Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center

Baxt Lecture: Jews Finding Shelter Among Roma in German-Occupied Poland during World War II
2026-03-29 10:00 - 23:30 (America/New_York) | Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Avenue, Providence, RI, 02906, United States
Join us for a Baxt lecture with Dr. Justyna Matkowska, who will speak on the experiences of Jews who found shelter and support among Roma communities during the Holocaust. Her lecture explores themes of resilience, solidarity, and the complexity of human choices under Nazi persecution.

Dr. Justyna Matkowska is a scholar of Holocaust history whose work focuses on Jewish–Roma relations in German-occupied Poland. She emphasizes themes of resilience, solidarity, and the moral choices faced during Nazi persecution.

Romani prisoners in a camp © USHMM

Location: Temple Emanu-El

Address: 99 Taft Ave, Providence, RI 02906.

Film Screening: The Look of Silence
2026-03-26 18:00 - 19:15 | Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, 401 Elmgrove Ave, Providence, Rhode Island, 02906, United States
Join us for a screening of Joshua Oppenheimer’s acclaimed documentary The Look of Silence. The film follows an Indonesian man confronting the people responsible for the murder of his brother during the 1965–66 mass killings in Indonesia. Through these encounters, the film explores themes of memory, silence, and the struggle for truth and reconciliation in the wake of atrocity.

POSTPONED: 92NY's Bianna Golodryga and Yonit Levi in Conversation with Julianna Margulies: Don’t Feed the Lion
2026-03-16 19:00 - 20:30 | Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, 401 Elmgrove Ave, Providence, Rhode Island, 02906, United States
POSTPONED: Due to the High Wind Warning issued for our area this evening, tonight’s program has been postponed for the safety of our community. Thank you for your understanding, and we hope you will join us when the program is rescheduled.

Join us in-person at the Dwares JCC for a recording of 92NY’s Bianna Golodryga and Yonit Levi in Conversation with Julianna Margulies: Don’t Feed the Lion. This timely program explores how young people grapple with antisemitism, what courage and allyship look like, and how families and communities can respond thoughtfully in a moment of rising hate. Centered on the new book Don’t Feed the Lion, the conversation offers tools and language to help young people recognize and stand up to antisemitism.

How do we talk about antisemitism honestly? What does allyship look like at a young age? And how do we help kids face hatred without letting it define them? These questions are at the heart of Don’t Feed the Lion — a story that begins with a Shabbat dinner interrupted by a viral antisemitic post and follows the ripple effects through a family, a school, and a community. A all-too-relatable tale at a time of rising antisemitism, the book “gives kids the tools to recognize and stand up to hate” (Jake Tapper).

Hear Levi, Golodryga and Margulies in a timely conversation about how young people — and the adults who care about them — can respond to antisemitism with clarity, courage, and empathy.

This program is part of 92NY Recanati-Kaplan Talks.

We hope you will join us for this important community viewing and discussion

RSVP here

CANCELLED: Mapping the Holocaust: What Geography Reveals about Genocide
2026-02-26 18:00 - 19:15 | Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, 401 Elmgrove Ave, Providence, Rhode Island, 02906, United States
Due to the weather and safety of everyone tomorrow’s Adult Ed will be cancelled.

We are working to reschedule Dr. Knowles at a later date and we will be sure to inform you on when that is scheduled.

Stay safe and warm!

What can maps reveal about genocide? Dr. Anne Kelly Knowles, a pioneer in applying geographic information systems (GIS) to Holocaust studies, will show how geography shaped both victims’ experiences and perpetrators’ actions. A co-founder of the Holocaust Geographies Collaborative and editor of Geographies of the Holocaust (2014), she uses innovative mapping and analysis to uncover the spatial dimensions of the Holocaust in powerful new ways.

Combatting Antisemitism: ZOOM Workshop
2026-02-23 18:00 - 19:00 | Rhode Island
Join historian Andrew Sperling, PhD, Director of Academic Initiatives at the American Jewish Historical Society, for a dynamic virtual, cost-free Zoom workshop made possible through the generosity of the Jordan Frank Family Foundation. This session offers clear, practical tools to understand and respond to antisemitism today, with an emphasis on real classroom scenarios, media literacy, and the long history behind common stereotypes and misinformation.

