The Olga Lengyel Institute (TOLI) is pleased to share our WInter 2019 Newsletter .  TOLI provides professional development seminars for educators in the US and abroad that link the lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides to current world events, thereby working with teachers to promote a human rights and social justice agenda in their classrooms. For further information, please visit www.TOLInstitute.org .
The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights
Quarterly Newsletter | Winter 2019
18 TEACHER SEMINARS:
U.S. & EUROPE
In 2019 TOLI has scheduled seminars in ten U.S. cities and seven European countries. In addition, TOLI’s flagship New York City seminar will be held June 16-27th. Teachers will be receiving professional training by TOLI, focusing on the Holocaust and its lessons for today.

United States:

Salisbury, Maryland - June 23-28
Amherst, Massachusetts - July 15-20
Farmington Hills, Michigan - July 8-13
Saint Cloud, Minnesota - August 4-10
Jackson, Mississippi - June 12-15
Billings, Montana - June 9-15
Albuquerque, New Mexico - June 17-21
New York, New York - June 16-27
Charlotte, North Carolina - July 7-13
Portland, Oregon - June 24-29
Milwaukee (Fox Point), Wisconsin - July 28-Aug 2

Europe:

Poland - June 25-29
Bulgaria - July 7-11
Romania - July 29-Aug 1
Italy – September 1-5 
Lithuania – October 27-31
Greece - TBD 
Portugal – February 23-26, 2020


TOLI & YAD VASHEM PRESENT WEBINAR FOR TEACHERS
Women in the Holocaust: Gender and Destiny

On Sunday, March 3, thirty-five teachers and faculty in the TOLI community participated in a webinar with Dr. Naama Shik, a scholar from Yad Vashem. The focus was on Gender and Destiny in the Holocaust. While it is clear that the Nazis persecuted Jews because of their religion, the question still remains whether men and woman experienced the persecution in different ways. According to Dr Shik, it is clear that they did so.

This was TOLI's first foray into the world of webinars and the session was well received. It was especially gratifying to hear the voices and see the faces of teachers in the TOLI network ranging across three continents: Europe, the US and South America. Two more webinars are planned for the month of March, completing this three-session series on Women in the Holocaust. 
CNN FEATURES TOLI OP-ED ON IMPORTANCE OF HOLOCAUST EDUCATION
This op-ed written by Harry D. Wall, a member of TOLI’s Board of Directors, appeared on CNN.com for International Holocaust Remembrance Day, January 27th. Thanks to actress Barbra Streisand who posted the article on her Twitter account, it reached a very large audience, raising awareness of the Holocaust and its lessons for today.  
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ADOPT-A-SURVIVOR EVENT
IN LOUDOUN, VA
One year ago, Nicole Korsen hosted Dominion High School’s first Adopt-a-Survivor event. With the help of a mini-grant from TOLI, she was able to bring survivors to her school in Loudoun County, VA, to share their story with students who vowed to pass them on.

For Nicole Korsen, who teaches ninth grade English, sharing the lessons of the Holocaust isn’t just important, it’s personal. As the daughter of a survivor she has always felt the need to share her family’s story in a world where fewer and fewer people are being taught about the Holocaust.

Nicole was a participant in the TOLI summer seminar in New York City in 2017, where she was inspired by the group of teachers in her cohort.  

“That was what I’d been looking for,” Nicole says of her time with TOLI. At the seminar, Nicole was finally able to connect with other teachers who shared her need to educate students about these injustices. “I needed to be around people who knew the importance and urgency of it.”
 TOLI WINTER BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS GROWTH OF SEMINARS
At its annual winter board meeting in Boca Raton, FL., TOLI Chairman David Field highlighted the progress made in the few years since TOLI was established as an independent non- profit, noting the impact of training teachers from all 50 states. Mark Berez, TOLI President reported on the growth of programs in Europe, currently eight countries and over 500 teachers who have graduated from the seminars. "With anti-Semitism, hate crimes on the rise and awareness of the Holocaust on the decline, our work is more important than ever," he said. 

TOLI also welcomed its newest board member, Deborah Lauter, former Senior Vice President and National Civil Rights Director of the Anti-Defamation League. On making the announcement TOLI Chairman David Field said: "The Board of Directors of TOLI is very pleased to welcome Deborah Lauter, Deborah brings with her a wealth of experience to support our core issues: Holocaust education and confronting anti-Semitism, prejudice and hatred.”

Photo above, from left: Phillip Furgang, Deborah Lauter, David Field, Chairman, Carole Berez, Mark Berez, President, Ellen Field, Arthur Berger, Rosanna Gatens, Harry D. Wall. In Boca Raton, Fl.
MDRT FOUNDATION SUPPORTS TOLI INSTITUTE
TOLI received its first Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) Foundation Grant, a $5,000 grant, sponsored and presented by David R. Alter, of International Planning Alliance, LLC at its offices on February 25, 2019. The grant is for TOLI’s Leadership Institute, providing advanced training to educators from throughout the US, establishing five new seminars in 2020. 

Pictured left to right: Marni Fritz, Fundraising Associate, Vicki Fabisch, Development Associate, David Atler, CEO of International Planning Alliance, Mark Berez, Board President, HarryDaniel Wall, Board Member
THANK YOU TO OUR FUNDERS
MDRT, The Premier Association of Financial Professionals®, is a global, independent association of more than 66,000 of the world's leading life insurance and financial services professionals from more than 500 companies in 72 nations and territories. whose grant programs provide hope and opportunity for countless children, individuals, and families in need around the globe. 
We are so very grateful for the support awarded to our upcoming 2019 Amherst satellite seminar Examining Our Shared Humanity: Holocaust Education and Social Responsibility. Thank you Mass Humanities for supporting Holocaust and human rights education, impacting generations to come!
In appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims for supporting this educational training project.
TOLI is a beneficiary organization of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico. Thank you to the Jewish Federation of New Mexico for your support of our Albuquerque, New Mexico satellite seminar.
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NEVER AGAIN BEGINS IN THE CLASSROOM
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