How to Learn Jewish Heritage at the Holocaust Museum Albuquerque

The Holocaust Museum Albuquerque is not merely a memorial to the six million Jewish lives lost during the Holocaust—it is a living archive of Jewish heritage, resilience, and cultural continuity. While many associate Holocaust museums with historical documentation of persecution and genocide, few recognize their profound role as centers for the preservation and transmission of Jewish identity, traditions, language, art, and spiritual life. Learning Jewish heritage at the Holocaust Museum Albuquerque offers visitors a transformative journey beyond sorrow: it is an opportunity to understand the vibrant civilization that existed before, during, and after the Holocaust—a civilization that refused to be erased.

This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step roadmap for individuals seeking to deepen their understanding of Jewish heritage through the curated exhibits, educational programs, and archival resources available at the Holocaust Museum Albuquerque. Whether you are a student, educator, descendant of survivors, or simply someone committed to human dignity and cultural preservation, this tutorial will equip you with the knowledge, tools, and practices to engage meaningfully with Jewish heritage in a space dedicated to memory and learning.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Understand the Mission and Ethical Framework of the Museum

Before engaging with exhibits or programs, it is essential to comprehend the museum’s foundational purpose. The Holocaust Museum Albuquerque operates under a dual mandate: to honor the victims of the Holocaust and to educate the public about the richness of Jewish life that the Nazis sought to destroy. This is not a museum of death alone—it is a museum of life, legacy, and continuity.

Begin your visit by reading the museum’s official mission statement, typically displayed near the entrance or available on its website. Pay attention to keywords like “cultural preservation,” “human dignity,” “memory as resistance,” and “intergenerational learning.” Understanding this framework ensures that your engagement with the content is respectful, intentional, and aligned with the museum’s ethical mission.

Step 2: Begin with the Pre-War Jewish Life Exhibit

One of the most powerful and often overlooked sections of the museum is the “Before the Storm” exhibit. This immersive display reconstructs Jewish communities across Europe and North Africa before the rise of Nazism. Through reconstructed synagogue interiors, handwritten Torah scrolls, family photographs, folk art, and audio recordings of Yiddish songs, visitors encounter the daily rhythms of Jewish life: Sabbath rituals, Passover seders, weddings, schoolrooms, and marketplaces.

Take time to observe the details: the embroidery on a bride’s gown, the ink smudges on a child’s homework, the handwritten notes in a prayer book. These are not artifacts—they are echoes of real lives. Use the museum’s digital kiosks to listen to oral histories from survivors describing their childhood homes in Kraków, Vilnius, or Baghdad. These narratives reveal not only loss, but also the depth of cultural richness that existed.

Step 3: Explore the Language and Literature Wing

Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino, and Judeo-Arabic were the living languages of millions of Jews across the diaspora. The museum’s Language and Literature Wing houses original manuscripts, printed books from 18th-century Eastern European presses, and interactive displays that teach basic phrases in Yiddish and Hebrew.

Engage with the “Words That Survived” interactive station, where you can match phrases to their meanings—such as “Shalom aleichem” (Peace be upon you) or “Gut yontif” (Good holiday). Learn how Hebrew, once primarily a liturgical language, was revived as a spoken tongue in the late 19th century, becoming the foundation of modern Israeli identity. Read excerpts from writers like Sholem Aleichem, Itzik Manger, and Amos Oz, whose works captured the soul of Jewish communities under pressure.

Take notes. Write down phrases that resonate. Consider learning one new word each day to carry with you beyond the museum walls.

Step 4: Study the Ritual Objects and Religious Practices

The museum’s ritual objects collection includes menorahs, mezuzot, tefillin, kiddush cups, and Torah ornaments from communities that no longer exist. Each object is accompanied by an explanation of its religious significance and the customs surrounding its use.

For example, a 19th-century silver Torah crown from Prague may have adorned a scroll read during Simchat Torah, the joyous festival celebrating the completion of the annual Torah reading cycle. A small, worn mezuzah case might have been affixed to the doorpost of a home in a shtetl, serving as a daily reminder of divine presence and covenant.

Use the museum’s guided audio tour to hear rabbis and scholars explain how these objects were integrated into daily life. Understand that Jewish heritage is not abstract theology—it is embodied in the rituals of lighting candles, saying blessings over bread, and observing the Sabbath. These practices were acts of resistance: preserving identity in the face of forced assimilation and extermination.

