In the 16 days that Dr. Mark Harlow has helped out at a new exhibit chronicling Pope John Paul II's life in Poland and during the Holocaust, he learns something new each day. Those who have visited the temporary Rapid City museum would agree.

In a guest book at the end of the exhibit, fans have written notes of inspiration.

"Let love for neighbor, forgiveness & mercy lead all of us in this life. What a tribute," one writes.

"An inspiration for all no matter what religion."

"It was extremely moving."

"This is a great blessing for all of us."

And the last - terse yet succinct: "Very nice and needed."

While the artifacts are amazing, it is the emotional pull that reveals the true appeal of this touching exhibit.

"It's cool that we have them, but it's so much more," Harlow said.

The traveling exhibition, "A Blessing to One Another: Pope John Paul II and the Jewish People" celebrates the pope's extraordinary legacy of improved dialogue between the two faiths. The exhibit chronicles the pope's associations with the Jewish community from the time of his childhood and how these lifelong associations shaped his papacy, the Catholic Church and the future of Jewish-Catholic relations.

The 1,500-square-foot exhibition takes its name from the pope's 1993 commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising. Visitors will have an opportunity to walk through several rooms representing various stages of the pope's life, including his childhood in Wadowice, Poland; his young adulthood in Krakow during the Nazi occupation; and his public ministry as priest, bishop, cardinal and pope.

The first pope to enter a synagogue in 2,000 years as well as the first to establish diplomatic relations with and officially visit the State of Israel, John Paul broke the chain of painful history between Catholics and Jews.

There also is an interactive area where visitors can write prayers, in emulation of the pope's action during his state visit to Israel, which ultimately will be taken to the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

Photographs and artifacts from museums in the United States, Poland, Italy and Israel will be on display. Some of the artifacts include:

Reproductions of the pope's baptismal certificate and high school and college transcripts, on loan from the City of Wadowice Museum.

An official license plate, bearing the swastika symbol, from one of five Nazi-owned vehicles used in Wadowice, loaned by the City of Wadowice Museum.

Shoes worn by Jewish prisoners at Auschwitz and a can of Zyklon-B, the chemical used by Nazis to kill Jews in gas chambers. These items have been loaned by the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Poland.

The biretta that the future pope received when named a cardinal in 1967 and vestments he wore at an interreligious prayer service in Assisi, loaned by the John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, D.C.

Born Karol Wojtyta, Pope John Paul II lived in Wadowice, Poland, a town where a quarter of his classmates were Jewish. He was especially close to Jerzy Kluger, the son of the president of Wadowice's Jewish community. Kluger lives in Rome today and remained a close friend until the end of the pontiff's life.

"A Blessing to One Another" was brought to Rapid City by local businessman Stan Adelstein. Chairman of the Synagogue of the Hills, Adelstein first saw the exhibition at The Jewish Heritage Museum in New York City. "It took several years to get it here, but I wanted the people of South Dakota to see this profoundly moving exhibition," Adelstein said.

Presenters of the exhibition are Hillel Jewish Student Center, Xavier University and the Shtetl Foundation. The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati is the lead financial supporter. Adelstein and the Synagogue of the Hills are sponsoring the exhibition in Rapid City.

The Dahl is providing support services, advice and volunteers. The Catholic Diocese of Rapid City is assisting in recruiting volunteers to staff the exhibition for its three and one-half month run in Rapid City.

If you go

What: "A Blessing to One Another: Pope John Paul II and the Jewish People"

When: Noon to 8 p.m. daily through Aug. 13

Where: 629 Main St.

Tickets: $3 each and $5 per family; tickets good throughout summer

Tours and guides: Docents will be available to answer questions. Group tours may be reserved 24 hours in advance. For tours, call at 394-4101, ext. 200 (The Dahl Arts Center).