Designed for teachers, librarians, youth leaders, and community members, the workshop will provide ready-to-use materials, concrete strategies, and supportive language for moments when difficult or unexpected questions arise. Participants will also gain a deeper understanding of Jewish life and identity, which is essential for fostering informed and inclusive learning environments. PLU credits are available, and all attendees will receive a full packet of resources and classroom tools to take back to their schools and programs.

Virtual: Zoom

Please be sure to RSVP here to receive your individual Zoom link.

An illustration from a 1919 Austrian postcard showing a caricatured Jewish woman, Rosa Luxemburg, stabbing a German Army soldier in the back with a dagger. The capitulation of the Central Powers was blamed on communists, Bolsheviks, and the Weimar Republic, but in particular on Jews.

MISCHLINGE EXPOSÉ
2026-02-04 17:00 - 18:30 | Providence Public Library 150 Empire Street Providence, RI 02903
Understanding the Mischlinge: Identity, Exclusion, and Resilience in the Third Reich

The Mischlinge Exposé weaves a multimedia tapestry around a little-known aspect of the Holocaust: the Mischlinge (a derogatory Nazi term for those neither fully Jewish nor fully Aryan). Internationally celebrated pianist Carolyn Enger’s live documentary, The Mischlinge Exposé, directly addresses universally significant issues of identity and inclusion, encouraging empathy, tolerance, and engagement.

The 60-minute performance will be followed by a moderated discussion led by Dr. Laura Auketayeva, Director of Education and Programs at the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center.

No charge to attend, & open to the public.

RSVP here

Contact info: lauraa@hercri.org

ZOOM: International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2026
2026-01-25 18:00 - 20:00 | Rhode Island
Holocaust Diaries: Memory, Testimony, and History Lecture by Professor Alexandra Garbarini, Williams College

Due to the snowstorm and in the interest of everyone’s safety, our International Holocaust Remembrance Day program on Sunday, January 25 at 6:00 pm will now take place on Zoom rather than in person.

We appreciate your understanding as we make this change to ensure the safety of our community.

To receive the Zoom link by email, please fill out the registration form. For security reasons, we kindly ask that the Zoom link not be shared. This helps us maintain a safe and respectful space for learning and remembrance.

We will mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day with a lecture by Professor Alexandra Garbarini, whose pioneering scholarship on Holocaust diaries explores how Jewish victims recorded, interpreted, and survived the experience of persecution. Drawing on her work on Numbered Days, Lucien Dreyfus’s diary, and the role of testimony, Professor Garbarini will reflect on how these writings illuminate the history of the Holocaust and the enduring power of memory.

We hope you will be able to join us virtually for this meaningful evening of reflection and learning.

Free and open to the public

Chronicles: Armenian Genocide Memory and Community Life in Rhode Island
2026-01-22 18:00 - 19:15 | Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, 401 Elmgrove Ave, Providence, Rhode Island, 02906, United States
Join us for a powerful evening exploring the history and legacy of the Armenian Genocide and the ways Armenian Americans in Rhode Island have carried memory, identity, and resilience across generations.

The chair of the RI Holocaust and Genocide Education Commission, Pauline Getzoyan, the co-chair of the Genocide Education Project, RI Branch, Esther Kalajian, and the chair of the Armenian Historical Association of Rhode Island (AHARI), Martha Jamgochian, will introduce Chronicles, a limited screening of a new documentary produced by AHARI. Through historical context, community stories, and cultural reflection, the film traces how Armenian families and institutions rebuilt their lives and preserved memory in the aftermath of genocide.

Following the screening, Getzoyan and Kalajian will lead a guided discussion on history, remembrance, and the transmission of memory within communities shaped by mass violence.

This program offers an opportunity to engage with Armenian history through thoughtful scholarship, education, and community-based storytelling.

Admission: Free and open to the public

Armin T. Wegner, “Armenian Deportees,” Taurus Mountain region, Ottoman Empire, ca. November 1915. Wegner Collection, Deutsches Literaturarchiv, Marbach; courtesy of Sybil Stevens; United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; Armenian National Institute, Inc.

