Page 2 - Jewish News_March 2021

2A March 2021 FEDERATION NEWS

Chaifetz Family Holocaust Remembrance Park...continued from page 1A
Federation of Sarasota-Manatee board subject matter. “They want the various is joy mixed in with the foreboding lined up against the barbed wire of the
member Wayne Ruben, who is also sculptures to tell a story, so the sculp- sense of what is yet to come,” he said. camps. There will be figures in front
chair of the campus redevelopment tures must each relate to the other.” The second piece, Olszewski ex- of the wall, a couple in hemp garb,
team. One of the pieces Olszewski has plained, is very simple. “It is an echo looking emaciated, and another couple
“I was at a show in Sarasota, and proposed is of three children walking of other Holocaust pieces that have dressed in modern clothes – in other
Wayne Ruben lives just a couple of along a railroad track, which, he not- been created, in that it will focus on words, figures from the past and the
blocks from where that particular show ed, is suggestive of the train trips to the abandoned shoes, cast in bronze. It, present. The modern couple would be
was being held,” Olszewski explained. Dachau and other concentration camps. too, will be very powerful.” expressing some sort of love and ten-
“He came by, really liked a piece derness for the victims, whose faces
(which he bought), and we ended up would reflect dignity and strength.”
talking about this project for the Fed- Olszewski noted that his plans
eration.” are preliminary and may change as he
Ruben, who describes himself as begins his actual work on the project.
a lover of fine art, was immediately “For me, each piece I work on unfolds
impressed with Olszewski upon their as I am working on it, as even better
meeting. “I found him to be not only ideas present themselves.”
incredibly talented, but also humble, At press time, Olszewski was plan-
unpretentious and just a really nice ning on returning to Florida in Febru-
guy,” Ruben said. ary, with hopes to be able to walk the
After that initial meeting, Ruben site of the installation, which, he says,
invited Olszewski to meet with the “will help me envision each piece in its
Federation CEO Howard Tevlowitz actual setting.”
and Major Gifts Officer Rich Berg- The talented artist adds, “A lot of
man. That was prior to the start of the who I am goes into each piece I cre-
Covid-19 virus. “During the pandemic, ate. My life experiences, my interest in
Olszewski became a student of the Ho- history, the Kubler-Ross books and my
locaust, learning everything he could. visit to Dachau all provided the inspi-
With the help of fine artist Nancy ration for this project. I have had peo-
Krutchfield, he provided six beautiful ple tell me over the years that I should
drawings of the sculptures he was en- do something for a Holocaust museum,
visioning. One child is walking the rails, looking For the third piece, Olszewski and now I have the opportunity to do
“His pieces project such a power- back to where he has come from. An- plans on creating a wall relief that will just that. I believe these are going to be
ful message that links the past, present other is looking down the tracks, and include a menorah. The background really important pieces.”
and the future,” Ruben said. In a Zoom he is the one with the understanding of would be shattered glass (symbolic For more information on how you
meeting with David and Edie Chaifetz, what’s going on, with a sense of fear of Kristallnacht), and at the bottom can become involved in the redevel-
the couple was incredibly impressed and foreboding about the future. In there will be children looking out at opment of The Larry & Mary Green-
with both the artist and his drawings,” front of them is a little boy who is just the scene. From their expressions, the spon Family Campus for Jewish Life,
Ruben added playing with rocks, too innocent to un- children know something isn’t right, please contact Ilene Fox at ifox@
Olszewski said he was very excited derstand all that is happening. yet with a child’s fascination they look jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2111, or Rich
by both the scope of the project and the “I like this idea a lot because there up at the camera. “This was inspired by Bergman at rbergman@jfedsrq.org or
powerful pictures I found of children 941.552.6306.

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