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. | |
HAPPENINGS IN HOLOCAUST EDUCATION | | |
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Tichauer Memorial Garden
Kelly Tichauer-Kirk
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My grandparents Walter and Helena Tichauer were both Holocaust survivors. They both suffered unimaginable horror and pain, but never gave up despite extraordinary obstacles or let their experiences define them. Together, after the war, they managed to build an amazing life together, first in Montevideo, Uruguay and then in Omaha, Nebraska. They had two sons, were grandparents to five and great grandparents to 13. They lived the American Dream. Walter and Helena’s greatest joy was their family and their family legacy was and still is the ultimate victory against Hitler. Though Walter and Helena have both been gone for many years, the impact they made on the lives of their family and each and every person they met was profound. Their memory will not be forgotten.
When a Jewish person dies, we say “may their memory be for a blessing” which serves a twofold purpose, to comfort the mourners and honor the newly deceased to ensure their soul is elevated. More importantly, Jewish theory also teaches us that when somebody dies, if we’ve been inspired by their lives, it is up to the living to continue to think of them with joy, speak their name, do good deeds in their honor and carry on their legacy as that is of merit for the deceased and for the world.
I can think of no better way to bless, honor and remember the life and legacy of my grandparents, Walter and Helena Tichauer than to invite the entire Omaha Jewish Community that so warmly embraced the Tichauer family upon their arrival from Uruguay in 1962 to the dedication of the Walter and Helena Tichauer Holocaust Survivors Reflection Garden which was made possible thanks to the generosity of their son and my father, Fred Tichauer. The garden isn’t just a memorial for Walter and Helena and all Holocaust survivors, but also a place of peace, comfort and reflection for anyone to come and visit to contemplate or remember someone or something special.
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The Walter and Helena Tichauer Holocaust Survivors Reflection Garden dedication was held on Sunday, July 30, 2023 at 11 am.
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Enrichment over the Summer | |
A Message from our Executive Director | | |
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During July, IHE Executive Director, Scott Littky had the privilege of participating in Creighton Law School’s program, Nuremberg to the Hague again this year. Each summer students from Creighton Law School and a few other law schools have the opportunity to study about the about the founding and development of the the international justice system that was created as a result of dealing with the perpetrators of the Holocaust. | |
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Scott met the group in Nuremberg and got to know the students and faculty and then accompanied the group to Krakow, Poland. In Poland he then went with the group to Auschwitz-Birkenau. Again, this summer, Scott conducted a debrief session with the group where he spoke about the importance of empathy and understanding and how it could relate to the students as future lawyers. After his time in Krakow, Scott went on to Warsaw to learn more about the Warsaw Ghetto and the Warsaw Ghetto uprising.
Thank you to the Michael Staenberg Family Foundation for generously providing the support for IHE to participate in the N2H program.
Watch the Third Thursday Lunch and Learn Series presentation on the Jewish Federation of Omaha's YouTube Channel here.
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TOLI Regional Seminar
During July, Education Coordinator, Jane Nesbit had the privilege of participating in the TOLI regional seminar in Charlotte, North Carolina. The seminar titled, Beyond the Single Story: Exploring the Effects of Cultural Annihilation During the Holocaust and Beyond, brought teachers from across the United States who were looking to deepen their practice of teaching about the Holocaust and human rights. The overarching theme was resistance and focused on acts of resistance through the lenses of Holocaust partisans and resistors, Native Peoples and Civil Rights activists.
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FUTURE THIRD THURSDAY SPEAKERS | |
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On September 21st at 11:30 am, Dr. Hillary Rubesin, will present "Where Does Your Heart Feel Safe and Happy?": Expressive arts therapy with refugees and immigrants. In this presentation, Dr. Rubesin will speak about her arts-based, mental health work with refugees and immigrants from across the globe. A brief discussion of wartime and resettlement trauma will be followed by case studies of Dr. Rubesin's work with refugee women from Burma, newcomer youth from over 40 countries worldwide, families living in migrant shelters along the US/Mexico border, and Ukrainians currently living in a war zone. Participants will learn how the expressive arts are particularly effective within cross-cultural, cross-lingual, trauma-informed therapy.
Third Thursday programing begins at 11:30AM on Zoom.
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On October 19th at 11:30 am by Zoom, Suzanne Horwich founder of Artists Give Back will be presenting, “Inspiring Others to Give Back.” (www.artistsgivingback.org) AGB partners with organizations that are meeting the primary needs of refugees such as food, shelter and medicine. Suzanne has realized that often the secondary needs are overlooked, such as the emotional needs, the healing of heart in these refugee situations. She currently partners with various organizations in Poland and Greece. Suzanne has completed 6 trips to Krakow from her home in Colorado since the start of the Russian invasion to work with Ukrainian refugees and recently returned from Greece where she worked with the displaced populations of Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Africa.