AI and Genocide Denialism: A Growing Movement
2026-01-08 18:00 - 19:15 | Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, 401 Elmgrove Ave, Providence, Rhode Island, 02906, United States
Artificial intelligence has opened new opportunities for learning, communication, and research. Yet the same technology is also being used to spread falsehoods, manipulate images and voices, and fuel dangerous movements of denial. In this talk, Professor Michael Xiarhos will explore how AI tools are being harnessed to distort history and promote genocide denialism, why this trend is growing, and what educators, students, and communities can do to confront it.

Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, statement on AI-generated victim images, X (Twitter), May 22, 2025, 6:41 AM, https://twitter.com/AuschwitzMuseum/status/1793546973470355700.

A Family Story of Escape: The Kindertransport
2025-12-11 18:00 - 19:15 | Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, 401 Elmgrove Ave, Providence, Rhode Island, 02906, United States
ADULT ED: Join us for a program with Jeanne Gottfried, educator and 2G speaker, as she shares personal reflections on her mother Kitty’s escape from Vienna on the Kindertransport and her journey to safety in England.

Free and open to the public.

Child from the first Kindertransport upon arrival in Harwich, December 2, 1938 (Sueddeutsche Zeitung Photo)

BAXT Lecture Series--The Stages of Memory: Reflections on Holocaust Memorials and Cultural Memory
2025-12-07 11:30 - 12:30 | Temple Beth-El, 70 Orchard Ave, 70 Orchard Avenue, Providence, RI, 02906, United States
The Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center is honored to welcome Professor James E. Young (University of Massachusetts Amherst) as the Fall 2025 BAXT Lecturer.

Professor Young will present a lecture based on his acclaimed book The Stages of Memory, with new reflections and updates on Holocaust memorials, cultural memory, and the public dimensions of remembrance.

Coffee and pastries will be served before the program. Guests are invited to stay afterward for an informal conversation.

Free and open to public.

Saints and Liars: The Story of Americans Who Saved Refugees from the Nazis
2025-12-04 18:00 - 19:30 | Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, 401 Elmgrove Ave, Providence, Rhode Island, 02906, United States
Debórah Dwork

Join us for an evening with renowned historian Debórah Dwork, Director of the Center for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Crimes Against Humanity at the CUNY Graduate Center. In conversation with Dr. Laura Auketayeva, Dwork will discuss her acclaimed new book, Saints and Liars: The Story of Americans Who Saved Refugees from the Nazis. Through letters, diaries, and personal accounts, Dwork uncovers the little-known stories of American relief and rescue workers who, long before the U.S. entered the war, risked everything to help Jews and dissidents escape Nazi persecution.

Free and Open to Public

Event Canceled: Kristallnacht Commemoration Lecture
2025-11-09 19:00 - 20:00 | Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, 401 Elmgrove Ave, Providence, Rhode Island, 02906, United States
Event Update: Kristallnacht Commemoration Event Canceled

Due to an ongoing power outage, the Kristallnacht Commemoration event scheduled for this evening has been canceled.

Although we cannot gather in person tonight, we invite everyone to take a moment of reflection wherever they are. Remember the lives shattered during the night of broken glass and reaffirm our shared responsibility to confront antisemitism and hatred in all its forms.

Thank you for your understanding and for standing with us in remembrance.

Commemorate by learning at a lecture with Professor Michael S. Bryant on how Hitler balanced law and violence, culminating in the Kristallnacht pogrom of November 1938.

Shattered storefront of a Jewish-owned shop damaged during Kristallnacht, Berlin, Germany, November 10, 1938. National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, MD.

Kindness in Action: Inspiring Unity and Hope
2025-10-29 19:00 - 20:00 | Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, 401 Elmgrove Ave, Providence, Rhode Island, 02906, United States
In response to the recent antisemitic incident at Smithfield High School, we invite you to experience Rachel’s Challenge, an evening that brings together students, athletes, educators, and all community members to promote kindness, inclusion, and respect.

