The Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education responds to the 21st century challenge of educating a post-Holocaust society. Dedicated to curriculum development, teacher training and innovative educational programs for all communities, religious and secular, local and worldwide, The Center promotes tolerance, inclusion and social justice based on lessons from the Holocaust.

Located in Mayerson Hall on the campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

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The Center Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm and by appointment

Our permanent exhibition, Mapping Our Tears, is an interactive environmental theater keeping alive testimonies from World War II and the Holocaust.

Mapping Our Tears is open to the public: Monday-Thursday 11am to 4pm, Sunday noon to 5 pm and by appointment with advance notice – To arrange a guided tour, call 513.487.3055 or email chhe@huc.edu.

Originally the brainchild of an impassioned group of local Holocaust survivors and their families, The Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education (CHHE), in partnership with Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, opened its doors in 2000. Since, CHHE has worked fervently to educate and empower others to learn about and act against injustice, intolerance and indifference. It has evolved to develop and sustain lasting educational experiences for diverse groups and communities throughout Cincinnati and the world. Focusing specifically on testimonies of local Holocaust survivors, rescuers, liberators and eyewitnesses, CHHE is dedicated to sharing their stories and experiences for the sake of humanity.

In 2007, CHHE received its official 501(c)(3) status, establishing itself as a newly independent, non-profit organization equipped more than ever to serve, educate and collaborate.

I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My eyes saw what no person should witness: gas chambers built by learned engineers. Children poisoned by educated physicians. Infants killed by trained nurses. Women and babies shot by high school and college graduates. So, I am suspicious of education.

My request is:

The educational philosophy of The Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education is motivated by Dr. Haim Ginott's urgent request. Personal accounts are used in an effort to understand the lessons of the Holocaust and promote tolerance and social justice. Remembering the millions who are unable to speak, the voices of local Holocaust survivors, liberators, refugees, rescuers and other eyewitnesses are featured to sensitize and educate about the events of the Holocaust. The eyewitnesses share their experiences which offer messages of hope, courage, compassion and the resilience of the human spirit.

Holocaust educators are fellow learners and should consistently seek new knowledge and resources. The use of historical information is encouraged to avoid simplifications and generalizations. Because there are many unanswerable questions a study of the Holocaust must seek to explore not the "why" but the "how" it happened. An interdisciplinary approach provides a method of examining events of the Holocaust from a variety of perspectives.

Equally important to understanding the historical context of the Holocaust is the study of post-Holocaust challenges and their implications for today. Specific emphasis should be placed on being accountable for personal choices in order to understand the importance of action and resistance while evaluating the detrimental outcome of silence and indifference. This cultivation of critical thinking and compassion are essential characteristics to developing humane and conscientious citizens of the world.

Sarah L. Weiss, Executive Director – Since joining the staff in 2004 through a local AmeriCorps program, Public Allies, Sarah has passionately and diligently endeavored to establish a highly respected reputation and long-lasting community presence on behalf of the organization. She has taken on a number of roles as a full-time staff member of CHHE, most recently guiding CHHE through its transition into a successful, independent 501(c)(3) organization. Throughout Sarah's tenure, she has worked to formulate lasting partnerships with organizations and educational facilities locally, nationally and internationally. In 2007 she led 30 local high school students on an educational journey to Poland and Israel as a part of a collaborative venture between CHHE and the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati. Weiss holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati and is a graduate of the Teaching the Holocaust and Antisemitism course at the esteemed Yad Vashem International School for Holocaust Studies most recently became a Lerner Fellow through an advanced course sponsored by the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous at Columbia University. She is the 2007 recipient of the Public Allies "Changemaker" award. Furthermore, Sarah brings a personal connection to this work as the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors.
Contact her at sweiss@huc.edu or 513.487.3091

