In 1944, inside the barbed wire of Plaszów concentration camp, Joseph Bau and Rebecca Tennenbaum did something unthinkable: they were married in secret. As depicted in Steven Spielberg’s 1993 film Schindler’s List, with scraps of fabric for a veil and fellow prisoners as witnesses, their vows were an act of defiance against the Nazis’ machinery of death. That same courage defined Joseph’s life—whether forging documents for Schindler’s list of workers, or later in Israel, quietly serving the Mossad by creating false papers that were essential to the capture of Adolf Eichmann and supported legendary spy Eli Cohen.
Joseph Bau’s story is one of resilience, love, and art. Today, the museum that preserves his memory and creative legacy—the Joseph Bau Museum in Tel Aviv, originally his art studio created in 1960—stands at risk. The building that houses it has been sold, and unless a new home can be secured, this unique cultural treasure may be lost.
I first visited the museum in March 2024 during a volunteer trip to Israel. I expected to learn about art and history, but what I found was family. Joseph’s daughters, Clila and Hadasa, greeted me with open arms, insisting that since their mother Rebecca was also a Tennenbaum, I was a long-lost cousin. That bond, forged in their father’s colorful studio filled with art, animation, Hebrew fonts, and poetry, touched me deeply. Joseph’s story moved me so profoundly that I committed myself to volunteering for the museum as a promotion and marketing consultant. For the past 18 months, I’ve worked alongside Clila and Hadasa to help keep their parents’ legacy alive.
The museum itself is unlike any other Holocaust memorial. It is intimate, joyful, and defiantly life-affirming. Joseph’s humor radiates from his satirical sketches; his resilience whispers through his poems; his love for Rebecca permeates every corner. Visitors walk out not only remembering the horrors of the Holocaust but marveling at the creativity and hope that endured. It’s no wonder that in 2024, Tripadvisor ranked the Joseph Bau House Museum in the “Best of the Best” worldwide, placing it in the top 1% of attractions and #1 out of 300 things to do in Tel Aviv.
Yet accolades alone cannot secure the museum’s future. Over the past year, we have reached out to philanthropists and foundations, but have not yet found our angel. In June 2025, I joined the Bau sisters in a Zoom call with officials from Israel’s Ministry of Culture and Sport and the Municipality of Tel Aviv. While supportive, they explained that the museum does not meet the regulatory criteria for state or city funding. The harsh truth is this: unless grassroots support steps in, the museum’s future remains in jeopardy.
That is why the Bau family has launched a CauseMatch crowdfunding campaign (www.causematch.com/josephbaumuseum). The goal is to engage Gallagher & Associates, a world-class museum design and planning firm, to chart a sustainable path forward and identify a new home for this irreplaceable institution.
The urgency of preserving Joseph Bau’s story has never been greater, especially as the world prepares for the release of Bau, Artist at War, a new feature film directed by Sean McNamara. The movie brings to life Joseph’s extraordinary journey—from his secret wedding in Plaszów to Mossad forger and pioneering Israeli animator—and opens in U.S. and Canadian theaters on September 25. Advance tickets are available at Fandango – https://www.fandango.com/bau-artist-at-war-2024-236744/movie-overview.
The Joseph Bau Museum is more than four walls of history. It is a sanctuary of art and courage, a reminder that laughter can heal even the deepest wounds, and a testament to Jewish resilience in the face of unspeakable evil. Losing it would mean losing a piece of our collective soul.
I am proud to stand with Clila and Hadasa Bau in this fight. I invite the Atlanta Jewish community to join us—by donating to the CauseMatch campaign, by sharing Joseph Bau’s story, and by attending the Atlanta showings of Bau, Artist at War at Phipps Plaza 14. Together, we can ensure that Joseph Bau’s voice, his humor, and his hope will continue to inspire generations to come.
Purchase your tickets TODAY at:
Please help us keep Joseph Bau’s story alive by supporting the Save the Joseph Bau Museum campaign:
https://causematch.com/josephbaumuseum
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