IHE NEWS

AUTUMN 2024

Our goal is to ensure that the tragedy and history of the Holocaust are remembered, that appropriate, fact-based instruction and materials are available to students, educators, and the public to enable them to learn the lessons of the Holocaust and that, as a result, we inspire our community to create a more just and equitable society. 

Art and the Holocaust

In order to build knowledge of the Holocaust and the role of art during that period of history; the Institute for Holocaust Education invites art teachers of middle school students (grades 6-8) to participate in a Holocaust related art project which will culminate in select pieces being exhibited at the Eisenberg Art Gallery at the JCC during a special evening with students, teachers, family members, and the IHE staff on April 7th, 2025. 

Learn more on our website and how you can bring the Art & the Holocaust program to your school at no cost to you or your school thanks to the Jetton Charitable Foundation.

Tribute to the Rescuers Essay Contest

The Institute for Holocaust Education (IHE) is excited to announce the 23rd annual Tribute to the Rescuers Essay Contest for high school students in Nebraska and western Iowa. We had nearly 400 students participate last year and would love to have even more this year. We had entire classes participate, as well as individuals. We think this is a great opportunity for students to engage with, process, and hopefully apply the lessons of those who exemplify moral courage.

Learn more on our website and how students can strive to answer the question of what is moral courage. This essay contest is generously funded by the Carl Frohm Memorial Foundation.



PORTRAITS OF SURVIVAL

November 1 - 30

Eisenberg Art Gallery at the Jewish Community Center

We are honored to announce the "Portraits of Survival" exhibit, running from November 1 to 30 at the Eisenberg Art Gallery in the Jewish Community Center. This powerful exhibit, created by David Radler to commemorate the seventieth anniversary of Kristallnacht, serves as a poignant reminder of resilience and hope. It showcases modern-day portraits of Holocaust survivors who have made Nebraska their home, each accompanied by a heartfelt narrative that illustrates their incredible journeys of survival.

The Ritchie Boys

November 7 | 7:00 pm | Admission is free

Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater at the Jewish Community Center

The Institute for Holocaust Education is pleased to partner with the Nebraska Jewish Historical Society to present the screening of "The Ritchie Boys," a film by Christian Bauer. The movie highlights profound narratives of the Ritchie Boys and their powerful testament to resilience, courage, and the enduring spirit of survival. This is the first of three programs centered around the Ritchie Boys.

On February 3, 2025, we will welcome Katy Self, the Director of the Ritchie History Museum, who will share her insights into the legacy of the Ritchie Boys and her work through their exhibits and digital archives.

On March 2, 2025, we invite you to hear from Aaron Parsow, son of Margo and Jay Parsow, z"l, will recount the personal history of his grandfather, Warner B. Frohman, a real-life Ritchie Boy.

Artists Giving Back Art Reception

November 10 | 1 - 4:00 pm | Light Refreshments

Eisenberg Art Gallery at the Jewish Community Center

We invite you to a heartwarming Art Reception celebrating the transformative power of creativity in our community. The Artists Giving Back organization, led by the inspiring founder Suzanne Horwich, showcases the incredible artwork of participants who are refugees from around the world. This event will not only highlight their artistic talents but also emphasize the healing impact that art can have on individuals and communities. Light refreshments will be served as we come together to support and uplift one another through the universal language of art.

Thursday, November 21 – Amanda Friedeman, Associate Director of Education at the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center will present and discuss the graphic novel Hour of Need: The Daring Escape of the Danish Jews During World War II. Hour of Need tells the true story of the resistance to Nazi rule in Denmark during World War II and the heroes that saved the Danish Jews by helping them evacuate to Sweden.

Thursday, December 19 - Laurie Pasler, Project Director for Courtroom 600 will introduce..... After inheriting her father’s hidden WWII memorabilia from working at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials, Laurie discovered a need for education about this unexposed slice of history. The Courtroom 600 project was born out of Laurie’s frustration in researching the trials through available online resources—and hundreds of books. In 2016 she founded Descendants Media Group NFP to preserve the legacy of Nuremberg and teach its lessons to future generations a new way. Now, in partnership with educators, historians, and digital media experts, she is actively bringing the Courtroom 600 project to life.

Thursday, January 16 - Sharon Brodkey, Executive Director, Jewish Community Relations Council, Omaha will be speaking to us about antisemitism in a post October 7 world and the role the JCRC plays in advocating, educating, collaborating and mobilizing action on issues important to the Jewish Community and greater community to fight antisemitism and hate in all its forms and promote the security of Israel and Jews everywhere.

To RSVP and gain access to the Zoom information for any of these IHE Third Thursday lunch and Learn programs at 11:30 am, please reach out to Scott Littky, Executive Director of IHE, at slittky@ihene.org

As part of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the commencement of the Nuremberg Trials, we would like to announce an incredible opportunity this upcoming summer for you to join IHE on a journey to Poland and Germany to learn and bear witness to the Holocaust. We will integrate stories of Nebraska Holocaust survivors and join Creighton Law School’s “Nuremberg to the Hague” group during segments of their program.

We will be holding an informational meeting on this amazing trip on Wednesday, November 20 at 7 pm at the Staenberg Kooper Fellman Campus. For more information or to RSVP for the meeting, please email Scott Littky, Executive Director of IHE, at slittky@ihene.org.

We are grateful for your generosity and care of Holocaust Education.