“Ruth Gruber: Photojournalist” is a slightly misleading title for an exhibit opening this weekend at the Illinois Holocaust Museum. Gruber, who turned 102 last September, worked for more than half a century as a photographer, and even longer as a writer—but she considered her articles and photos merely tools for a larger project.
“Ruth’s photo helped influence people,” says Patti Kenner, a friend of Gruber’s who produced Ahead of Time, a documentary about her life being shown Sunday at the IHM. “It helped lead to the state of Israel being born.”
“Ruth Gruber: Photojournalist” contains 62 photos from the 1930s to the ’80s, when Gruber traveled to Africa to photograph refugees from the Ethiopian Civil War. She can no longer hold a camera, Benton says, but she still writes every day. After the screening of Ahead of Time, Gruber will answer audience questions via Skype.
Ahead of Time screening and Q&A Sun 2/23, 1:30-3 PM (RSVP to reservations@ilhmec.org) Through 6/1 Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center 9603 Woods Dr., Skokieilholocaustmuseum.org $12
