Earlier this year, the Helen and Sanford Diller Foundation, based in San Francisco, inaugurated a Traveling Exhibition Awards Program. "Designed to help make high quality exhibits of Jewish cultural interest widely available throughout the Bay Area," stated Phyllis Cook, Executive Director of the Diller Foundation, the program aims to broaden knowledge of the Jewish experience by enabling Jewish and non-Jewish institutions to share creative resources and endeavors. The Society is honored to have been recognized by the Diller Foundation in its first selection process. In addition, a $7,500 grant was awarded by the Walter and Elise Haas Fund.

Justice Illuminated: The Art of Arthur Szyk will introduce university and local communities to Szyk's manuscript illuminations and anti-Nazi political art. The University of California Berkeley Hillel and Lehrhaus Judaica will co-host the first exhibition, scheduled for the Fall 2002 at the Reutlinger Center, and will organize special lectures, public programs, an opening reception and other outreach activities to bridge the university and local communities, which each serves. "I am convinced that Szyk's art will make a great impact on the Berkeley campus," stated Fred Rosenbaum, Founding Director of Lehrhaus Judaica. Adam Weisberg, Executive Director of UC Berkeley Hillel concurred: "Students will be inspired by his messages of value for human dignity and the inherent value of human life."

The Hillel Societies at two San Francisco campuses including San Francisco State University will co-host the next showings, scheduled for Winter-Spring 2004. "Szyk's talented artwork coupled with his commitments to human rights and the Jewish people will resonate with our students," stated Brysk, Executive Director of San Francisco Hillel. The Society plans to schedule future presentations at other Bay Area universities as well as in other parts of the country.

University campuses are ideal locations in which to introduce students, faculty and local communities to Arthur Szyk. Last year, The Arthur Szyk Society curated an exhibition at the University of Scranton Art Gallery, where we collaborated with our university partners to produce companion course curricula in art history, the visual arts, World War II/Holocaust history and Jewish Studies. The Society will offer these materials to faculty at Bay Area host institutions.

"The Society is eager to bring our message and mission home to local communities, especially now that we have enjoyed national visibility," said Seymour Fromer, Board Vice-President and Director Emeritus of the Judah L. Magnes Museum, in Berkeley, CA. "Peace- and freedom-loving San Francisco Bay Area audiences will be especially moved by Szyk's artistic expressions of justice, tolerance and activism."