The 42nd Annual Quad Cities Holocaust Remembrance, known as Yom HaShoah, will be held Sunday, April 23 (7:00 PM) at Augustana College (639 38th St, Rock Island, IL 61201). The keynote speaker will be Dr. Ralph Troll. This event is free and open to the public.
June 26–28, 2023: Registration for the 2023 Conference is now open: Register now
2023 KEY THEMES: This year’s conference addresses two key themes critical to teaching about the Holocaust: Teaching with Evidence and Confronting Antisemitism.
| The Lloyd M. Burstein Memorial“Holocaust Film Series 2023” begins Sunday, March 12, 4:00 PM at the Figge Art Museum Auditorium, Sunday, March 12, 4:00 PM: “RESISTANCE” Sunday, March 19, 4:00 PM: “BALTIC TRUTH” Sunday, March 26, 4:00 PM: “SHTTL” Sunday, April 30, 4:00 PM: “RECKONINGS: THE FIRST REPARATIONS”. All of the films in this series have won multiple awards, and all have adult content. This series is also part of the Out of Darkness: Holocaust Messages for Today project. For more information contact aross@jfqc.org or (309) 793-1300. |
 “RESISTANCE”Sunday, March 12, 4:00 PM, Figge Art Museum Auditorium, 225 W. 2nd Street, Davenport, Iowa. He saved their lives in silence. Before he was the world-famous mime Marcel Marceau, he was Marcel Mangel, an aspiring Jewish actor who joined the French Resistance to save the lives of thousands of children orphaned at the hands of the Nazis. Jesse Eisenberg, Clémence Poésy, Ed Harris (Top Gun: Maverick), and Édgar Ramírez star in this compelling drama about a group of unsung heroes who put themselves in harm’s way to rise above hatred and oppression during World War II. As a young man growing up in Nazi-occupied Europe, Marcel has no intention of getting involved in the war—his pursuits include impersonating Charlie Chaplin in burlesque clubs, painting backdrops for his plays, and antagonizing his obstinate father. His life is thrown into upheaval when he is recruited into the French Resistance, putting his acting skills to the ultimate test in teaching orphaned Jewish children how to survive in the horrifying reality of the Holocaust. Based on the inspiring true story, Resistance follows the revolutionary tale of a selfless act that would forever change countless lives. See trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B48hwisZvEI 120 minutes – English – Biography/Drama (2020). Tickets available at the door. Adults $7; Seniors (60+) and Military $6; Students Free. For info call (309) 793-1300. |
 “BALTIC TRUTH”Sunday, March 19, 4:00 PM, Figge Art Museum Auditorium, 225 W. 2nd Street, Davenport, Iowa. Hosted by award-winning Israeli performer Dudu Fisher (Les Misérables), “Baltic Truth” exposes the tragic events of the first months of WW2 in the Baltic States and how almost the entire Jewish community of the occupied Baltic Nations was eliminated by face to face executions, one bullet at a time with assistance of local population, before the Final Solution, before Auschwitz, and before gas chambers. The film reflects the need for accuracy of Holocaust history, and does not allow the shifting of blame simply onto Nazis, and the exculpation of Latvian and Lithuanian perpetrators. Lithuania is the most egregious historical revisionist today. That government’s well-organized and systematic campaign to rewrite the history of Holocaust criminals seriously jeopardizes the international community’s efforts to preserve the truth of this dark period in history and thereby undermines efforts to prevent future genocide around the world. This film reveals the truth about the collaboration with the Nazi regime in the Baltic States; how neighbor turned on neighbor without hesitation, prompting a massacre of great proportions. Baltic Truth exposes how some national heroes involved in Holocaust crimes are being celebrated by their fellow countrymen to this very day. See trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeZEyWzyzjM 90 minutes – English – Documentary (2022) Tickets available at the door. Adults $7; Seniors (60+) and Military $6; Students Free. For info call (309) 793-1300. This film has adult content and has won many awards. |
