Holocaust Survivor exhibit travels to Central Ohio for bat mitzvah project

About 100 people were able to see an exhibit detailing the life of Holocaust Survivor Henry Kinast at a recent bat mitzvah project in Columbus.

The exhibit, created by the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation, shares Kinast’s story of survival, resilience, and rebuilding after the Holocaust. It is one of two traveling exhibits that tell the life story of two Youngstown-area Holocaust Survivors. A third exhibit that tells the life and love story of Frances and Abe Honigman was completed in April.

The exhibits are available, at no cost, to schools, religious institutions, and civic organizations.

Isla Shapiro, of New Albany, brought the Kinast exhibit to Temple Beth Shalom—marking its first time on display in central Ohio—as part of her bat mitzvah project.

Shapiro is Kinast’s great-granddaughter. As part of her project, Shapiro and her family coordinated the exhibit’s transport and installation and invited guests to spend time engaging with her great-grandfather’s story. The display served as both an educational experience and a personal tribute, connecting generations through history.

Shapiro’s inspiration came from both her family’s story and her classroom learning. A student at New Albany Middle School, she and her classmates have been studying the Holocaust, including reading “Night” by Elie Wiesel and visiting the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center this year.

“Having my Bat Mitzvah means a lot to me, especially knowing my great-grandfather didn’t get to have one at my age because of the Holocaust,” said Shapiro. “That’s why I wanted my project to focus on Holocaust education, so people never forget.”

Henry Kinast, 1929–2019, was a Holocaust Survivor who as a young boy defied the odds of slave labor and the concentration camps and became the patriarch of a large family rooted in a family business. After the war, Henry reunited with his father and brother. They relocated to Sweden, where he married Inga Jonsson. Together, Henry and Inga immigrated to the United States in 1954. Eventually they settled in Youngstown, where they raised their four children.

By bringing the exhibit to central Ohio, Shapiro helped ensure her great-grandfather’s story continues to educate and inspire others—demonstrating the enduring importance of remembering the Holocaust and sharing its lessons with future generations.