Manchester Jewish Museum

16 January 2025

Manchester Jewish Museum Marks Holocaust Memorial Day with Community Art “For A Better Future”.

Manchester Jewish Museum is set to mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 with a special Museum Open Day, celebrating a unique collaboration with the Iziko Next Gen Homework Club, which works in partnership with NTCG Faith Tabernacle in Cheetham Hill. Children aged 6 to 13 have been working closely with the museum to explore its rich collection of stories from Jewish refugees during the Second World War.

In response to the stories, they have been creating artworks on this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day theme of ‘For a Better Future’. These artworks share the children’s ideas and hopes for Cheetham in the future, including ways in which we can continue to make the city a welcoming place for people arriving to Manchester.

New Testament Church of God Faith Tabernacle in Cheetham Hill

The Museum Open Day, designed by the children, will showcase their artwork alongside a programme of activities for all ages. Visitors can look forward to art displays and creative workshops, including a Make Your Own Fabric Bookmark session. They will also get a chance to explore the museum galleries and the spectacular 150-year-old Spanish and Portuguese synagogue as well as sample dishes from the museum’s award-winning vegetarian Café.

“This has been a fantastic opportunity for children at the Homework Club to get a unique insight of personal histories linked to the Holocaust in such a creative way which brings the stories to life.” – said Sharon Thomas from NTCG Faith Tabernacle in Cheetham Hill.

Elysia Lukoszevieze, Creative Producer at Manchester Jewish Museum added: “Working with the kids from the Homework Club has been so enjoyable. Learning about their aspirations for the future and the level of empathy they displayed for refugees and other members of their local community was inspiring. I’d urge everyone to come along to the open day to celebrate their hard work and enjoy the artworks they’ve made throughout the project”.

Holocaust Memorial Day reminds us of the terrible impacts prejudice and discrimination can have and highlights the importance of building a society based on acceptance and understanding. By working with the local Homework Club, Manchester Jewish Museum helps bring communities together and inspires young people to work towards a more harmonious future.

BOOK TICKETS TO MUSEUM OPEN DAY

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