I’ve been obsessing over the Holocaust lately. Watching a ton of movies, documentaries, TV shows. Researching endlessly online. Trying to understand how this could have possibly happened. It wasn’t even that long ago. How did people let this happen? How is it that no one could have stopped it? Where was everyone? Why didn’t the whole world come together to take down the Nazis? What were people at the time thinking? The reality is that the Holocaust didn’t happen overnight. It was methodical. Orchestrated over time to make sure the next “step” in the progression never seemed too beyond the pale. Organized “othering”, stereotyping, scapegoating. Spreading lies and fear. Taking away businesses, property, rights, and then dignity. Segregation and starvation, then forcing Jews to wear a Star of David for identification. We know what happened next, 6 million Jews later. Dehumanize the Jews to make the mass atrocities seem less atrocious. Do it slowly and gradually to make it less obvious. Today we wear our Stars of David proud. Proud of our Jewishness, proud of our resilience. Proud of our people. But failing to recognize patterns is foolish behavior. The sweeping statements, lies, “catchy” chants, and signs with ignorant phrases. The signs are signs. This is playbook antisemitism. This is where it starts. And if history has taught us anything, we know where it ends. So you can’t possibly wonder why Jews don’t feel safe right now, when in our most progressive cities in the United States, there are people holding signs calling for our mass extinction. I believe in the power of education and awareness to bridge the gap between people and communities. So for the last day of Passover this Tuesday, which also coincides with my 31st birthday, I am asking you to donate to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to help spread awareness and make sure that “Never Again” means never again. https://lnkd.in/e9WXidyS

My mother, a WWII Jasenovac concentration camp survivor, bore witness to atrocities that were repeated decades later during the Balkan War from 1991-1995. Both Croat and Serb forces perpetuated a cycle of violence against Muslims, with women subjected to rape camps and their children slaughtered. The recent events of October 7th in Israel, involving slaughter and hostage-taking, underscore a continuing pattern. Across different contexts—whether tied to geographical origins or patriarchal religions—the mechanisms of genocide and femicide remain disturbingly similar. They are often normalized and legalized by those in power by having the masses in divisiveness and hate. Therefore, It's all women and children. What happened over there has or will happen to you. We must confront a hard truth: the common denominator in these crimes is not just ideology but gender. It is predominantly men in positions of power who perpetuate these cycles of violence. This issue is systemic, spanning across various cultures and political structures, yet it's rarely acknowledged that these acts of violence are male-dominated. The dialogue rarely shifts to address that men are predominantly the perpetrators of such large-scale violence. It’s not about one culture, one religion, or one nation; it's about how patriarchal structures globally have allowed men to disproportionately control wealth, resources, and power, leading to devastating consequences for women and children across all societies. As we reflect on history and current events, we must recognize these patterns and initiate conversations that challenge these entrenched power dynamics that manipulate and create divisiveness. For me, all I see is women, their families, friends and children slaughtered. I don't stop to identify them as Muslim, Black, Brown or other groups.

The Wave 2.0 - be Laurie. On this holocaust memorial day, I couldn't help but think of the movie "The Wave", where a highschool teacher aims to teach his students what autocracy means de-facto, and experiments how easily group pressure can take over a full community. Things quickly get out of control until hardly anyone demonstrates clear, critical thinking. The movie makes you wonder if it's truly possible to turn young people into fascists or 'simply' brain-washed to a point of no / low return.  2024 reality makes you understand that it is possible and it's very worrying not only for Israel but for any person who values liberty, inclusion and peace. Back to "The Wave" - when the teacher shows the class a documentary about the holocaust, Laurie (image below, IMDb) is emotionally affected by concentration camps footages, and deeply ponders how ordinary people could commit such terrible atrocities - or merely stand by while they occurred. She resists joining The Wave, despite her boyfriend and classmates' pressure and intimidation. Her bright, individual thinking, truth and justice seeking, and courage separate her from her classmates and show the power of a single person's free will in the face of evil. Fast forward to 2024, showing us The Wave 2.0 all over. What is terribly sad is not only that terror proxies are taking over many geographical locations, but that "normative" people have become blind, their thoughts distorted, and the bystander phenomenon - reliving. Where do you stand post October 7th Hamas attack, massacre and kidnapping? Where do you stand when innocent civilians are still held in underground terror tunnels for 7 months?! Where do you stand when students chant 'from the river to the sea' not understanding which river and which sea, demonstrating they either have historical amnesia or are deliberately calling for the destruction of the state of Israel?  Any connection between Hamas and 'freedom fighters' is dilussional, as is any connection to US woke movement. Moving to Europe, the Eurovision's opening festivities in Malmow were inappropriately held on Holocaust Remembrance Day eve. The Israeli team were absent from the event. Just one event and still, were the rest quiet bystanders? There are examples galore worldwide, forcing us to see clearly what is happening in our communities. Please stand on the actively moral side of history - be Laurie. 