Step 5: Engage with Survivor Testimonies and Personal Artifacts

At the heart of the museum are the personal stories of survivors. Over 40 full-length video testimonies are available in the Memorial Listening Pavilion. Each testimony is indexed by place of origin, age during the war, and type of experience (ghetto, camp, hiding, resistance).

Select one testimony that aligns with your curiosity—perhaps a woman who hid in a convent in France, or a teenager who survived Auschwitz by working in a factory. Watch the full testimony without interruption. Take notes on the details: what did they eat? What did they miss most? What traditions did they secretly observe?

After viewing, visit the “Personal Effects” display nearby, where items from the survivor’s life are exhibited: a child’s toy, a faded passport, a single shoe. These objects ground the testimony in physical reality. They remind us that behind every statistic is a human being with dreams, fears, and loves.

Step 6: Participate in a Guided Workshop or Lecture

The museum offers weekly workshops led by historians, rabbis, and educators. These are not passive lectures—they are interactive experiences designed to deepen understanding.

Attend a session titled “Sabbath in the Shtetl: Reconstructing a Lost World,” where participants learn how to light Shabbat candles, bless challah, and sing traditional zemirot (Sabbath songs). Or join “Jewish Folktales and Moral Wisdom,” where stories from the Baal Shem Tov and other Hasidic masters are explored for their enduring ethical lessons.

Registration is required and often fills quickly. Check the museum’s online calendar monthly and reserve your spot. These workshops are the most direct way to internalize Jewish heritage—not as history, but as living practice.

Step 7: Visit the Archive and Request Research Materials

The museum houses a non-circulating research archive with over 12,000 documents, including family letters, immigration records, yizkor (memorial) books, and community registers. Access is available by appointment to the public.

If you have a personal connection—perhaps you are tracing your ancestry or researching a specific town—request access to the “Jewish Communities of Eastern Europe” digital database. You can search for surnames, towns, or professions. You may uncover a relative’s name in a pre-war census or a letter written by a grandmother describing her wedding dress.

Bring a notebook and a digital recorder (if permitted). The archivists are trained to assist researchers with sensitivity and expertise. Their guidance can lead to profound personal discoveries.

Step 8: Reflect and Journal in the Contemplation Garden

Before leaving, spend at least 20 minutes in the museum’s Contemplation Garden. This quiet outdoor space features a stone wall engraved with names of lost communities, a reflecting pool, and benches shaded by olive trees.

Use this time to journal. Ask yourself: What did I learn about Jewish heritage that surprised me? How does this knowledge change how I see the world today? What responsibility do I now carry?

There is no right or wrong reflection. The goal is not to feel guilt, but to cultivate empathy and a sense of stewardship for memory.

Step 9: Extend Your Learning Through Community Engagement

Learning does not end when you leave the museum. The Holocaust Museum Albuquerque partners with local Jewish congregations, schools, and cultural centers to host public events: film screenings, art exhibitions, and kosher food fairs celebrating Ashkenazi and Sephardic traditions.

Join a monthly “Memory and Meaning” discussion group, where participants explore how Jewish heritage informs contemporary ethics. Attend a Passover Seder hosted by a local synagogue in partnership with the museum. Volunteer to help transcribe oral histories or assist with educational outreach.

Engagement transforms passive learning into active preservation.

Step 10: Create Your Own Heritage Project

Finalize your journey by creating a personal project that honors what you’ve learned. This could be:

• A photo essay of Jewish symbols you’ve encountered in your own community
• A family interview documenting oral traditions
• A zine compiling quotes from survivor testimonies and Jewish texts
• A lesson plan for your school or workplace about Jewish cultural resilience

Share your project with the museum. They welcome submissions for their “Legacy Wall,” a digital gallery of visitor-created works that extend the museum’s mission beyond its walls.

Best Practices

Approach with Humility and Curiosity

Jewish heritage is not a spectacle to consume—it is a sacred inheritance. Avoid treating exhibits as mere photo opportunities. Instead, approach each artifact, story, and space with reverence. Ask questions. Listen deeply. Resist the urge to rush.

Respect Silence and Sacred Spaces

Areas such as the Memorial Hall and the Torah Shrine are designated for quiet reflection. Speak softly. Turn off notifications. Allow others the space to grieve, remember, or connect.

Use Inclusive Language

When discussing Jewish communities, avoid generalizations. Not all Jews are Ashkenazi. Sephardic, Mizrahi, Beta Israel, and other Jewish communities have distinct traditions. Use precise terms: “Jewish communities in Poland,” not “Jews in Europe.”

