New Maltz Museum exhibit, focusing on Hitler’s war on modern art, opens Oct. 30 in Beachwood: Press Run

This week's Press Run includes news about the latest exhibit to open at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in Beachwood; the campaign for the new Coventry PEACE Park in Cleveland Heights; Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren's upcoming state-of-the-city address; and more.

DEGENERATE! Hitler’s War on Modern Art

BEACHWOOD, Ohio -- The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage has announced that its new exhibit, “DEGENERATE! Hitler’s War on Modern Art!”, will open on Oct. 30.

The collection features art the Nazi regime labeled as “degenerate” and that was used as propaganda to sway public opinion.

The exhibition will be on view at the Maltz Museum, 2929 Richmond Road, through April 20, 2025.

“DEGENERATE!” showcases art from private and public collections, exploring movements, events, and outcomes of being branded “degenerate” and the role it played in public indoctrination to Nazi ideology.

Part history, part art show, the exhibition displays works by artists that the Nazis blamed for the moral decline of German culture and society.

A Museum release explains: “In the early 20th century, radical new approaches to art flourished, but as Hitler came to power, that soon changed. Under the control of the Nazi regime, works of art across Europe were confiscated in the thousands.

“Some were destroyed. Some were sold to build the Nazi war machine. Others were used as propaganda, promoting the idea that certain perspectives and people were ‘degenerate’ and ‘unworthy of life.’”

“We’re excited to bring a collection of this caliber to the Cleveland community,” said Maltz Museum Executive Director Aaron Petersal, in that release. “The exhibition focuses on the impact of the Nazi regime’s attempt at controlling creative expression to manipulate culture.

“It’s an important reminder of how art and media have been utilized as a form of propaganda. Equally important, ‘DEGENERATE!’ is a chance to view amazing and expressive examples of modern art, despite Hitler’s attempt to prevent it.”

The thought-provoking exhibition will display art from world-renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Wassily Kandinsky, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, George Grosz, and more.

Nearly 100 pieces will be on display, and footage of the 1937 Degenerate Art (Entartete Kunst) Exhibition in Munich, organized by Joseph Goebbels, will also be shown to the public.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit maltzmuseum.org.

“DEGENERATE! Hitler’s War on Modern Art,” is an original exhibition created by and on loan from the Jewish Museum Milwaukee.

Admission to the exhibit is included with Maltz Museum admission, which is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (60+) and students, and $5 for youths, 5-11. Admission is free for Maltz Museum members and children under 5.

Exhibition and Museum hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays. The Museum is closed Mondays and for most major holidays.

Beachwood Fairmount Temple Discussion Date Change

The city of Beachwood has announced a scheduling change for its upcoming Community Engagement Forum regarding the future use of the Fairmount Temple property.

Community Forum Rescheduled

The forum has been rescheduled for 6-7:30 p.m. Nov. 7 in City Council chambers of city hall, 25325 Fairmount Blvd.

The forum is an opportunity for residents to continue the conversation about how the 17-acre property, recently purchased by the city, can best serve the community’s needs and long-term goals.

City department directors will be present to share insights, answer questions, and review the ideas contributed by your fellow residents. Virtual access will be available for those unable to attend in person.

The city also announced that the results of its recent residential satisfaction survey can be found here.

Connecting for Kids Upcoming Programs

Connecting for Kids, a nonprofit organization that provides resources, support and community to families in Northeast Ohio who have concerns about their child, will present one in-person session and three more virtually during the months of November and December.

Coming up, at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 13 is the in-person Music Therapy & More session. Join in for a hands-on program designed to teach families how to use music to improve their child’s academic, motor, communication and social skills, as well as behavior.

This program is designed for families and their children, ages 0 - 6 years, who have concerns about development. To sign up, visit connectingforkids.org/music.

It takes place at Heights Libraries’ Lee Road branch, 2345 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights.

Virtual Sessions Include:

Speaker Series: Autism 101

Nathan Morgan, of Milestones Autism Resources, will present facts, debunk myths and provide the most up-to-date terminology available on ASD informed by experiences as both a licensed social worker and autism self-advocate.

Learn about differing strengths, lagging skills, and accommodating ever-changing support needs. Sign up at connectingforkids.org/speakerseries.

This session takes place at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 19.

Share & Support Group: Parenting is Lonely For Families of Children with Complex Needs

Join the Connecting for Kids staff to discuss the article, “Why Parenting Can Be Lonely, Even When You’re Rarely Alone.”

The session, at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 3, will explore the theme of isolation when raising a child with disabilities or mental health issues and how to build a village of support. For in-person programs, free, supervised children’s activities are available, but adults and children must register separately. Register at connectingforkids.org/support.

Behavior Chat: How Structure Can Prevent Meltdowns

This session is sponsored by United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Cleveland.

Ochanya McRoberts-Wells will lead a discussion guided by parents’ questions on a variety of behavior topics.

Each session will focus on a new tool from CFK’s free Behavior Toolkit, but questions on any behavior concern are welcome. Content is geared toward children 18 months to 6 years.

This session is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Dec. 16. Register here.

Connecting for Kids can be reached at 440-570-5908.

Campaign for the Coventry PEACE Park

Work on the all-new Coventry PEACE Park off Washington Boulevard in Cleveland Heights has been ongoing since June.