Tomorrow is Holocaust Remembrance Day, otherwise known as Yom HaShoah, a Jewish day of commemoration that remembers the six million Jews who were killed during the horrific atrocities of the Holocaust, honors the survivors and their stories, and educates against the terrible consequences of hate and racism. In recent months, we have seen an alarming increase in hatred and antisemitism across the globe, reminding us of the consequences if hate is not actively addressed. Jewish people are once again experiencing hate and violence due to their identity, and on this day, we should be weary of history repeating itself. No group of people should experience discrimination, fear or prejudice at the hands of others, and we are called upon to stand up against hate in all of its forms. As we honor Yom HaShoah, we encourage you to take the opportunity to connect with your communities, share educational resources on Antisemitism, such as materials from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and work towards a better future for all. Never Again is Now. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum resources: https://lnkd.in/eY-wMdEC

As we approach Holocaust Memorial Day, I find myself deeply disturbed by the hateful rhetoric that is becoming so prevalent in our world today. It is painful to see the “language of hate” being normalized, especially when we are about to reflect on one of humanity’s darkest chapters. The Holocaust is not just a reminder of what happened—it’s a call to action. It’s a reminder that we must never, ever let hate take root again. As someone who has dedicated a large part of his life to fighting for a better world and co-organizer of the Anne Frank Declaration, a pledge signed by global leaders like Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan, and Bill Clinton, I know how powerful it can be when people from all walks of life come together for a common cause. And this day—Holocaust Memorial Day—reminds us that we must do more than remember. We must act. The Holocaust was the systematic murder of six million Jewish people, but it wasn’t just the Jewish community that was targeted. The Roma and Sinti, Romani Gypsies, Muslims, LGBTQ+ individuals, the disabled, political dissenters—all were branded as "undesirable" by a regime that sought to erase them from existence. This was not just the tragedy of one people, but the tragedy of us all. It’s a warning that when hate is allowed to grow, it can destroy everything in its path. But the horrors of genocide didn’t end with the Holocaust. We’ve seen the same brutality in Rwanda, in Cambodia, in Bosnia, in Darfur. Thousands, millions, have perished simply because of who they were, where they came from, or what they believed. The brutality is not confined to history—it’s a present danger with the extreme far right and neo nazis activism on the rise across Europe. It's a painful reminder that we must remain vigilant. The lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten, and we must pledge to never allow such hatred to destroy lives again. In my work with Holocaust survivors, including Eva Schloss—Anne Frank’s stepsister—I’ve seen the raw pain and strength that comes from those who lived through these atrocities. Their stories are not just about survival; they’re about fighting for a better world. They remind us that we cannot afford to be passive. We cannot just talk about tolerance—we must live it. We must fight against prejudice wherever it arises, and we must ensure that future generations never forget the consequences of hate. We must stand together, not let the merchants of hate devide us and recommit ourselves in 2025 to fighting for a world free from hate.

When I was a young girl, I visited a Holocaust museum that left a lasting impression on me—not because of the vast statistics or horrifying photos, but because of one story. At the entrance, each visitor was given a small passport with the name and photo of a real person who lived through the Holocaust. As you walked through the exhibits, you saw the staggering scale of the tragedy—millions of lives lost, families torn apart, communities destroyed. But always, you had that passport in your hand, reminding you of one person. At the very end of the museum, you found out their fate. For me, it was devastating. It was also unforgettable. The museum taught me something that still resonates today: if you want people to truly feel the impact of something big, start with one story. When I create videos, I carry that lesson with me. Sharing the scope of a problem—whether it’s cancer, education, or community support —is essential, but the heart of any powerful campaign is the individual story. One person’s journey, one face, one voice—it’s what draws people in and makes them care. Because if you can get someone to connect to one story, they’ll carry that connection with them when they see the bigger picture. So the next time you think about how to share your mission or inspire others, ask yourself: Who is the one person whose story needs to be told?