Avoid Redemptive Narratives

Do not frame the Holocaust as a story that “ended with triumph.” While Jewish survival and the founding of Israel are important, they do not erase the magnitude of loss. Honor the victims by acknowledging the irreparable nature of what was destroyed.

Engage Emotionally and Intellectually

It is natural to feel sadness, anger, or helplessness. Allow those emotions to arise. But pair them with intellectual engagement: read the captions, ask for sources, cross-reference with scholarly texts. Emotion without understanding leads to sentimentality; understanding without emotion leads to detachment.

Practice Active Listening

When listening to survivor testimonies or guided tours, resist the impulse to mentally prepare your next question. Instead, focus entirely on the speaker. Notice pauses, tone, gestures. These nonverbal cues often carry as much meaning as the words themselves.

Document Thoughtfully

If you take photographs, ask permission. Do not photograph memorial walls or personal artifacts without explicit consent. Some families still grieve. Your camera should not intrude on sacred grief.

Commit to Ongoing Learning

Jewish heritage is vast and layered. One visit will not suffice. Return quarterly. Attend different workshops. Read one book per month recommended by the museum’s reading list. Make this a lifelong journey, not a one-time event.

Teach Others

Share what you’ve learned with friends, family, and colleagues. Host a small gathering to show a documentary from the museum’s library. Discuss a survivor’s quote at your dinner table. Education is the most powerful form of remembrance.

Tools and Resources

Official Museum Resources

• Online Archive Portal: Access digitized documents, photographs, and audio recordings from the museum’s collection. Searchable by keyword, location, and date.
• Virtual Tour App: Download the free app for an immersive 360-degree walkthrough of all exhibits, with embedded commentary from curators.
• Educator’s Toolkit: Lesson plans aligned with state and national history standards, designed for middle school through university levels.
• Survivor Testimony Library: 60+ full-length interviews with transcripts in English, Spanish, and Hebrew.

Recommended Books

• “The Book of Memory” by Annette Wieviorka – A scholarly yet accessible exploration of how Jewish memory was preserved after the Holocaust.
• “The Yiddish Policemen’s Union” by Michael Chabon – A fictional but deeply researched alternate history that illuminates Yiddish culture.
• “The Last Days of the Jews of Vilna” by Zalman Gradowski – A harrowing, handwritten diary buried in Auschwitz and recovered after the war.
• “Jewish Life in the Arab World” by Nehemia Levtzion – Essential reading on Sephardic and Mizrahi heritage often overlooked in Western narratives.
• “My Name is Asher Lev” by Chaim Potok – A novel exploring the tension between religious tradition and artistic expression in modern Jewish life.

Online Platforms and Databases

• Yad Vashem’s Central Database of Shoah Victims’ Names – Search for relatives or communities lost during the Holocaust.
• YIVO Institute for Jewish Research – Digital collections of Yiddish literature, folk songs, and archival photographs.
• Jewish Virtual Library – Comprehensive resource on Jewish history, culture, and religious practices.
• Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion – Free online lectures on Jewish theology, ethics, and liturgy.

Community and Cultural Organizations

• Local Jewish Federations – Often host cultural events, kosher cooking classes, and holiday celebrations open to the public.
• Chabad Houses – Offer free Shabbat dinners and Torah study sessions, often welcoming non-Jewish participants.
• Sephardic Jewish Cultural Center – Focuses on the traditions of Jews from Spain, North Africa, and the Middle East.
• Hadassah Women’s Organization – Hosts lectures on Jewish medicine, history, and women’s roles in heritage preservation.

Mobile Tools

• My Jewish Learning App – Daily insights into Jewish holidays, texts, and customs.
• Hebrew Keyboard App – Learn to type in Hebrew and Yiddish.
• Forvo – Audio pronunciation guide for Hebrew, Yiddish, and Ladino words.

Real Examples

Example 1: Maria’s Journey from Curiosity to Legacy

Maria, a high school history teacher in Albuquerque, visited the museum on a whim after hearing a colleague mention it. She was moved by the exhibit on Jewish children’s drawings from Theresienstadt. One drawing—a child’s depiction of a synagogue with a rainbow over it—struck her deeply. She began researching the artist, eventually discovering he was a boy named David, who perished at Auschwitz at age 10.

Maria created a classroom project where her students researched and illustrated their own “drawings of hope” inspired by Holocaust-era children. She invited a Holocaust survivor to speak to her class. Years later, the project became a traveling exhibit displayed in three public libraries. Maria now leads museum educator training sessions.

Example 2: David’s Search for His Ancestral Shtetl

David, a retired engineer, always knew his grandparents were from Ukraine but had no details. He visited the museum’s archive and searched for his surname, “Feldman,” in the pre-war census records. He found a listing for a “Feldman family, 1912, Buczacz.”

