An exhibit of artifacts from the David Matlow collection of Theodor Herzl memorabilia, the world’s largest private collection, will open at Temple Beth Sholom in September 2024.
Herzl founded the Zionist movement and was the visionary for the State of Israel. Matlow said: “Herzl believed that we are not saddled with the conditions in which we find ourselves, that change is possible, and that the future can be better than the present.
He lived in a world where antisemitism was rampant, which he concluded would never go away, and so, he came up with a radical solution: that the Jewish people are a nation, and as a nation are entitled to their own homeland. Many items were made with Herzl’s image to rally people to his idea.
The exhibit tells Herzl’s story. How he understood that something new needed to be done to confront antisemitism, and that he was the one to do it. How he didn’t just talk, he acted and put in place the infrastructure of a state in creation. How he knew that the Jewish people needed a symbol to inspire them to work toward the impossible idea of a Jewish state, and he became that symbol. The evidence of all this can be found in three glass cabinets. Matlow’s hope in bringing the exhibit to Miami Beach is that by learning about who Herzl was and what he did. “The world needs more Herzls! We need people who see a problem and don’t run from it. We need people who, rather than throw up their hands in despair, use those same hands to fashion a solution. We need people who have big dreams for a better tomorrow, and work to make it happen” – David Matlow