Host Jackie Congedo, CEO at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, joined this episode from her hotel in Jerusalem, where she was with leaders from Holocaust education centers around the world, studying and collaborating.
“Their son had a knack for connecting with people, and for seeing the humanity in somebody else, and for caring enough about another human being with a different story to ask about that story, to want to know more about it.” — Jackie, on meeting the parents of an Israeli soldier killed by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Now, they honor his memory by passing out packets of instant coffee, urging people to listen to people who are different than them.
Jackie and her co-host Kevin Aldridge, Opinion & Engagement Editor at Cincinnati.com talked about some of the people she met and the experiences she had during her time in Israel, including Holocaust survivors and their families. She was also very moved by her time meeting other leaders in Holocaust education, which faces multiple challenges right now – the loss of remaining survivors, rising antisemitism, and a growing gap in knowledge about the Holocaust itself.
During our taping, sirens went off in Jerusalem indicating a safety threat, and Jackie had to quit recording and take shelter. She is fine, and we were able to continue the episode. This brief interruption left us all with a greater sense of empathy for the daily realities that people on both sides of this conflict are living with right now and the incredible resilience required to sustain life there.
This episode touches on the human toll of conflict, the importance of preserving and learaning from history, and how even small acts can create ripple effects of empathy and understanding.
This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity
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Episode Resources
Visit us in person or online
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/
Removal of articles from government websites
https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/19/politics/pentagon-website-purge/index.html
Learn more about
The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference), a global nonprofit organization that secures material compensation for Holocaust survivors around the world
Kibbutzim https://www.britannica.com/topic/kibbutz
Druze community https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-812265
Dr. Eyal Kaminka and his wife Elena, on the loss of their son, Yannai at the hands of Hamas
https://time.com/6327936/israel-mother-son-death-hamas-war
https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2023/10/18/the-lead-elana-kaminka-jake-tapper-live.cnn