An update from those working on the park project states that the site has been gently graded and concrete paths are now in place to provide sure footing and easy rolling. Meanwhile, the upper play area is home to the giant, distinctive cardinal structure, and has been prepared for the slides and zipline, and the lower area is ready for toddler play equipment.

The retaining wall is in place beside the basketball half court; the concrete pad is ready for the performance pavilion, and soon, more trees will be planted alongside other plantings and ecological features.

Jack Valancy, president of the Fund for the Future of Heights Libraries, in his update wrote:

“But the new Coventry PEACE Park is more than features and amenities. The park is the people who build and benefit from it; the people who bring their kids to the playground, shop at a popup market, attend a library program, enjoy a performance, or just relax and appreciate the beautiful surroundings.

“It’s the spontaneous conversations that occur, the lifelong friendships, the place where people of all backgrounds can meet and weave our city closer together.

“Building the new Coventry PEACE Park is a community project bringing together the citizens, municipal governments, and public library system of two great cities, as well as businesses, nonprofits, houses of worship, artists, actors, musicians and poets.”

To achieve these things, the Fund for the Future of Heights Libraries has helped raise nearly $1 million. More, he said, is needed to help fund the many new trees and playground equipment planned for the site.

During the Fund’s “Make it a Million!” year-end campaign, all donations will be matched up to $36,000, until the million dollar milestone is passed. The campaign runs through Dec. 31. To donate, visit fundforheightslibrary.org/donate.

Checks may be made payable to: Friends of Heights Libraries, Memo: Coventry PEACE Park. Mail checks to Heights Libraries, 2345 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118.

Award for Beth Rosenberg

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland has honored Beth Rosenberg as the 2024 recipient of the Gries Family Award in recognition of her lasting impact within Cleveland’s Jewish and general communities.

For more than 25 years, the Gries Family Award has honored individuals who have demonstrated extensive top leadership in Federation and other local Jewish organization activities, as well as significant leadership in Greater Cleveland’s general community.

Rosenberg, co-founder of Front Door Consulting, was presented the award at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland Board of Trustees meeting on Oct. 15.

“Thank you to the Gries family for this honor,” Rosenberg said in accepting the honor. “This award is a reminder of how important it is for the Jewish community to leave an imprint and be present -- not only within our Jewish institutions, but also within the larger Cleveland community. Leadership is about making a difference where it is needed.

“Sometimes that’s bringing people together, sometimes it’s about raising your voice, and sometimes it’s about stepping in and saying, ‘yes, let’s do it.’”

Rosenberg has been actively involved with Federation for nearly 30 years. Her leadership roles within the Federation include serving as a board member, vice chair, and executive committee member. She has also been involved with numerous committees, including Allocations, Community Planning, and Government Relations.

In addition to her involvement with the Federation, Rosenberg is a past president of Gross Schechter Day School, Jewish Education Center of Cleveland, Hillel at Kent State University, Menorah Park, Ohio Valley Hillel Consortium, and Pardes High School.

She is also a current vice chair at Mt. Sinai Foundation and a trustee at Siegal College of Judaic Studies.

In the general community, Rosenberg is a board member and past board chair at Youth Opportunities Unlimited, a nonprofit organization that provides internships, summer jobs and workforce preparation to teens and young adults who come from families at or below poverty.

Heights Libraries Needs Two Board Members

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library is accepting applications for two open board positions, with applications due by noon Nov. 22.

The new board members will replace Vikas Turakhia, who is rolling off the board after serving his seven-year term, and Melissa Soto-Schwartz, who is stepping down after two years.

All prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to attend one of two information meetings about library board service to be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 11, and 7 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Lee Road branch, 2345 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights.

Applicants must RSVP to Nancy Levin by calling 216-932-3600, ext. 1240. If there are no RSVPs, the meetings will be cancelled.

“It’s a big commitment -- service is seven years,” Levin stated, in a release, “but the rewards are also big: a chance to make a positive, long-lasting impact on one of the greatest public service agencies in the area.”

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education will interview candidates on Dec. 3 at a time to be determined. Each interview will last roughly 15 minutes.

Consideration will be given to a diversity of interests, a balance of age, sex, ethnic background and socioeconomic levels, geographic distribution, and experience and/or knowledge in a variety of fields.

Applicants may also submit completed applications online at director@heightslibrary.org.

Cleveland Heights State-of-City Address

Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren will deliver his 2024 state-of-the-city address from 6:30-8 p.m. Nov. 7 at Dobama Theatre, 2340 Lee Road. Doors will open at 6 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. To reserve a seat, act by Nov. 1 by visiting here.

ADA seating accommodations are available and may be requested in the RSVP.

Donations to Dobama Theatre are welcomed.

College News

John Carroll University has announced its spring semester 2024 College of Arts and Sciences dean’s list.

Appearing on that list are Shaker Heights’ Adam Abdlrasul, Adriane Lawes, Stephanie Moore, Eric Schlenk, and Charles Tuggey; University Heights’ Drake Austin-McManamon, Morgan Edwards, Jenna Kieley, Emilee Riddell, Peter Wangechi, Nelson Webinger, and Elizabeth Woo; Beachwood’s Barbara Davis, Alana Goldschmidt and Zakai Rose; and Cleveland Heights’ Savannah Joseph, Cody Patton and Emily Schuman.

To get your item included in Press Run, send me an email, at least 12 days prior to an event, at jeff.piorkowski@att.net.

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Jeff Piorkowski