Suzanne will be speaking about the work that she's doing, how it all started, the impact she's having on refugee populations worldwide and the importance of how we can all give back in our daily lives. "How do we change the world? We live through love, compassion and tolerance. This is the recipe." says Horwich.
Third Thursday programing begins at 11:30AM on Zoom.
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November 2023
On November 16th at 11:30 AM by Zoom, Stephen Silberstein will present the story of his father, Holocaust Survivor, Michael Silberstein. Michael Silberstein was born in Grudziadz Poland in 1930 as the youngest of 4 siblings. When the war broke out Michael survived the Lodz Ghetto and was then sent to Auschwitz, survived the death march and was liberated from the Mauthausen concentration camp in May 1945. After spending time in the Santa Maria Di Bagni DP camp near Bari Italy, he travelled to London where he received his education and a degree in electrical engineering. After 7 years in London, he moved to America in 1952 where he was drafted into the Korean war shortly after his arrival. Michael was married in 1956 to Lillian, settled in Poughkeepsie NY where they raised 2 sons Stephen and Andrew. Michael worked for IBM for 32 years and would say he "lived the American dream". Michael returned to the camps in 1993, 2007 and 2020 to tell the growing family the story. Michael passed away at age 92 in April 2022. Michael was active in sharing his Holocaust story at the synagogue, religious school, public schools, and universities.
Third Thursday programing begins at 11:30AM on Zoom.
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For more information regarding Third Thursday programming at IHE, or to RSVP please reach out to Scott Littky, Executive Director of IHE, at slittky@ihene.org | |
Searching for Humanity Program has a NEW Location and Partnership with the Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center. | | |
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Students will now be able to learn about a powerful story about the Holocaust and those who rescued survivors from concentration camps while juxtaposed to the artwork of Samuel Bak, which features the aftermath of WWII and visual metaphors representing Jewish genocide and the subsequent liberation of the Jewish people in the 20th century, at the Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center.
Students will participate in interactive Holocaust lessons developed and led by IHE staff, tour the current exhibition on display at the Samuel Bak Museum led by docents and staff members of the Samuel Bak Museum, and hear testimony from a survivor or second generation speaker.
Throughout the program, students are asked to reflect on the question, "What is my responsibility today?", and to strive to have empathy and to be an upstander if the need arises them to do so.
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Visit our website to register for the Searching for Humanity program at the Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center today! | |
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Portraits of Survival
During the month of November, we will again be displaying the Portraits of Survival exhibit created for the seventh anniversary of Kristallnacht by David Radler in the Eisenberg Art Gallery at the Jewish Community Center. There will also be three special programs during the month of November.
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November 7 at 7 pm in the in the Alan J. Levine Performing Arts Theater at the Jewish Community Center in Omaha, NE.
We will be showing the movie, The Death of Zygielbojm. The movie tells the story of Szmul Arthur Zygielbojm a Polish Jewish socialist politician and member of the Polish Government-in-Exile who committed suicide in May 1943 in London, in protest at the inaction of the Allies in the face of the German annihilation of European Jewry and in particular the defeat of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Dr. Arthur I. Zygielbaum, grandson of Szmul Arthur Zygiebojm will attend and introduce the film.
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November 9 at 7 pm in the Goldstein Community Engagement Venue
IHE along with the Jewish Press are partnering to bring Dr. Saskia Coenen Snyder to Omaha. Dr. Snyder who is a professor at the University of South Carolina and also a colleague of IHE’s with our partnership with the Anne Frank Center will be speaking about her book and research on the diamond industry in Holland before and during the Holocaust and the role it played in relationship to the Jews of Holland.
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November 12 at 2 pm in the Goldstein Community Engagement Venue
We will welcome, Sandi Yoder the Director of the Iowa Jewish Historical Society and author Bill Friedricks who will be speaking about Celina Karp Biniaz, one of the last living survivors from Schindler’s List—and the only one who graduated from North High School and Grinnell College in Iowa.
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Willesden READS
You might recognize this book from our spring newsletter when we first started reading this book! IHE is pleased to announce that on March 28th, 2024 at the Holland Center, educators and students are invited to join thousands of their peers across Omaha for Willesden READS.
This program offers professional development for teachers to deepen their understanding of the historical context of The Children of Willesden Lane, a personal copy of the book for each student in the classroom, corresponding curriculum which can be adapted to fit the needs of individual classrooms, and a live theatrical performance by author, performer and virtuoso concert pianist Mona Golabek who offers her uplifting messages of resilience and hope for students at a time when they most need it.
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The professional development, books, curriculum, and live performance is offered at no cost to participating schools. Register your school and classes today on IHE's website! | |
The Institute for Holocaust Education provides educational resources, workshops, survivor testimony, and integrated arts programming to students, educators, and the public. The IHE provides support to Holocaust survivors in our community. | |
We are grateful for your generosity and care of Holocaust Education.
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