 “SHTTL”Sunday, March 26, 4:00 PM, Figge Art Museum Auditorium, 225 W. 2nd Street, Davenport, Iowa. This ambitious and technically astonishing film tells the expansive, multi-character story of a Jewish village in Ukraine on the border with Poland 24 hours before Nazi Germany invades the Soviet Union. Shot in a single take in Ukraine, the film unspools with our knowledge of imminent terror and destruction looming, while at the same time focusing on the vitality of lives about to be destroyed. Featuring a remarkable cast that includes Moshe Lobel (who appeared in Broadway’s Yiddish Fiddler on the Roof revival) and Yiddish-fluent actor Saul Rubinek, this is a ruminative, philosophical work of naturalism that insightfully depicts a place brimming with vibrancy and the romance, politics, and intrigue of everyday life.See trailer: https://www.imdb.com/video/vi349750553/?ref_=ttvi_vi_imdb_1 114 minutes – Yiddish & Ukrainian with English Subtitles – Drama (2022). Tickets available at the door. Adults $7; Seniors (60+) and Military $6; Students Free. For info call (309) 793-1300. This film has adult content and has won many awards. |
 “RECKONINGS: THE FIRST REPARATIONS”Sunday, April 30, 4:00 PM, Figge Art Museum Auditorium, 225 W. 2nd Street, Davenport, Iowa. They met in secret to negotiate the unthinkable — compensation for the survivors of the largest mass genocide in history. Survivors were in urgent need of help, but how could reparations be determined for the unprecedented destruction and suffering of a people? Reckonings explores this untold true story set in the aftermath of the Holocaust. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Roberta Grossman, Reckonings recounts the tense negotiations between Jewish and German leaders. Under the constant threat of violence, they forged ahead, knowing it would never be enough but hoping it could at least be an acknowledgement and a step towards healing.See trailer: https://vimeo.com/672967408?embedded=true&source=video_title&owner=3039626 84 minutes — English/ German with English subtitles — Documentary (2022) Tickets available at the door. Adults $7; Seniors (60+) and Military $6; Students Free. For info call (309) 793-1300. This film has adult content and has won many awards. |
In conjunction with the Figge exhibit Sporting Fashion: Outdoor Girls 1800 to 1960, the Figge Art Museum presents four award-winning, ground-breaking, women-directed, feature-length films to celebrate the remarkable contributions and achievements made by women in the cinematic arts. FILM AT THE FIGGE is a Thursdays at the Figge program. Admission is free. – John Deere Auditorium.
Thursday, February 16, 2023, 6:30 p.m. – Canceled due to weather. Rescheduled Date to be announced.
SELMA (2014) – Directed by Ava DuVarnay
A chronicle of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965 to secure equal voting rights. Ava DuVarnay is the first African-American woman to direct a feature-length film. Awards: Academy Award nomination for Best Director; Academy Award for Best Song: Glory.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6t7vVTxaic
Thursday, March 9, 2023, 6:30 p.m.
Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005) – Directed by Miranda July
A lonely, single-parent shoe salesman and an eccentric performance artist struggle to connect. Awards: Cannes Film Festival: Caméra d’Or; Sundance Film Festival: Special Jury Prize
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t87QILBZd_I
Thursday, April 6, 2023, 6:30 p.m.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2016) – Directed by Celine Sciamma
In 18th-Century France, young painter Marianne, is commissioned to do the wedding portrait of Heloise without her knowing. Marianne must observe her model by day to paint her portrait at night. The two women become close as they share Heloise’s last moments of freedom before her impending wedding, which she dreads. Awards: Cannes Film Festival: Best Screenplay; Caesar Award: Best Cinematography; New York Film Critics: Best Foreign Language Film; Nat. Soc. of Film Critics: Best Cinematography
Trailer: https://youtube.com/watch?v=R-fQPTwma9o&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE
Thursday, May 11, 2023, 6:30 p.m.