The inspiring story of Rachel Scott, whose example of kindness and acceptance came to light after she became the first victim in the Columbine High School tragedy. Conveyed through stories from Rachel’s life and writings, Rachel’s Challenge shows the profound positive impact we can have on those around us. Rachel’s Challenge demonstrates to the listener the power of deliberately reaching out in word and action, to start what Rachel called “a chain reaction of kindness and compassion.” This program to stop school violence provides simple, positive actions students can take to create a positive, inclusive culture in their school.

We encourage local sports teams to attend in their jerseys to show support and stand together against antisemitism, bullying, and all forms of hate.

No cost to attend. Open to the public.RSVP STRONGLY REQUESTED, NOT REQUIRED

Contact us:

401.453.7860info@hercri.org

The Holocaust in Latvia
2025-10-16 18:00 - 19:15 | Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, 401 Elmgrove Ave, Providence, Rhode Island, 02906, United States
ADULT ED

Join us for a lecture with Dr. Harry Merritt (Rhode Island College) as he explores the impact of Nazi and Soviet occupation on Latvian Jews and everyday life in Latvia during World War II.

Bildarchiv Preussischer Kulturbesitz. Deportation of Jews from Bielefeld in Germany to Riga in Latvia. Bielefeld, Germany, December 13, 1941. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Bildarchiv Preussischer Kulturbesitz.

Free and open to the public.

Introduction to Holocaust and Genocide Studies
2025-10-09 18:00 - 19:15 | Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center, 401 Elmgrove Ave, Providence, Rhode Island, 02906, United States
ADULT ED

Speaker: Dr. Laura Auketayeva, Director of Education and Programs

Join us for the opening of the 2025–2026 Adult Education series. Dr. Laura Auketayeva will introduce the course and give an overview of Holocaust and Genocide Studies. By examining these histories side by side, the session provides participants with the tools to recognize warning signs and lays the groundwork for the deeper explorations to come in subsequent sessions.

To request a Zoom link, please email: info@hercri.org

European External Action Service (EEAS), “Remembering Srebrenica.”

Register Below

Game Day
2025-07-30 11:30 - 15:00 | Ledgemont Country Club, 131 Brown Ave, Seekonk, Massachussetts

Honoring Memory by Fighting Hatred
2025-07-22 18:30 | Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave, Providence, RI
Lilliane Birch, born in postwar Paris to Holocaust survivors, is a gifted speaker and lifelong educator. Her mother endured Auschwitz and Dr. Mengele; her father survived a Nazi labor camp. Join us as Lilliane shares her family’s remarkable story to honor memory, fight hate, and inspire compassion.

The Holocaust in the Soviet Union
2025-06-12 18:00 - 20:00 | Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave, Providence, RI

Annual Meeting
2025-05-29 19:00 - 20:30 | SBHEC, Elmgrove Ave, Providence, 02860, United States

Memorial Day Office Closed
2025-05-26 00:00 - 23:59 | Rhode Island
Memorial Day

Book Talk Featuring Georgia Hunter, Author, 11:00 a.m.
2025-04-27 00:00 - 23:59 | Rhode Island
Book Talk Featuring Georgia Hunter, Author, We Were the Lucky Ones
11:00 a.m.,
Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Ave., Providence, RI
Light nosh and coffee,
This is a joint program with the Jewish Historical Association of Rhode Island and The Sandra Bornstein Holocuast Education Center

Yom HaShoah Community Commemoration
2025-04-24 19:00 - 20:00 | Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Avenue, Providence, RI, 02906, United States

Passover
2025-04-14 00:00 - 23:59 | Rhode Island
We are closed 4/14 in observance of the 2nd day of Passover.

401 Gives
2025-04-01 00:00 - 23:59 | Rhode Island

LIFT Meetings
2025-03-24 00:00 - 23:59, 2025-03-19 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-02-24 08:00 - 17:00 | Rhode Island

Adult Ed Class
2025-03-20 18:00 - 19:15 | SBHEC, Elmgrove Ave, Providence, 02860, United States

Spring Baxt Lecture
2025-03-02 11:00 - 12:30 | SBHEC, Elmgrove Ave, Providence, 02860, United States
