CUJF Holocaust Education Center June Newsletter

The Auschwitz Experience in the Art of Prisoners

at McKinley Memorial Presbyterian Church from 6/22-29/2025

 

The traveling Holocaust exhibit, The Auschwitz Experience in the Art of Prisoners, will be displayed at the McKinley Memorial Presbyterian Church from June 22nd to 29th, 2025. This exhibit, created by the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, features artwork by 12 Holocaust survivors who documented their experiences in the Auschwitz Concentration Camp. 

 

You can find more information about this exhibit below in the HEC Events section of the newsletter, or at cujf.org/hec

HEC Events in April and May 

 

April and May were very busy months for the HEC, with a major musical event to support Holocaust education, the awards ceremony for the Through Their Eyes: A Holocaust Art and Writing Contest, Champaign-Urbana's annual Yom Hashoah commemoration, and more!

Musical Magic Live: $37,000 Raised to support Holocaust Education in IL

 

Through sponsorships, pledges, and ticket sales, Magical Music Live on April 6th raised over $37,800 for the Lilly and David Gingold Fund for Holocaust and Tolerance Outreach! This incredible success goes beyond a beautiful evening of music; it’s a powerful testament to what we can achieve together as a community. 

UIUC EDUC 201 Students Complete HEC Spring Volunteer Course 

 

Every fall and spring semesters for the past 3 years, the HEC partners with the UIUC Education 201 class to offer a volunteer course on teaching the Holocaust in compliance with the 1990 Illinois state mandate. Students spend the semester learning from our own HEC volunteers, speakers from our community, the ADL, and beyond. They also participate in a number of volunteer opportunities. At the conclusion of the semester, students present a final project on a rescuer/resistor, along with lesson plans for their future classes. 

 

This spring, the 7 students who completed the course gave wonderful presentations, and showed a tremendous effort when volunteering. All HEC educators were impressed by the level of work done throughout the semester, and are certain that students will use the lessons learned in this course in future university classes and when teaching their own students.

Through Their Eyes: Student Art & Writing Contest Awards Ceremony

 

The 2025 contest awards ceremony was held at the Cohen Center on April 6th. The HEC Contest Committee was impressed by the artistic expression and creativity of all the students who participated. Entries came from Champaign, Effingham, Moultrie, and Vermilion counties.

 

Congratulations to ALL the students who participated in our contest and our sincerest gratitude to all of those who helped students enter our contest. We are proud to announce winners of Best In Show below. 

BEST IN SHOW: ART - TIE
     Sarayu Papi Reddy for her piece "Sophie Scholl"
     Supporting Adult: Parent Shasikala Papisetty

     Madison Flexser for her piece "The Silent Tears from History"
     Supporting Adult: Teacher Lisa Bertetto

BEST IN SHOW: WRITING & FILM
      Hannah Needham for her piece "Memory: The Story of Roald Hoffmann"
      Supporting Adult: Teacher Yulia Cook

 

To read more about this contest, visit www.cujf.org/hec/tte

The HEC is still busy this summer preparing for the fall, so stay tuned for more updates on the Through Their Eyes 2026 contest, available traveling Holocaust exhibits, and an exciting initiative in Vermillion County!

 

Until next month, 

Azer Matten (They/Them)

CUJF Community Engagement Coordinator

Courtney Smith (She/Her)

Holocaust Education Committee Co-Chair

Dr. Carrie Franke (She/Her)

Holocaust Education Committee Co-Chair