Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center

11/07/2026

We're just days away from reopening our Skokie Museum on November 11!

Curious about what’s new? In this ABC 7 Chicago segment, Kelley Szany, the Museum’s SVP of Exhibitions and Education, shares a look at the new additions and experiences awaiting visitors, whether it’s their first visit or a return to a place they know and love.

We can’t wait to welcome you to our beautifully redesigned spaces as we begin this exciting new chapter! Be among the first to experience the renewed Museum and reserve your tickets today: https://buff.ly/hyRfv6R

11/06/2026

Last week the Museum’s Young Professional Board hosted its signature fundraising event, YPB Presents A Luminous Night, raising more than $80,000 in support of the Museum’s student and educator programs, as well as future special exhibitions.

Thank you to our Luminary Award Recipient, Fenwick High School Social Studies Teacher, Julie Klein, who brings a bright light in teaching the next generation the lessons of the Holocaust and the dangers of antisemitism.

We’re deeply grateful to our Young Professional Board for creating such an inspiring evening, filled with purpose, generosity, and commitment to advancing the Museum’s mission of remembering the past and transforming the future. Learn more how to get involved with YPB: https://buff.ly/TptO9Mb

11/05/2026

To target a boycott of Jewish institutions on the 88th anniversary of Kristallnacht, when more than 7,000 Jewish-owned businesses, along with homes, schools, and hospitals, were destroyed is beyond alarming. Targeting an entire group of people for marginalization achieves nothing but hatred - we should reject that as a tool for advancing any cause.

ADL Philadelphia, American Jewish Committee Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and StandWithUs strongly condemn the "Boycott Ride" planned for Sunday, Nov. 8, at Rittenhouse Square.

Targeting Jewish-owned businesses because of their owners' identity, heritage or perceived political beliefs is antisemitism. These efforts to intimidate and exclude members of the Jewish community have no place in Philadelphia.

We encourage Philadelphians of every background to stand with these local businesses and show their support.

Philadelphia must be a city where everyone can live, work, worship and conduct business without fear of discrimination. Jewish-owned businesses are an integral part of our city's fabric, and they are not going anywhere.

Read the full joint statement: https://bit.ly/48zgwzy

11/04/2026

When Hollywood became a battleground for politics, who paid the price? Join us for the opening program of the Museum’s new special exhibition, Blacklist: The Hollywood Red Scare, an original exhibit created by and on loan from Jewish Museum Milwaukee, for a compelling conversation about the people behind this pivotal chapter in American history and how the blacklist transformed Hollywood, the films we watch, and the culture we share.

Featuring Thomas Doherty, cultural historian, Brandeis University professor, and author of Show Trial: Hollywood, HUAC, and the Birth of the Blacklist, alongside exhibition Curator Ellie Gettinger, with film critic and cultural commentator Richard Roeper moderating.

Explore the history, the human stories, and the lasting impact of an era when political beliefs could cost people their livelihoods.

Be among the first to experience the exhibition when it opens on November 15. Reserve your ticket: https://buff.ly/9OsNMMB

11/03/2026

Born in 1929 in Téscö, Czechoslovakia, George Brent was deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau in May 1944. His mother and brother were murdered upon arrival, while George and his father were selected for forced labor.

George endured multiple concentration camps, a death march, and unimaginable hardships before being liberated by American soldiers in May 1945. After reuniting with his father, he immigrated to the United States in 1949, went on to serve in the Air Force Reserves, and built a career as a dentist.

This week, step into George’s story and hear his testimony in his own words. Through the Museum’s virtual reality film Don’t Forget Me, experience George’s remarkable journey of survival, resilience, and remembrance.

Reserve your tickets now: https://buff.ly/jRu2TDF

11/02/2026

We're just nine days away from reopening our Skokie Museum on November 11! We’re counting down the days until we welcome visitors back to an experience that brings history to life, connects generations through the stories of Holocaust Survivors, honors the lives and futures that were shattered, and inspires us to turn remembrance into responsibility and hope.

In the meantime, take a behind-the-scenes look at the restoration of our core Karkomi Holocaust Exhibition, which explores the history of World War II and the Holocaust.

We can’t wait to welcome you inside to experience it for yourself! Reserve your tickets today: https://buff.ly/hyRfv6R

11/01/2026

Next Sunday, spend the afternoon reflecting on one of the major turning points in Holocaust history: "Kristallnacht", the night of broken glass.

On the night of November 9-10, 1938, wave of coordinated, state-sponsored violence swept across Germany, Austria, and the Sudetenland. This pogrom marked a devastating turning point in N**i persecution of the Jewish people. Synagogues burned.

Eighty-eight years later, we gather to remember this history through a special live presentation of selections from The Sparks Fly Upward, created by composer and librettist Cathy Lesser Mansfield. Featuring 13 singers, string quartet, piano, narration, and archival imagery, the work follows three neighboring families in Berlin, two Jewish and one Christian, as their lives are transformed by the events leading up to and including Kristallnacht. Grounded in extensive historical research and the experiences of those who lived through the Holocaust, their stories illuminate friendship, courage, faith, moral responsibility, and the choices people make when persecution reaches their neighbors.

This poignant afternoon will also include a candle-lighting ceremony featuring Survivors and descendants of Survivors, as well as memorial prayers and song chanted by Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz of Am Shalom.

Reserve your spot now: https://buff.ly/a8SdNWu

10/30/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our National Symposium, A World Made Possible, honoring America at 250 and exploring the enduring relevance of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms.

The afternoon brought together leading voices to examine what the Four Freedoms demand of us today and how these ideals can help guide us toward a more inclusive and humane future.

We’re grateful to Isabel Wilkerson, Jelani Cobb, Leslie Vinjamuri, Vernée Green, Maria Hinojosa, and Elisha Wiesel for sharing their insights and perspectives during this important conversation.

The Symposium also marked the first event in our newly renovated Lillian & Larry Goodman Auditorium, making the day even more memorable. We look forward to hosting many more inspiring programs and gatherings to this beautiful, state-of-the art space.

Explore our upcoming programming: https://buff.ly/dZyn1yv

10/29/2026

As we count down to the reopening of our Skokie Museum on November 11, we’re reflecting on the Survivor-led journey that shaped the Museum and continues to inspire its mission.

In this video, Holocaust Survivor and Museum founder Sam Harris reflects on why the Museum matters and the profound responsibility we carry to preserve and share Survivor stories for generations to come. Their voices are a lasting reminder of why we remember, what we must never forget, and how we can build a future rooted in understanding and humanity.

We look forward to welcoming visitors back on November 11! Learn more about our reopening: https://buff.ly/t52noaR

10/28/2026

Calling all educators! Be among the first to experience the newly renovated Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center in Skokie and earn 3 CPDU hours for attending!

For educators only, join us on November 9, from 4:30-7:30pm, for an exclusive open house featuring a first look at our transformed galleries and spaces, an introduction to the Museum’s student and educator resources, and practical tools to bring meaningful learning experiences into your classroom.

Educators will also explore Voices of Survival, an interactive online resource, and Mobile Virtual Reality experiences that bring history to life through the firsthand stories and testimonies of Holocaust and genocide survivors.

Teachers, don’t miss this opportunity to explore the Museum, discover new educational resources, and connect with tools that inspire the next generation of Upstanders.

Register now: https://buff.ly/Dctoynw