Week-long Holocaust exhibit opens in Philadelphia 2 days after Hamas attacked Israel
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia Holocaust Remembrance Foundation and the Philadelphia 76ers have partnered to open a week-long Holocaust exhibit in Center City called Hate Ends Now: A Cattle Car Exhibit.
The exhibit, which is located at the Horwitz-Wassermann Holocaust Memorial Plaza off Benjamin Franklin Parkway, between 16th and 17th Streets, includes a historically accurate replica of a cattle car used to transport Jewish people to concentration and death camps during the Holocaust.
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Stepping inside the cattle car is particularly personal for Philadelphia Holocaust Resource Foundation's Eszter Kutas.
"My grandparents are survivors, so they were in these cattle cars themselves," Kutas said. "When I go and step inside this exhibit, I really feel the pain that they went through."
She hopes the week-long interactive exhibit will expose what Jewish people like her family went through during the Holocaust.
"This is a powerful reminder of the past, what happens if we ignore the voices that are growing in this country and elsewhere too who are spreading lies and propaganda against Jewish people," Kutas said.
The exhibit opened two days after Hamas attacked Israel, killing hundreds of Israelis.
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Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in retaliatory strikes.
Multiple news outlets described Saturday as the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust.
"It's scary and tragic, and it's scary in Israel," Kutas said. "Our hearts go out to everybody who's involved there. Many of us have families and friends who live there."
76ers Chief Operating Officer Lara Price added, "We know families across Philadelphia are hurting today, worried about friends and loved ones in Israel. Sports have the power to help shape culture and send messages."
Happening now: community leaders are gathering in Center City to mark the opening of the Hate Ends Now: A Cattle Car Exhibit to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Horwitz-Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza. This exhibit is opening at the same time as the attacks in Israel. pic.twitter.com/vakNooIZra
— Brandon Goldner (@GoldnerTV) October 9, 2023
The message the exhibit hopes to send is to recognize the devastating effects of antisemitism, if left unchallenged.
"An obligation to all of us to stand up to all forms of hatred," Kutas said. "Not just antisemitism, but racism and any forms of bigotry, so we can as a society build a more tolerant future together."
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The exhibit is open through Oct. 16, and it's free and open to the public. Due to limited capacity, online reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made here.