22/07/2026
📚🕯️ It has been an honor to serve as one of the presenters at the 24th Annual Martin and Doris Rosen Summer Symposium: Remembering the Holocaust at Appalachian State University.
This year's theme, "Survivors," reminded us that Holocaust memory lives on through those who endured unimaginable suffering and through those committed to preserving their stories.
🌍 For more than two decades, this extraordinary symposium has become an important educational initiative in the United States, equipping teachers with the historical knowledge, pedagogical tools, and moral responsibility needed to teach the Holocaust, racism, antisemitism, and genocide.
Bringing together leading scholars and educators from around the world in partnership with Yad Vashem, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and Echoes & Reflections, the program has educated nearly one thousand teachers from North Carolina and neighboring states.
👏 My deepest admiration goes to the outstanding staff of the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies at Appalachian State University. Their professionalism, vision, warmth, and unwavering commitment create an atmosphere where difficult history can be explored with honesty, compassion, and intellectual rigor.
🎤 During the symposium, I had the privilege of presenting lectures on the thousand-year history of Polish Jews, the stages through which the Holocaust evolved, and the difficult post-war experiences of Holocaust survivors, especially the silence many endured because of continued global indifference to their suffering.
One of the greatest privileges of this year's symposium was introducing and interviewing my dear friend, Holocaust survivor Allan Hall (Adam Horowitz).
Allan's testimony profoundly moved the audience, reminding us that behind every historical fact stands a human life, a family, and a story that deserves to be remembered.
🌟 The symposium was further enriched by the powerful keynote address delivered by Rabbi Professor Michael Berenbaum. His reflections resonated deeply with participants and provided an inspiring intellectual and moral framework for the days that followed.