I am pleased to share that my latest article has been published in the journal Memory Study: ‘Could we possibly see your tattoo? If not that’s totally fine!’ Holocaust survivors’ playful activism on TikTok Abstract Over the past few years, digitalisation has led to the development of new forms of Holocaust memory, with advances in digital technology reshaping and introducing alternative ways of remembering, understanding and representing the Holocaust. The purpose of this study is to examine how three Holocaust survivors – Lily Ebert (100), Gidon Lev (88) and Tova Friedman (85) – share their firsthand experiences on TikTok by segmenting traumatic memories using the platforms’ audio–visual aesthetic and adapting their testimonies for the attention spans of young users. Based on 1-year content production and detailed analysis of 84 videos across the three profiles, a mixed-methods approach was applied to identify how each survivor interacts with their ‘fans’ using a unique communication style and with distinct goals. The results of the multimodal analysis show that the three survivors are engaged in meaningful acts of playful online activism on the memory of the Holocaust by bringing testimony and daily life together, in order to protect historical facts and combat antisemitism and Holocaust distortion. https://lnkd.in/dMxtQFxV

MY PROMISE TO WITNESS THE HOLOCAUST We live in recession times. ■ Each time I listen/read the word Superhuman I get goosebumps. ■□ Really, I saw survivors of the Holocaust showing to me the numbers tattoos replacing their names. It was long ago, but each of them - a dozen at least- already old enough as to know that they had to be remembered by making others promise them to tell exactly this: ••••••" I am nearby my death, doc. Please promise to tell everyone that you saw a survivor of the horrendous Holocaust in real life. Don't let humanity forget it! 💔 •••••• ............................ I have promised each of them to do as promised, all my life and anywhere I go. In your honour, dear HOLOCAUST survivors. " I witness hierby that I have listened and seen a dozen of Holocaust survivors asking me to NOT EVER FORGET THEM. AND TELL THEIR STORY ABOUT SUPERHUMAN MERCILESS CRUELTY AS LONG AS I LIVE. I honour all of you, by posting this now, and keep my promise until my dying day " .............. ■ Now, whoever reads this, please think it over. ■■■ We face an unprecedented crisis in the world. Recession is no longer possible to deny and fear raises. ■■ IT IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE THAT SOMEWHERE ON EARTH WE ARE REPEATING THE SAME MISTAKE. ■ PERHAPS NOT BY TARGETING JEWS INITIALLY, BUT EVERYONE WHO WE FEEL AS A THREAT TO US. ----------------------------------------------- We humans can do wonders for helping others but mostly we choose to ignore all the clear signs of repression and carry on with our lives. HOLOCAUST IS THE CLOSER HISTORICAL EXPRESSION OF HOW A HUMAN BECOMES A DEHUMANIZED MACHINE BY BEING EXTRAORDINARILY EFFICIENT IN A WAY THAT IS UNDENIABLE INHUMANE. - Shows the darkest human traits that we normally carefully repress by fear, shame or self protection. But we all owe our shadows, as the moon. A bright, sunny and sociable accepted face, while we coexist with a dark face that horrorises us. DO NOT LET FEAR UNLEASH OUR DARKEST SIDE. P.BRUN,MD. Altruist, idealist and engaged with Life protection. DO NEVER FORGET HOLOCAUST.

🌍 The Network for Innovative Holocaust Education (NIHE): A Global Community of Impact 🌟 With nearly 200 members from 26 countries, NIHE is more than a network—it's a thriving, supportive community where every individual's contributions are valued. It's where we see you, learn from you, and grow together. For us, innovative Holocaust education goes far beyond the digital realm. While we celebrate members who have developed holograms, video games, AI projects, and virtual museums, innovation also includes: 🎭 Theater exploring the perspectives of the 3rd generation. 🎵 Preserving and translating Holocaust-era music into contemporary contexts. 🌱 Creating new memorials, like a garden, to remember and inspire. Innovation is about making Holocaust education relevant and impactful for today. 🔗 Monthly Meetings with a Purpose: Each month, we spotlight an innovative project or tool that challenges and inspires. This year, we’ve added a session focused on antisemitism today, equipping Holocaust educators with the knowledge and confidence needed to address contemporary challenges—whether discussing Israel or contemporary antisemitism. 💡 Collaboration is Key: Our members—scholars, educators, authors, artists, activists, and more—regularly collaborate, creating partnerships that amplify each other's impact. For me, this is the heart of NIHE: empowering everyone to succeed while fostering a sense of belonging. 🌐 A Digital Community That Connects: In every session, we see representatives from multiple countries, faiths, and cultures united by a shared mission. In an age where connection is more vital than ever, NIHE offers a space where you can belong to a group of skilled, passionate professionals working together for good. I’m deeply grateful for the friendships—both professional and personal—that have grown here. If you’re passionate about Holocaust education, I warmly invite you to join us. Together, we can make a difference. Register here: https://lnkd.in/dxn9CaPT #HolocaustEducation #InnovativeLearning #Antisemitism #GlobalCommunity #NIHE #networkforinnovativeholocausteducation #innovativeholocausteducation #networkinnovativeholocausteducation #community #digitalcommunity #holocaust #innovation