Barbara Jean (Bannen) Christensen, Director of Education – Her career has been in social studies education in public schools and universities in Michigan and Ohio. Prior to joining the staff of CHHE, Barbara was the Social Studies Curriculum Manger for Cincinnati Public Schools. To acquire an understanding of how bigotry, tyranny, and apathy resulted in the Holocaust, throughout her career as an educator Barbara arranged for teachers and students from Michigan and Ohio to meet with Holocaust survivors, to study with Holocaust scholars from area universities and colleges, to go to learn from special exhibits on the Holocaust, and to take field trips to local Holocaust centers in their respective states as well as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. Barbara instructed the participants to act as carriers of the knowledge they encounter as a result of these experiences and share it with others to memorialize the Holocaust. She encouraged teachers and students to use that knowledge as reasons to act against similar contemporary occurrences of genocide. Barbara continues to work with educators and students in learning about the Holocaust and acting upon the lessons of the Holocaust in her work at CHHE.
Contact her at bchristensen@huc.edu or 513.487.3051

Hannah Ostrow, Office Manager – Hannah, who grew up in Portsmouth, Oh and raised her family in Cincinnati, recently joined the staff of CHHE as Office Manager. She brings experience and wisdom from over 20 years at Cincinnati Hebrew Day School. As Executive Administrator at CHDS, along with her duties in handling all the financial aspects of the school, she served on various committees. Hannah has a passion for education and youth, and she looks forward to being a part of CHHE's efforts to educate all about the Holocaust and its lessons. She is responsible for coordinating and managing the Speakers Bureau, Mapping Our Tears, traveling exhibits, as well as working with the docents and volunteers. In addition, she has a strong commitment to the community and has been involved with Bnai Brith for many years. She is passionate about Holocaust education and is eager to ensure that the stories of local eyewitnesses continue to be told.
Contact her at hostrow@huc.edu or 513.487.3055

Candice Barnes, Education Coordinator/Public Ally – Candice attended the University of Cincinnati majoring in Secondary Education, with an area of concentration in English. Her ongoing ambition to provide services to the youth in her community led her to the non-profit world. Candice served as a Tutor Coordinator at the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati until joining the staff of CHHE. Her appointment is through the Americorps program, Public Allies. As the Education Coordinator, Candice will be responsible for planning events for school groups on the Holocaust, recruiting new groups to participate in programs and arranging diversity and tolerance workshops. Candice is motivated to empower underrepresented populations to value and learn from history so as to use the lessons from the Holocaust to promote tolerance, inclusion and social justice. Her mission is guided by the words of Elie Wiesel, "Without memory, there is no culture. Without memory there would be no civilization, no society, and no future."
Contact her at cbarnes@huc.edu or 513.487.3055

Members: Kathy Brinkman Werner Coppel Alison Dipilla Arna Poupko Fisher Stewart Goldman Father Michael Graham Roma Kaltman Sam Knobler Michael Meyer Myrtis Powell Jerry Rauh Zahava Rendler Carole Rigaud Tom Smith Raphael Warren Representative Tyrone K. Yates

Executive Committee: Dick Friedman, President John Neyer , Vice President Mark Weisser, Vice President Peg Moertl, Treasurer Brian Szames, Treasurer Carol Kabel, Secretary Mitchel Livingston, Secretary Lilly Kurtz, Program Chair Marc Randolph, Legal Advisor

Annual Budget: $300,000

Funding Sources: Our funding comes from generous private donors, foundations and corporations. CHHE has been privileged with support from funding sources such as Cinergy Foundation, Cintas, The Conference of Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, Federated Department Stores Foundation, Fine Arts Fund, The Fisher Family Foundation, Frisch's Big Boy, The Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, The Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, Kroger Company, Mills Trust Fund of the United Way of Greater Cincinnati, National City Bank, The Ohio Humanities Council, PNC Bank, Proctor and Gamble, The State of Ohio, The Stillson Foundation, Time Warner Cable and U.S. Bank.

Partnerships: At CHHE, we take pride in our ability to cultivate significant and lasting partnerships with myriad community organizations to create, organize and implement educational programming. Collaboration has proven to be a key element in our success and has enabled us to work with numerous organizations such as Bridges for a Just Community, Cincinnati Public Schools, Human Rights Watch, Miami University, The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Ohio Humanities Council, University of Cincinnati, Xavier University and a variety of additional organizations.

Community Impact: In the 2007-2008 academic year, CHHE touched the lives of over 20,000 individuals through innovative educational initiatives .