Workum Summer Week 6

This past week, for our Workum Wednesday, we spent some time at the Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati, as well as the Nancy and David Wolf Holocaust and Humanity Center. We heard so many amazing stories all morning, some from the Cemetery’s curators, and some directly from the Holocaust survivors whose stories are highlighted in the museum. I thought being able to hear the survivors talk about their experiences, rather than just reading about them, was incredibly impactful; I could have stayed at the museum all day listening to all of the different stories.

In the back half of the exhibit is the Humanity Center, where you can learn how to make a true impact on those around you. We didn’t get to spend too long here, as we had already gone over our time, but a few of us were able to add our picture onto the “Make Your Mark” wall before we had to leave.

While at the cemetery, I was able to ask some of my fellow Workums about their experiences so far. One of them was Nathan Hatcher, who is interning at Cincinnati Hillel this summer. Nathan is studying Organizational Leadership at the University of Cincinnati. So far, he’s been spending a lot of time cleaning and organizing Hillel’s massive collection of Jewish art work, as well as posting some of it to their website to sell. We got a chance to see some of the pieces when we visited Hillel for the first Workum Wednesday, and there are some absolutely beautiful pieces. When I asked Nathan what his favorite thing from the summer has been he told me that he has really enjoyed learning about the Jewish community and getting to know all of the people that help it operate.

Kate Allaire has also really enjoyed meeting the different individuals that make up the Jewish community. The handful of us interns stationed at the JCC have been meeting with all of the different departments within the Federation, which has definitely helped us all see the bigger picture of what the Federation does, rather than just the little bubble of our own departments. Kate is a student at the University of Cincinnati, studying Communication with minors in Public Relations and Social Justice. When I asked Kate about any meaningful experiences she’s had so far, she said “I feel that my whole time at the Mayerson JCC has been meaningful to me. It is apparent that your coworkers and higher ups are there to help and see you be successful in whatever position you hold.”

It’s clear that all of us Workum interns really enjoy getting to know Cincinnati’s Jewish community, whether that be through the people, the history, or a combination of the two.

Until next time!

Sarah