courage to Act: Rescue in Denmark is the Museum’s first exhibition for visitors aged 9 and up. The exhibition tells the remarkable story of the rescue of the Danish Jews during the Holocaust. Together, Jewish and non-Jewish neighbors of all ages mobilized to create one of the most effective-and exceptional-examples of mass resistance and escape in modern history. Despite the enormous risk, ordinary citizens united against Nazism to save nearly 95% of Denmark’s Jewish population.
Using state-of-the-art technology and creative storytelling, Courage to Act will immerse visitors in this inspiring story. Age-appropriate themes of separation, bravery, and resilience will help young people make connections to their own lives and reflect on the dangers of prejudice-as well as their own potential for compassionate, moral, and courageous collective action and upstanding.
Also featured in the exhibition is the story of the Gerda III, one of many small vessels used in the Danish Rescue. The Gerda III alone saved an estimated 300 Jews in groups of 10 - 15 at a time on clandestine journeys across the Øresund Sound to Sweden. Twenty-two-year-old Henny Sinding Sundø, who led Gerda III’s rescue activities, will be among the exhibition’s narrators telling stories of their experiences during the Danish Rescue. Donated to the Museum by the Danish Parliament in 1989, the Gerda III is currently docked at The Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut.
In a climate of widespread antisemitism and Holocaust denial, Courage to Act will address a critical need by reaching younger children, whose Holocaust education in New York City public schools typically begins in the eighth grade.
Courage to Act is designed by the award-winning studio Local Projects, a renowned firm specializing in the use of technology to tell stories and evoke emotional connection.
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Please note that ticketing for Courage to Act is on a timed basis. You will receive an email confirmation with a prompt to sign up for a specific time.
The Museum is celebrating the Danish Rescue with programs throughout the year. New events are added on an ongoing basis.