Project Details
The first exhibition of the YIVO Bruce and Francesca Cernia Slovin Online Museum, Beba Epstein: The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Girl, uses interactive storytelling to contextualize hundreds of artifacts from the YIVO archives, taking the user on a journey of discovery. It is based on the life of a young girl named Beba Epstein, who was born in Vilna, Poland (now Vilnius, Lithuania), in 1922, survived the horrors of the Holocaust, and immigrated to the United States after the war. Her autobiography was discovered in 2017. You will discover that despite her exceptional fate, Beba is not so different from any other young teenager today.
Subjects or Themes
World War II, Holocaust, Jewish History, European History, Immigration
Project Language(s)
English
Time Period
Geographic Location
Project Categories
Content Type
Primary resources, Images, Artifacts, Sound, Animations, Text, Videos, Interactive experiences, Teacher resources
Target Audience(s)
Creators
CURATORIAL CONCEPTS, CREATIVE DIRECTION & TEXTS
Karolina Ziulkoski, Chief Curator, YIVO Bruce and Francesca Cernia Slovin Online Museum
RESEARCH & DIGITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT
Olivia Reid, Research and Project Specialist, YIVO Bruce and Francesca Cernia Slovin Online Museum
MAIN SCHOLAR REVIEWER
Dr. Samuel Kassow, Charles H. Northam Professor of History, Trinity College
SCHOLAR REVIEW
Dr. Eva Hoffman
Dr. Antony Polonsky, Emeritus Professor of Holocaust Studies at Brandeis University and Chief Historian at POLIN Museum
Dr. Eddy Portnoy, YIVO Institute for Jewish Research
RESEARCH AND SCHOLAR ADVISOR
Roberta Newman
ARCHIVAL ASSETS
Dr. Stefanie Halpern, Director of the YIVO Archives
Vital Zajka, Information Manager in the Archives, Photo Archives & Library, YIVO
Lorin Sklamberg, Sound Archivist, YIVO
Eléonore Biezunski, Associate Sound Archivist, YIVO
EXHIBITION DESIGN
Kiss Me I’m Polish LLC
EXHIBITION DEVELOPMENT
Car of Tomorrow
EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANT
Ila Gross
3D MODELS
Melon | Carolina Manenti Saraiva, Cleto Pádua, Diego Biachi de Castria and Luciana Manenti Saraiva
COMICS
Milo Krimstein
TEXT REVIEW
Joe Levit
AUDIO ENGINEER
Rodrigo Piccoli
FAMILY ANIMATIONS VOICEOVER
Ariella Carmen Mañago Alexander
BOOK READINGS VIDEOS | ACTRESS
Yelena Shmulenson
BOOK READINGS VIDEOS | VIDEO SHOOTING AND EDITING
Point of Order Productions
BOOK READINGS VIDEOS | MAKEUP
Ori Gilady
YIDDISH TRANSLATIONS
Myra Mniewski
Sandra Chiritescu
VILNIUS PHOTO SURVEY
Agnieska Avin
Mantautas Šulskus
COMMUNICATIONS AND PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
Jessica Tauber, Marketing and Communications Manager, YIVO
Alix Brandwein, Web and Graphic Designer, YIVO
Alex Weiser, Director of Public Programs, YIVO
YIVO INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH RESEARCH
Jonathan Brent, Executive Director & CEO
Shelly Freeman, Chief of Staff
Robert Wagman, Chief Financial Officer
Melissa Cohen, Chief Development Officer
Special thanks to:
Michael, Sharon, Noah and Ariel Leventhal for their help and support throughout the development of this exhibition.
Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania for the use of the autobiography of Beba Epstein and for their continued partnership on the Edward Blank YIVO Vilna Online Collections project.
Maryelle Mirvil, teacher at PS 69 Journey Prep, Bronx, NY, for her invaluable support and insights in the development of teaching guides.
Elliot Lefkovitz, Adjunct Professor of History and Holocaust Studies, Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership for his guidance and advice.