Latest news with #FloridaHolocaustMuseum
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida Holocaust Museum undergoing safety renovations, reactions to attack outside DC Jewish Museum
The Brief The Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Pete is undergoing renovations that will help ensure safety. The museum is scheduled to reopen in September. The CEO of the museum says he is shocked, but not surprised, about the deadly shooting outside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Florida Holocaust Museum has been closed for nearly a year, undergoing extensive renovations. While the reopening this September promises modernized exhibits and expanded educational programs, there's a deeper reason driving the overhaul: safety. What they're saying "In a very, very sad way, you say, 'I'm shocked, but I'm not surprised,' because we've seen this before," said Mike Igel, CEO of the Florida Holocaust Museum. Igel's words come in the wake of a tragic incident in Washington, D.C., where two Israeli embassy employees were shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum after attending an event. Authorities say the shooter shouted "Free Palestine" during the attack, which is now being investigated as both an act of terror and a hate crime. "Those individuals had nothing to do with global politics," said Igel. "And they were killed. That's not right." Dig deeper The shooting echoes a troubling rise in antisemitic violence across the country—something the Florida Holocaust Museum has felt even during its closure. Despite locked doors and construction signs, threats have continued. "We would love to be able to spend that dollar instead of bulletproof glass on educating the next generation," Igel said. "But the world isn't allowing that. It is sad and frustrating that antisemitism forces museums related to Jews and Judaism to spend on security when every dollar should fund education, commemoration, pride, and advocacy," he said. The museum's renovation project includes advanced security upgrades—some visible, many not. Igel emphasized that the new facility aims to create a space where visitors can feel safe, even amid escalating threats. "We make it so people don't have to be worried about their safety," he said. "But it's because we're vigilant. On Thursday, Igel said he was in communication with directors of other Jewish museums nationwide regarding safety and response. OTHER NEWS: Haines City police captain among 10 indicted in Veterans Affairs fraud scheme At a press conference Thursday night, federal officials confirmed the D.C. shooting is being treated as a hate crime. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro spoke solemnly: "These kinds of cases remind us of what happened in the past—and that we cannot go back." That philosophy underpins everything the Florida Holocaust Museum stands for. More than just preserving history, it teaches the vital lessons of the Holocaust—lessons that are increasingly relevant today. "I know my family's story," said Igel. "It involves non-Jewish people who were executed for hiding my grandparents and not giving up their whereabouts." Despite the fear, despite the threats, the museum presses on. "We have to press on," said Igel. "Because we have to make a world where this isn't happening." What's next Police in D.C. say the suspected shooter acted alone but have increased patrols around synagogues and Jewish-affiliated institutions as a precaution. The Source FOX 13's Genevieve Curtis gathered the information for this story. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter Follow FOX 13 on YouTube
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Holocaust museum in St. Petersburg sets a reopening date
ST. PETERSBURG — The Florida Holocaust Museum, which closed last July for major renovations, is going to reopen to the public on Sept. 9. The museum at 55 Fifth St. S. in downtown St. Petersburg was founded in 1992 and is one of the largest such museums in the United States — and a leader in getting Holocaust studies added to Florida public school curriculum. Once it reopens, there will be a new entrance and larger gallery that will include the Danish fishing boat Thor that was brought to the museum in December to add to its permanent display. The 80-year-old boat was part of a remarkable story in 1943, when with just a few hours notice, a flotilla of 300 Danish boats — everything from kayaks and rowboats to cargo vessels and fishermen — showed up to rescue Jews and take them to neutral Sweden. The boat will be on display next to the longstanding exhibit of a railroad boxcar, one of the few remaining types used by the Nazis to transport Jews and other prisoners. The renovation project will also include a new entrance with enhanced security features, a second-story balcony and a temporary installation of the Elie Wiesel collection. The museum was chosen as the permanent home of author Elie Wiesel's entire collection, including his Nobel Prize and the entire contents of his personal office. Museum officials are planning reopening events later this summer before the Sept. 9 reopening.
