
As we know, since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, there has been a significant increase in incidents of antisemitism in America. In fact, this pattern began well before the Hamas attack.
According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), over the past decade there has been a 900% rise in antisemitism in America alone.
To address this dangerous trend, our Jewish community has significantly increased our efforts in Holocaust education for 2025.
Together with Temple Beth-El’s Kurt and Tessye Simon Fund for Holocaust Remembrance, the Okon Family Fund for Holocaust Education of the Jewish Federation, and the Federation’s Holocaust Education Speaker’s Bureau, we are coordinating our work to increase our impact.
Thanks to the combined efforts of these organizations, and the outreach work of Jewish Federation Executive Director Moshe Kruger to raise funds from local foundations, 2025 will see a significant increase in Holocaust education in local schools.
This year, we will fund five school field trips to the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie: the Simon Fund for Holocaust Remembrance will fund a field trip for students from Adams High School, and the Federation will fund four field trips for students from Discovery Middle School, the LaSalle Academy, New Prairie High School and Penn High School.
In April, we will be fortunate to host a very special event: the theatrical performance Remember: The Story of Abe Price, that retells the amazing story of a Holocaust survivor and former South Bend resident.
The play was produced by the Gulfshore Playhouse in Naples, Florida.
According to their website, Remember: The Story of Abe Price is a new original play based on the true story of Abe Price. … At just 16-years-old, Abraham Piasecki’s life is uprooted by the Nazi invasion of Poland. From living in the ghetto of Kielce to imprisonment at Auschwitz-Birkenau, Remember brings to life the harrowing true story of a Holocaust survivor who escaped Nazi captivity five times (gulfshoreplayhouse.org).
We have arranged for three presentations of this performance in our community. Two will be held in local high schools (Adams and Penn) and then the play will be featured at our Federation’s annual Yom HaShoah commemoration on Thursday, April 24th.
Beyond these special projects, our Federation continues the work of our Holocaust Education Speaker’s Bureau that we offer to local schools. The speakers include Bob Feferman, Omer Karavani, Sid Shroyer and Terry Tulchinsky.
Dozens of presentations given by our speakers in local schools over the past four years have had a major impact on local students in sensitizing them to the dangers of racism and antisemitism.
The importance of Holocaust education in helping to prevent antisemitism should not be underestimated.
Research done by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) says, “In addition to building knowledge about the events surrounding the Holocaust, secondary school education on the Holocaust is correlated with reduced antisemitism, increases openness to differing viewpoints and builds civic efficacy.”
If you would like to learn more about our ongoing efforts in Holocaust education, please visit our Jewish Federation website where you can learn more about Holocaust education.
Bob Feferman
Director of Community Relations
rfeferman@thejewishfed.org
(574) 233-1164 x1815