A personal message from Oliver Sears

As the Holocaust moves away in time, I am drawn ever closer to its complex meaning. As the son of a survivor, I have been immersed in this history and its aftermath since my early childhood. My mother, Monika, in common with many survivors, did not speak about her experience until she was fifty-one. Like many who share such a history, the family secrets and silences, punctuated by occasional revelations, were the single most powerful influences in the formation of my own identity.

We live in a world of rising political authoritarianism that threatens democracy and promotes racism, division and exclusion. The Holocaust happened incrementally, creeping up on a society that gradually accepted laws that took away rights from particular minorities until, one day, a policy was adopted to eradicate the Jews from Europe. Roma and Sinti communities, homosexuals, political prisoners, the physically and intellectually disabled, and anyone else considered a threat to the regime were also imprisoned and murdered. A regime of systematic murder that began by manipulating language ended by committing genocide.

As time passes and my mother reaches the end of her life, she says, alarmingly, that life appears to be coming full circle for her as she watches with distress the rise of an all too familiar politics of fear, division and exclusion. This is an insight we must take seriously. It is not only the responsibility of the survivors of the Holocaust to bear witness, but also those who hear their testimonies inherit the same responsibility. Ensuring that all the victims are remembered, including my murdered relatives, has become of paramount importance.

Living in Ireland, a country with almost no cultural or historical connection to the Holocaust, I hope that becoming aware of this subject will bring an even greater appreciation of democracy and human rights to those who have never known anything else, but who must now become the guardians of those values, across the generations.

A message from Rabbi David Ingber

A Journey of Reflection and Remembrance: The Objects of Love Exhibition

Welcome to a space where history comes to life, and the echoes of the past reverberate into our present. We are thrilled to introduce you to a profound and evocative exhibition, The Objects of Love. As we approach the solemnity of the high holidays, the timing of this exhibition resonates deeply, inviting us to explore the intersections of memory, family, and the enduring impact of atrocity.

Against the backdrop of The 92nd Street Y’s 150th anniversary, we embark on a journey that encapsulates the essence of remembrance and pays homage to the resilience of the human spirit. In a world marked by uncertainty and rising antisemitism, the importance of understanding our shared history becomes ever more crucial. As we gather here, we honor not only the legacy of the 92NY but also the collective memory of those who have walked before us.

The Objects of Love exhibition is a testament to the power of storytelling through artifacts, photographs, and documents. It invites us to consider how we honor our loved ones and our own personal histories, especially in the wake of unspeakable atrocities. Through the eyes of Oliver Sears and his family, we witness the poignant transformation of a normal family amidst the persecution of the Holocaust in Nazi-occupied Poland. These objects and keepsakes, retrieved from the darkest chapters of our history, are more than relics; they are vessels that carry the weight of lost lives and untold stories. This exhibition sparks a compelling narrative about the human experience, prompting us to reflect on what we’ve lost and what we’ve gained through the lens of history. How do we reconstruct a fragmented story from these artifacts? What lessons can we draw from the resilience of those who endured? These are the crucial questions that will be explored in the forthcoming conversations between Oliver Sears and Daniel Mendelsohn, Rabbi David Ingber, Seth Pinsky and others.

First shown to great acclaim at Dublin Castle in Ireland, it is with immense pride and honor that we announce this exhibition’s first stop in the United States, hosted right here at the 92nd Street Y. As we open our Weil Art Gallery doors to this transformative experience, we extend an invitation to you all to join us in this dialogue of remembrance, compassion, and unity.

Let us come together to reflect, to learn, and to commemorate. As we embark on this journey through The Objects of Love, we not only pay tribute to the past but also pave the way for a more tolerant and compassionate future.

Welcome, and thank you for joining us on this meaningful and powerful expedition.

With respect and gratitude,

Rabbi David Ingber
Senior Director, Jewish Community and Bronfman Center for Jewish Life