By Alice Blue
The speaker this year was Dr. Danny M. Cohen, Distinguished Professor of Holocaust Memory and Design of Human Rights in the School of Education at Northwestern University, who spoke to the theme of Standing at the Threshold: Shaping the Future of Holocaust Education.
Danny is a young, vibrant educator who is also co-chair of the Illinois Holocaust and Genocide commission. He spoke about his personal odyssey to find information about his survivor grandfather from Amsterdam, who died before Danny was born and never really shared with his mother and other family members. The quest that began at age 17 became the shaping force of his personal and professional lives: how to find out what we can; how to design questions of research and remembrance for those who do not have personal stake in the Shoah, and how we address those hidden figures who were pursued by the Nazis. That category includes the Roma, all people with disabilities, LGBTQ citizens of occupied countries, political opponents of the regime, and people of color. Our study of the Holocaust must move us to universal messages about hate and brutality.
Besides speaking to the crowd of over 300 at Congregation B’nai Emunah, Danny met with several hundred high school students from Jenks and Street School, psychology students and professors at TU, a group of houseless teens at Youth Services of Tulsa, and, finally, teachers and docents in an educators’ workshop.
Other highlights of the May 9th program included a musical piece, “The Holocaust Suite,” originally submitted as an art entry by a local high school student. The student composer, Rick McKee, went on to become a famous musician/composer working in the Disney Studios.
Our candle-lighting ceremony this year became a living story of survivor transmission, as all seven candles were lit by descendants of those who escaped extermination.
The annual art contest saw a robust effort of over 130 entries from Tulsa area middle and high schools. The winning pieces are on display at The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art.
This successful event was chaired by Sue Ginsberg, with dedicated committee members from the Council for Holocaust Education including Dr. Hank Knight, Brian Brouse, Christina Henson, Dr. Elana Newman, Jennifer Means, Klara Bode, Jackie Hill, Betty Lehman, Mieke Epps, Bob McCormick, and Eva Unterman. Additional thanks go to JFT Director of Holocaust Education, Sofia Thornblad.
