Shooting at the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington

We have received a lot of phone calls and emails here at the Museum regarding this afternoon’s shooting at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) in Washington, D.C. Our thoughts are with our colleagues at the USHMM and we wish them continued strength in the wake of this tragedy. The incident in Washington highlights why institutions like ours are so important. It was ignorance and hatred that drove that man, with a gun in his hand, into the Museum. And it is precisely ignorance and hatred that we combat every day.

We are all watching the news along with the rest of the world. Please know the Museum of Jewish Heritage is open. We have a very visible security presence, and we are doing fine. Visitors are streaming in and the performers are here for tonight’s concert: Freedom Songs with Josh Nelson, Neshama Carlebach, and the Green Pastures Baptist Choir.

If you’re in the neighborhood, please stop by and say hello. We are open until 8 p.m. tonight.