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Courage to Act tells the story of World War II-era Jews in Denmark and the brave souls who helped protect them from the Nazis. Photo courtesy of the museum

What is the Museum of Jewish Heritage?

Nestled in a beautiful, waterfront location in Battery Park, the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust is dedicated to preserving the stories of the Holocaust and educating visitors about Jewish life before, during, and after that time period.

The Museum of Jewish Heritage is home to more than 40,000 artifacts, which include photographs, films, survivor testimonies, and JewishGen, a global database of Jewish genealogy.

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Courage to Act tells the story of Denmark's rescue of its Jews with kid-friendly graphics and catching storylines.

Museum of Jewish Heritage's Courage to Act Exhibition

While discussions of the Holocaust can be difficult to tackle, particularly with children, the Museum of Jewish Heritage's new Courage to Act exhibition provides a perfect entree into the subject.

Laid out over several winding galleries, it traces the story of the Danish rescue of its Jewish residents through several points of view. A highlight, I think, are the video vignettes of three youth whose stories—of Rebekka, a refugee living in Denmark, Max, a Jewish boy turned refugee in Sweden, and Erik, a young resistance fighter—are told through very cool technology that makes it seem as if you're having a conversation with them on the streets in real-time 80 years ago.

Yet, the video interactions are only one entry point into the material presented—which offers a hopeful story of being Jewish in Nazi-occupied Europe, detailing the way the Danish people banded together to rescue 95 percent of that nation's Jewish population by ferrying them to safety in Sweden, mostly on small fishing boats.

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The Gerda III plays a central role in the exhibition, including here as the backdrop. 

One such boat, the Gerda III, plays a prominent role along with Henny Sinding Sundø, a 22-year-old sailing aficionado who saved more than 300 Jews using the boat. Local kids who get into the story might wish to visit the real-life Gerda III, which is permanently moored at the Mystic Seaport Museum.

Henny's story is one of five real-life stories outlined in the exhibition and told alongside, and interwoven with, the videotaped characters, whose narratives are really a composite from a variety of oral histories collected about the time period. While it sounds like a lot to follow, it gives visitors a variety of storylines and points of view to choose from. You could spend hours exploring it all, or choose just to trace one character—fictional or historical—during your tour of the galleries.

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Talented child actors were hired to portray characters central to the story at the center of Courage to Act. 

Designed by Local Projects, and curated by Ellen Bari, who was also behind CMOM's Superpowered Metropolis and many other kid-centered displays, it's clear this exhibition was made for kids. The illustrations are captivating, and there are plenty of touch points for kids to explore more. Ring a doorbell and get invited to join the resistance, pick up a rotary phone to hear a story, or step up close to a diorama of a temple to activate a rabbi's warning message of the Nazi's plans. There are plenty of surprises here.

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Kids of present-day NYC can connect to the story by visiting the Children's Tree outside. 

Visiting the Museum of Jewish Heritage with Kids

As stated, the target age group for Courage to Act is 9-12 years old, though adults will learn plenty about the topic here, too! Younger kids will likely enjoy some parts of the exhibition, but may not have the patience to take in the nuances in the storylines. If you really take time to enjoy the exhibit slowly, and explore multiple storylines, it could take upwards of 1 1/2-2 hours to see it all.

The Museum of Jewish Heritage is promising tons of programming to support the exhibition and bring its messages of social justice and civic action to the forefront, beginning with the Courage to Act Family Day on Sunday, October 22.

Unless noted, photos by the author