Sunday, March 3, 1 – 3 pm
Jewish Museum and Culture Center
The Jewish Museum and Culture Center is continuing its participation in the Daffodil Project, whose mission is to remember and honor the 1.5 million children who were murdered during the Holocaust, as well as all children everywhere who are victims of violence – past and present – by planting 1.5 million daffodils, world-wide.
The daffodil’s petals are symbols of the six-pointed Jewish Star/Magen David. The yellow color embodies the concept of energetic optimism and remembrance.
The event will include a welcome by JMCC President Karen Plotnick, greetings from Portsmouth Mayor Shannon Glover, and an overview of daffodils from Dr. William Brostoff, a botanist. Dr. David Metzger, dean of the ODU Honors College, will address the topic of L’Dor V’Dor, from generation to generation, and Howard Horwitz will offer a musical interlude, concluding with Hatikvah, the Israeli National Anthem. Rabbi Michael Panitz will deliver a closing prayer. An optional tour of JMCC will follow the program.
More than 5,000 bulbs were purchased this past fall through the Jewish Museum and Cultural Center and were added to the 3,800 planted the previous year. In addition to those planted at the JMCC, bulbs were planted at four Portsmouth churches (St. John’s Episcopal Church, Court Street Baptist Church, Fourth Baptist Church, Ebenezer Baptist Church) and four synagogues (Ohef Sholom Temple, Congregation Beth El, Temple Israel, and Temple Emanuel), Portsmouth public space, The Moses Myers House, and many private sites.
These beautiful blooms remind to NEVER FORGET the horrors of the past as well as the present. They also represent the beautiful lives of the 1.5 million children who could have lived—and how they might have contributed their unique essence to the improvement of the world. The flowers serve to encourage the importance of working together as one unified body to carry forward the idea of never having these horrific injustices happen again.
JMCC will support local college students’ attendance by reimbursing each car $5 towards the tunnel toll. Refreshments will be provided at this free event. JMCC is located at 607 Effingham Street in Portsmouth.