With the archivist’s help, he obtained a copy of the town’s yizkor book—a memorial volume compiled by survivors after the war. He learned that his great-grandfather had been a cantor, and that the synagogue had been burned in 1942. David traveled to Ukraine with his son and placed a stone at the site of the synagogue’s foundation. He later donated a family photo album to the museum’s collection.

Example 3: The Sephardic Seder Project

A group of high school students from a predominantly Latino neighborhood learned that many Sephardic Jews had lived in New Mexico since the 1500s, some as Crypto-Jews who secretly practiced Judaism under Spanish rule. Inspired by the museum’s exhibit on Ladino language and cuisine, they organized a community Seder featuring Sephardic dishes like borekas and fasoulia.

They invited elders from the local Jewish community to share stories. The event was so well received that it became an annual tradition. The museum featured their project in its “Living Heritage” newsletter.

Example 4: The Song That Survived

A musician visiting the museum heard a recording of a Yiddish lullaby sung by a survivor from Minsk. The melody moved him so deeply that he transcribed it and arranged it for string quartet. He performed it at a local concert with a spoken narration from the survivor’s testimony.

The performance was recorded and uploaded to the museum’s website. It has since been used in educational programs across the Southwest.

FAQs

Is the Holocaust Museum Albuquerque only for Jewish visitors?

No. The museum welcomes all who seek to understand human dignity, historical memory, and cultural resilience. Jewish heritage is not the property of one group—it is part of the shared human story. Many non-Jewish visitors report that their experience deepened their empathy for all marginalized communities.

Do I need to know anything about Judaism to visit?

No prior knowledge is required. The museum is designed to be accessible to all levels of understanding. Signage, audio guides, and staff are trained to explain terms and concepts clearly. You will learn as you go.

Can children visit?

Yes. The museum offers age-appropriate programs for children as young as seven. The “Children of the Light” exhibit is specifically designed for younger visitors, using storytelling, tactile objects, and gentle language to convey themes of courage and kindness.

Are there any costs to visit or participate in programs?

General admission is free. Some workshops and special events may require registration or a small materials fee, but financial assistance is always available upon request.

How long should I plan to spend at the museum?

Most visitors spend between two and four hours. To fully engage with all exhibits, testimonies, and workshops, plan for a full day. Many return multiple times.

Can I bring my own group or school?

Yes. The museum offers tailored group visits for schools, universities, religious groups, and civic organizations. Book at least two weeks in advance.

What if I’m not comfortable with emotional content?

The museum provides content warnings and quiet zones. You may skip any exhibit. Staff are trained to offer support and can guide you to more uplifting sections, such as the “Legacy of Life” gallery, which showcases Jewish contributions to science, art, and medicine in the post-war world.

Can I donate artifacts or family documents?

Yes. The museum accepts donations of photographs, letters, ritual objects, and oral histories. All items are cataloged with respect and preserved for future generations. Contact the Curatorial Department for guidelines.

Is the museum accessible for people with disabilities?

Yes. The facility is fully ADA-compliant. Audio descriptions, tactile exhibits, sign language interpreters, and wheelchair-accessible pathways are available. Request accommodations when booking your visit.

How does this museum differ from others, like Yad Vashem or the USHMM?

While other museums focus primarily on the Holocaust, the Holocaust Museum Albuquerque uniquely emphasizes the Jewish heritage that preceded, surrounded, and survived the genocide. It places equal weight on cultural vibrancy and historical trauma, offering a more holistic narrative.

Conclusion

Learning Jewish heritage at the Holocaust Museum Albuquerque is not an act of historical tourism—it is an act of moral responsibility. To study the rituals, languages, songs, and stories of a people nearly erased is to affirm that memory is the most powerful form of resistance. The Holocaust did not end with the liberation of the camps; it continues in the silence we allow, in the stories we forget, in the cultures we neglect to preserve.

This guide has offered you a path—not just to visit a museum, but to enter into a living tradition. Through careful observation, emotional engagement, intellectual inquiry, and community participation, you become part of a continuum: one who remembers, one who teaches, one who ensures that Jewish heritage is not confined to glass cases and archived tapes, but breathes in classrooms, kitchens, and conversations.

The survivors who gave their testimonies did not do so to be pitied. They did so to be remembered. And to be remembered is to live on.

Walk into the museum with an open heart. Leave with a committed spirit. And carry forward the legacy—not as a burden, but as a gift.