Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation

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Inspiring the next generation through the history and life lessons of the Jewish partisans.

10/19/2026

Educator Webinar: Living and Surviving in the Jewish Partisans in collaboration with Echoes and Reflections

📅 October 28, 2026
🕓 4:00 PM ET

How did Jewish partisans survive in the forests of N**i-occupied Europe—and what can their experiences teach students today?

Join Sheri Rosenblum, Director of Operations, Development, and Programs at the Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation (JPEF), for an educator webinar presented in collaboration with Echoes & Reflections.

Explore JPEF’s Living and Surviving in the Jewish Partisans lesson for grades 6–12 through short films, firsthand testimonies, primary sources, and classroom activities. Discover practical ways to help students examine the challenges of survival under N**i occupation and explore the themes of resourcefulness, courage, resistance, and resilience.

The lesson and accompanying films are also available in Spanish!

📚 Gain classroom-ready resources and strategies you can use with your students.

Register today! https://info.echoesandreflections.org/living-and-surviving-in-the-jewish-partisans

10/14/2026

An Evening of Courage, Legacy, and Hope in Palm Beach

On October 8, the Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation (JPEF) gathered with supporters in Florida for a special evening honoring the legacy and the enduring lessons of the Jewish partisans.

Hosted by Abby and Larry Small, the son and daughter-in-law of Jewish partisan Allen Small (z''l), the evening featured a moving excerpt from Cantor Shira Ginsburg’s one-woman play, Bubby’s Kitchen, bringing to life her grandparents’ experiences as Jewish partisans. Remarks from the hosts and their son Scott about Allen and his commitment to JPEF's vital work brought many in the room to tears.

Together, we celebrated how the courage and resilience of the Jewish partisans continue to inspire young people to stand up against antisemitism, hatred, and indifference.

Thank you to our hosts, speakers, and generous supporters for helping JPEF carry this powerful legacy forward!

10/13/2026

Don Felson (z’’l) was just 16 years old when the Germans invaded Glubokie, Poland. Don narrowly escaped the June 1942 town massacre of 2,500 Jews, and he and his older brother Stan joined the Panamarenko partisan brigade.
After learning that their mother and younger brother were murdered by the SS, the two brothers intensified their armed campaign, dynamiting railroads and ambushing German convoys. They saved many lives by disrupting the N**i war machine and evacuating the wounded from behind enemy lines.
Learn more about Jewish partisan Don Felson, born October 12, 1925, here: https://www.jewishpartisans.org/partisans/don-felson

10/09/2026

When the Germans invaded Vilna, Noah Lewin (z"l) joined Abba Kovner's Jewish underground, the Fareynikte Partizaner Organizatsye (FPO). After the unsuccessful Vilna uprising and the FPO’s defeat, Noah took to the sewers with the rest of Kovner’s guerrilla force, escaping into the woods and setting up a base in Radnicka Puscja.
As a Jewish partisan, Noah became well versed in the arts of sabotage, cutting down telegraph wires, taking apart railroad tracks, mining roads, and conducting sniper attacks against German forces.
Learn more about Noah Lewin, born on October 11, 1916, and watch his video testimony here: https://www.jewishpartisans.org/partisans/noah-lewin

10/07/2026

The Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation honors the memories of all those murdered three years ago on October 7th, a day of horror and heartbreak. We mourn those who have died since that day and pray for the safe return of all the hostages. Never Again!
Image Credit: Jerusalem Post

09/30/2026

Fruma and Murray Berger were Jewish partisans who fought with the Bielski Brigade during the Holocaust. Their courage, resilience, and commitment to telling the story of Jewish resistance continue to inspire.

We are proud to announce the Fruma and Murray Berger Scholarship for Research on Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust, supporting educators who carry these lessons forward.

Apply by April 17: https://holocaustmemorialmiamibeach.org/announcements/fruma_murray_berger_scholarship/

Their story lives on through those who teach it.

09/29/2026

Today we celebrate Marisa Diena (z''l), born in Turin, Italy in 1916. When N**is occupied her hometown, Marisa fled into the mountains around Torre Pellice, Italy to join the partisans.
In the Italian Partisans, women served a unique role. Because most of the male partisans were army deserters, women were able to move around during the day without arousing suspicion. As a result, Marisa became the vice-commander of information for her unit.
During the day, she rode her bicycle around the countryside, collecting valuable intelligence from local informants. Nightly, she would return and report back to her commander, performing a crucial task that the men in her group could not.
On April 25, 1945, Marisa’s partisan unit worked to liberate Turin, while their comrades in other major cities did the same. Marisa stayed in Italy after the war, sharing her experience as a partisan with elementary school children.
Marisa is one of seven women featured in JPEF’s new lesson plan, Jewish Women in the Partisans, now available at https://jewishpartisans.org/content/jewish-women-partisans

09/28/2026

Born Chonon Bedzowski in the town of Lida, Charles Bedzow (z"l) and his family made a risky escape from the Lida Ghetto in 1942 and joined the Bielski Brigade in their encampment in the woods. At age 17, Charles became a Bielski partisan, collecting supplies for the group, scouting, and going on sabotage and ambush missions.
After the war, he met and married fellow Jewish partisan Sara Golcman Bedzow (z"l). Charles and Sara built a beautiful life together. Charles became a prominent real estate developer and philanthropist dedicated to promoting Jewish education and supporting the State of Israel.
He was the patriarch of a large, devoted family, including – three children, eight grandchildren, and thirteen great-grandchildren. Charles, JPEF's Honorary International Chairman, is featured in "We Fought Back," Scholastic's book about teen resisters during the Holocaust.
Read more about Charles here: http://www.jewishpartisans.org/partisans/charles-bedzow

09/25/2026

Sukkot is a time of gathering, gratitude, and remembrance. As families and communities come together to celebrate this meaningful Jewish holiday, we reflect on the importance of tradition, resilience, and community.

The Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation wishes all who celebrate a joyful and meaningful Sukkot filled with peace, happiness, and time spent with loved ones.

Chag Sameach!

09/24/2026

"I want to fight. I want to take revenge for my sisters and brothers and for my parents."
In July 1942, shortly before Gertrude Boyarski's (z’’l) 20th birthday, the Germans descended upon the ghetto in her hometown of Dereczyn, Poland killing more than 3,000 Jews. Initially taking refuge in an unprotected family camp in the forest, Gertie was her family’s sole survivor after her parents, sister and brother were murdered during the surprise attacks.
Gertie left the family camp to join a partisan detachment. She spoke the courageous words above to her brigade commander who then armed her with a r***e and sent her to guard their encampment alone for two weeks. Two weeks felt like two years, according to Gertie, yet she persisted and was accepted into the group. She fought as a partisan for three years, aggressively attacking German soldiers who came to the surrounding villages.
Gertie is one of seven women featured in JPEF’s new lesson plan, Jewish Women in the Partisans, now available at https://jewishpartisans.org/content/jewish-women-partisans

Address

2266 California Street
San Francisco, CA
94115

Website

http://www.jewishpartisans.org/, https://www.jewishpartisancommunity.org/

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