AMONG DANISH JEWS

Detailed description of the photo exhibition

Opening text:

Above is an example of how the poster should be layouted. The size is approximately 4.5 feet in length x 1.5 feet in width.

It starts with the following introduction text, preferably to be set up in the entrance to the exhibition hall.

AMONG DANISH JEWS

"Imagine, if it were possible literally speaking, to preserve photographs of previous generations. This has now been done for our decendants"

Former Chief Rabbi Bent Melchior in an introduction letter for "Among Danish Jews"

A fascinating insight and understanding of the historical background of the Danish-Jewish society would have been available to us today, if only a photographer had conceived the idea of documenting their lives in 1896. Unfortunately, no one did. Our contemporary daily existence is often perceived as a triviality. Lives pass by and then are gone again.

In this sense, the photographs Linda Horowitz has taken in the attempt to document the Jewish community in Denmark, could be conceived as a triviality, but hopefully, in the years to come these pictures will be considered otherwise. Linda Horowitz was raised in a Jewish-American home and resided for over 20 years in Israel, but she has never actually considered herself an "observant Jew." Nevertheless, since the beginning of this project, it fascinated her to meet a culture, which is an integrated part of her background and her own family's history.

"I have come to feel that religion can be expressed through an art form, as a very personal and deep experience. It is one thing to portray a community by the click of a camera; another is to capture the core of their humanity. If I, as a photographer, can manage to capture just one moment of that reality on my negative, which is real, then I will have reached my ultimate goal."

Although Linda Horowitz has taken thousands of photographs of the Danish-Jewish community, she feels she has only captured a short glimpse of their rich history. As such, this "portrait" should not be perceived as a definitive statement. It is only a fraction of an impression, which all in all, sketches a moment of her own personal experiences with the Danish Jewish community.

"I perceive the meaning behind documentary photography as the making of a statement, which will eventually be translated by the viewer. It is the viewers prerogative to interpret the image. This is my intention."

Section 1: Introduction

This section is the general visual introduction to the exhibition and should be set up according to the numbers. The photos can be placed beside one another with accompanying texts, placed approximately 2 inches (along the left edge) below each photo.

The signs are made according to the length of each text; each sign holding a width of app. 6 inches.

The font used is: in size 12 points, on a white or a very light grey background.

Rabbi Ben Lexner on his way to the synagogue, before "Banot Bat Chayil" confirmation ceremony begins

Copenhagen Synagogue

Former synagogue officer, Marek Immerglük

Copenhagen Synagogue

The grandfather of a Bat Mitzvah girl exchanges a few words with the former Chief Rabbi, Bent Melchior and Chairman, Bent Silber. This ceremony in Denmark is called "Banot Bat Chayil"

Copenhagen Synagogue

Copenhagen Synagogue

Guests holding a discussion after a wedding

Copenhagen Synagogue

Copenhagen Synagogue

Memorial ceremony for Danish Jews who died in Theresienstadt concentration camp during the Second World War

Vestre Cemetary, Copenhagen

Memorial ceremony of the Copenhagen City Council, commemorating 45 years after the liberation of Danish Jews from Theresienstadt Concentration Camp

City Hall, Copenhagen

Section 2: Portraits

Olly Ritterband, artist and author, who spent much of her childhood in Auschwitz Concentration Camp

Museum of Danish Resistance, Copenhagen

Victor (Rosenbaum) Borge, world renowned pianist, artist and comedian, was born and raised in Denmark. This is his childhood home.
Mr. Borge today resides in Connecticut, US, but still spends much of his time in his native country

Classensgade, Copenhagen

Professor Greczanik: "Thanks to the easiness of word building with prefixes and suffixes from the German and Slavic languages, Yiddish is one of the richest and most expressive languages in the world." Professor Aron Greczanik, who taught Yiddish at the Copenhagen University was the only teacher of Yiddish in Denmark in 1990. The professor passed away in 1992

Copenhagen University

At a winter party for the Jewish People's Association Jewish Communitiy Center

Copenhagen

Lui Beilin, actor and writer, reciting from the Yiddish author and storyteller Sholem Alechem's story: "Tevia, the Milkman"

Botanic Gardens, Copenhagen

Kaja Silberbrandt, reading a story for the pensionist club

Jewish Community Center, Copenhagen

Niels Henrik Salomon, nephew of the renowned Danish scholar, Rabbi David Jacob Simonsen, who acquired a library of approximately 40,000 volumes of books covering every field of Judaism, which he presented to The Royal Library of Copenhagen in 1931, one year before his death. Niels Henrik Salomon has spent many long months going through his uncle's private collection of letters and correspondance which are held safe in the library's cellar

Royal Library, Copenhagen

David M. Gerschwald and his mother, who for the past many years have worked together in their Kosher Catering Service. The shop no longer exists. Their work has been taken over by a special department at Kastrup Airport which caters kosher food to El Al and other airlines

Vendersgade, Copenhagen

For the past 43 years and until 1995, Elias Levin owned this shop at Øster Farimagsgade which specialized in horse equipment and clothing. He has since retired, and is today living at the Jewish home for the elderly

Copenhagen

Elias Levin together with his secretary, Kaya Saks

At his former home, Copenhagen

At their home, Copenhagen

Section 3: School children and study situations

Candle-lighting ceremony to commence the Sabbath, in a classroom

Caroline School, Copenhagen

Former Cantor Benjamin Levy and student during a private lesson, in preparation for the "Bar-Mitzvah" Ð (male confirmation ceremony)

Benjamin Levy's home, Copenhagen

High school students on the playground during recess

Caroline School, Copenhagen