The Museum of Jewish Heritage - a Living Memorial to the Holocaust Now Showing 'The Number on Great-Grandpa's Arm'

The Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust is currently showing the HBO documentary The Number on Great-Grandpa’s Arm with an accompanying installation through April 29.

First premiering at the museum on Jan. 21, the 19-minute documentary tells the story of 10-year-old Elliot and his 90-year-old great-grandfather, Jack, a Holocaust survivor. When Elliot asks about the number tattooed on his arm, Jack begins to tell him about what it meant to be Jewish in Eastern Europe during the Holocaust.

The project began when Sheila Nevins, the film’s executive producer, was visiting the museum, according to Miriam Haier, director of strategy and engagement of the museum. While looking through the museum’s library, Nevins found a children’s picture book titled The Number on My Grandpa’s Arm by David A. Adler, published in 1987. Nevins came up with the idea of documenting such conversations with the next generation, survivors’ great-grandchildren.   

Nevins later began seeking out survivors willing to tell their story to younger audiences interested in Holocaust history, which was when she came across Elliot and Jack.

Using hand-painted rotoscope animation—meaning that the animated sequences viewers see are based on actual archival documents and footage—were illustrated by artist Jeff Scher. The museum’s installation of the same name features the film playing on loop, 24 original artworks by Jeff Scher, and 400 digitally reproduced images from Scher’s sequences for the film.