Curzon PR | The Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II

The Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II | Remembering the Jewish Soldiers who Bravely Fought in WWII

The Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II | Remembering the Jewish Soldiers who Bravely Fought in WWII

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The Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II in Latrun, Israel is an important project with the aim of teaching and inspiring people about the invaluable contribution of Jewish soldiers in the Second World War.

  • Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II, Latrun, Israel
  • International research and education hub
  • Highlighting the invaluable contribution of Jewish soldiers in WWII
  • Intended completion date, May 2015, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of WWII
  • Funded jointly by the Government of Israel and public contributions, via Friends of the Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II

The Museum will become an international research and education hub with the focus on highlighting the contributions of Jewish soldiers in the Second World War. It will comprise of several spaces and wings presented chronologically, with details of the armies and the fighting organisations starting from September 1939 and ending with the Japanese surrender on September 1945. The museum will chart the story of Jewish soldiers from over twenty countries who fought in the Second World War, including forces from Great Britain, Australia, the USA and France.

“For too long the story of Jewish people in the Second World War has only focused on their deaths. Jewish soldiers fought in all ranks of command in the allied armies and thousands more fought in the Partisan units in Eastern Europe and the anti-fascist underground movements in Western Europe and North Africa. The time has come to remember those who bravely fought as well as those who were killed.” – Chaim Erez, Chairman of the Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II.

1.5 million Jews fought in the allied forces, ghettoes and underground groups with over 200,000 medals for bravery and citations awarded to Jewish fighters, both living and dead. They were the only soldiers in World War II with a dual identity, National and Religious.

In the words of the late Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, “I doubt if there is another nation who mobilized such a high percentage of its sons and daughters for the military efforts against Nazism.” (2005)

The project is backed by the Israeli government – including the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Culture and Science, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Education.

www.jwmww2.org | www.friendsofmojs.org

For further information, interview requests and high-resolution images please contact:

Daniel Cinna | t: +44 0203 582 7324 | e: daniel@curzonpr.com | w: curzonpr.com

Case Study
Case Study

Notes for Editors

About the Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II

The Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II in Latrun, Israel is an important project with the aim of teaching and inspiring people about the invaluable contribution of Jewish soldiers in the Second World War. The museum will become an international research and education hub with the focus on highlighting the contributions of Jewish soldiers in the Second World War.

The Museum – which is backed by the Government of Israel – will comprise of several spaces and wings presented chronologically, with details of the armies and the fighting organizations starting from September 1939 and ending with the Japanese surrender on September 1945. This space will include: the hall for presenting the war and the Jewish Soldier; the First Years wing: 1939 – 1941; the Europe at War hall; the Great Britain hall; the Soviet Union and the War in East Europe wing; the United States wing; the Partisans, Underground Organizations and Ghetto Resistance Wing; the Volunteers of the Jewish Settlement in Israel wing and The Revival – from war for survival to the war of independence: 1945-1949.

www.jwmww2.org
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Curator

Dr. Tamar Ketko served as a military teacher in the Israeli Defence Forces. She was Head of the Philosophy Department at the Kibbutzim College of Education in Tel Aviv from 2005-2008. During this time she was also creator, producer and historical researcher for a selection of documentary TV series and films about the Second World War. These included ‘The Jewish Warrior in World War II’, ‘Jewish Soldiers in World War II’, ‘Lerner’s Revenge’ and ‘Women in War’. She was the historical researcher and advisor for the 2008 documentary ‘Blessed is the Match’ about the life and death of Hannah Senesh, a Hungarian poet who was captured by the Nazis, while trying to rescue Jews in the Second World War. Ketko was awarded her PhD in Philosophy in 2007 at Tel Aviv University, the subject of which was Moral Issues of Collective Memory Processes Grounds on Historical Interpretation of the Shoa in Israel. Ketko is now Vice Rector and Senior Lecturer at the Kibbutzim College of Education in Tel Aviv and is Head of ‘Regev’ – the Ministry of Education’s Excellence Program for Teachers. Ketko has been the Curator of the Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War Two since 2004.

General Director

Zvika Kan-Tor was born in Hadera, Israel in 1950. He graduated from the military boarding school at the Hebrew Reali School in Haifa. In 1968, Kan-Tor enlisted in the Israeli Defence Forces to the Armoured Corps, where he served in roles from a tank crew member to a Division Commander. His military highlights include: Tank Commander and Platoon Leader in the War of Attrition; fighting in the tank brigade that was first to cross the Suez Canal in the Yom Kippur War; Commander of the tank brigade in the Lebanon War and Commander of an armoured division. He also served as the Chief of Staff of the Central Command. In South Africa, Kan-Tor was the military attaché for the State of Israel. In 1999 he retired and acted in contact with the Jews in the Form. He has a Bachelor’s degree in History from Tel Aviv University and a Masters in Political Science from Haifa University. He is now the General Director of the Museum of the Jewish soldier in World War II.

About the Friends of the Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II

Friends of the Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II is an organisation with the focus on raising funds for the important project of building the Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II.

www.friendsofmojs.org

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Development Council

Maryana Greenberg is the Chair of the Development Council for the Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II in Israel. She is also President of the Friends of the Museum of the Jewish Soldier in World War II – fundraising for the development of the museum. She has been living in London since 1997. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Greenberg has previously worked as a liaison to Russia on fundraising for The Chagall Project. She was also responsible for business development for Mystetskyi Arsenal 2012, Art Kiev in Ukraine, Azerbaijan Government Inter-faith Conference 2012, Maslenitsa Festival London 2013 and Annya Sand’s latest Study of Russia exhibition at Asia House in London.