The Farewell (2019) – Directed by Lulu Wang
When they learn that their grandmother has only a short time to live, a Chinese family schedules a wedding for all to gather before she dies. Based on an actual lie. Awards: Independent Spirit Awards: Best Film, Best Supporting Actress; Golden Globe Awards: Best Film, Best Actress; Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize Nominee: Best Director
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RofpAjqwMa8
POST-SCREENING WINE AND DISCUSSION: After each film, socialize and discuss the film with a complimentary glass of wine in the lobby just outside the John Deere Auditorium. ALSO: The bar is now open again on Thursdays!! The lobby bar opens at 5:00 for all to socialize before each Thursdays at the Figge program.
| Engage Students with Interactive Online Lessons. Inspire meaningful examination of the Holocaust in person or at a distance with interactive materials that prompt students to actively engage with the history and think critically about the questions it raises. |
| New Interactive Online Holocaust Lessons From the “Introduction to the Holocaust” and the “History of Antisemitism,” to “Analyzing Memes” and the “Challenges of Escape,” a variety of interactive online lessons, designed for learning management systems, inspire students to actively examine the Holocaust. View lesson plans >> |
For parents and educators who are home-schooling students in grades 7-12, here is a one class period lesson (with extended activities) from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum entitled: “History of Antisemitism and the Holocaust.”
R.O.I., produced by KALA and an affiliate of Public Radio International, has interviewed several local scholars on topics relating to the Holocaust. The show examines important events in history as well as current events through books, journal article, papers, and presentations. The guest and show co-hosts then discuss the topic with experts and history buffs who ask the question “How is it relevant or irrelevant in today’s world?”
Dr. Art Pitz was interviewed on the radio show R.O.I. in 2019, on the topic “History of Antisemitism and American Eugenics Movement.” His interview can be found at this link or click on the “play arrow” below.
KALA is operated by St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa. Shows air locally on Friday night on KALA 88.5 FM and 106.1 FM at 9:30 PM. After airing, the full program and web segment will be available as a podcast at: https://soundcloud.com/kalaradio
Other Holocaust-related shows on R.O.I.:
Mark Finkelstein – Holocaust Memorial in Des Moines
Rabbi Henry J Karp – One Human Family Program
Author Noah Lederman – A World Erased
Curriculum cases for teaching about the Holocaust in grades 6-8 are available for free checkout by Quad City area teachers. These cases were developed by the Curriculum Committee for the Jeff Leibovitz Special Collection of Holocaust Education Materials.
Flyer Curriculum Cases
Three curriculum case topics:
Case 1: “You Can Make A Difference: Teaching About the Holocaust”
Case 2: “They Made a Difference: Rescuers and Resisters”
Case 3: “Voices from the Holocaust: Diaries & Memoirs”
Cases 1, 2, and 3 are located at WIU-Quad Cities Library (3300 River Drive, Moline, IL). Call to schedule curriculum case checkout at 309/762-1598. No delivery service. Self pickup required. Website Case 1 is also available at Mississippi Bend AEA9 (729-21st St., Bettendorf, IA). Call to schedule curriculum case checkout at 563/359-1371. Iowa schools within the AEA9 district can request AEA9 van delivery to school building.
Date: April 1 & Oct. 1 (bi-annual deadline)
Event: Rauch Foundation Teacher Scholarship for Professional Development in Holocaust Education
Application: RAUCH SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION
Welcome to the website for the Holocaust Education Committee of the Quad Cities. The website pages include a painting of apple blossoms by actress Judy Winnick. It represents the apple tree where Irena Sendler buried jars filled with names of Jewish children rescued from the Warsaw Ghetto.
Judy Winnick visited the Quad Cities in September, 2013 and performed a monologue based on the life of Irena Sendler at area schools and public libraries. She was the keynote speaker at the 2013 Holocaust Institute of the Quad Cities. Judy Winnick returned as keynote speaker at the 2015 Holocaust Institute of the Quad Cities portraying Miep Gies. Judy returned to the Quad Cities on October 26, 2017 to portray the life of Alice Herz-Sommer at the 14th Holocaust Institute of the Quad Cities. Judy returned to the Quad Cities Oct. 2022 and performed as Miep Gies and presented a lecture on Ravensbruck.
Holocaust Education Committee of the Quad Cities 