Holocaust Education Committee of the Quad Cities

Fall 2017 Lecture Series by Dr. Art Pitz. Free and open to the public.

Lecture 1: “ISIS Today: Dead or Alive?” – Davenport Public Library Eastern (6000 Eastern Ave.), Wednesday, Sep. 27 at 6:00 PM

Lecture 2: “The Shia Arc: Revival of the Persian Empire?” – Rock Island Downtown Library (401 19th St.), Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 6:00 PM

Lecture 3: “Israel & the Quad Cities: Academic & Business Partners” – Rock Island Downtown Library (401 19th St.), Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 6:00 PM

Lecture 4: “The Republic of Yemen: Devastated and Strategic” – Davenport Public Library Eastern (6000 Eastern Ave.), Monday, Oct. 23 at 6:00 PM

Actress and scholar Judy Winnick will perform as Alice Herz-Sommer in a one-act play entitled, Music and Hope: The Life of Alice Herz-Sommer.

Alice Herz-Sommer (1903-2014) was a world renowned Jewish Czech concert pianist who performed over a hundred concerts for her fellow prisoners in the Theresienstadt (Terezin) Concentration Camp, giving them beauty and hope.

Date: October 26
Agenda: 4:00-7:15 PM
4-5 PM: Registration, hors d’oeuvres and exhibits
5-5:45 PM: Holocaust educator presentations
5:45-6 PM: Break
6-7:15 PM: Judy Winnick as Alice Herz-Sommer. Q&A follows performance.
Event: 14th Holocaust Institute of the Quad Cities
Performer: Judy Winnick portrays Alice Herz-Sommer
Location: St. Ambrose University’s Rogakski Center (518 Locust St., Davenport, IA 52803)
Admission: Free and open to students, educators and the general public

Concert at Augustana College will be held at Wallenberg Hall at 2:00 PM on Sunday, November 19, which includes Janina Ehrlich from Tikkun on cello, Kara Bancks on clairinet and Charles Schmidt on piano.  This second concert (an earlier one was held in September) includes  music by Ludwig van Beethoven and Alexander Zemlinsky. Free and open to the public.

The Gordon Ney Jewish Film Series 2017 begins Sunday, Sep. 17, 4:00 PM at the Figge Art Museum Auditorium (225 West 2nd St., Davenport).

The films are:

• Sunday, Sep. 17 – The Women’s Balcony
• Sunday, Oct. 8 – 1945
• Sunday, Oct. 15 – Wounded Land
• Sunday, Nov. 5 – Harmonia

Admissions: Adults – $7; Seniors (60+) & Military – $6; Students – Free.
All tickets purchased at door.

Winners of the Ida S. Kramer “Children and the Holocaust” essay contest, sponsored annually by The Quad Cities Yom Hashoah Committee and opened to Quad City students in grades 7-12, have been announced. Winning essays are posted on the Ida S. Kramer Essay page.

1st Place: Grace Hipple, 12th Grade, Davenport Central HS. Essay titled “Fighting for Freedom: Simone Segouin’s Brave Resistance to Nazi Persecution.”

2nd Place: Noor Ain, 10th Grade, Davenport Central High School. Essay titled “Marion-The Lady Who Inspired Me.”

3rd Place: Amen Gabre, 12th Grade, Scattergood Friend’s School. Essay titled “Living Memory: The Holocaust’s History and Ethiopia’s Future” (Marion Blumenthal).

The winning essay will be read during the annual Yom Hashoah – Holocaust Remembrance Service – which will be held on Sunday, April 23, 2017 – 7 PM – at Temple Emanuel, 1115 Mississippi Ave., Davenport, IA.

The 2017 student winners of the Meyer and Frances Shnurman Holocaust Visual Arts Contest have been announced. This contest was open to all Quad City Area students in grades 7-12. Judges were Rowen Schussheim-Anderson from Augustana College and Rob Lipnick from Scott Community College. 25 students submitted entries.

“We are thrilled that there were 25 entries in total, in  only the 3rd year of the contest.  The entries again were overall so excellent, that it was very difficult for the judges to make their decisions.”   – Allan Ross

First Prize: Faith Mutum from Rock Island High School whose painting is entitled “Deliver Us From Evil.” Nominating teacher is Adrianna Corbey-Winn.

Second Prize: Agata Burzunska from Rock Island High School whose collage is entitled “Captive.” Agata is a foreign exchange student from Poland. Nominating teacher is Adrianna Corbey-Winn.

Third Prize: Sophie Utsinger from Bettendorf Middle School whose drawing is entitled “Yearning to Fly.”

The student prizes are $500 (1st); $200 (2nd); $100 (3rd); and gift certificates to a local art supply store for the teacher who provided guidance.

In addition there were 5 entries that received Honorable Mention:
Alexandria Shurk from Rock Island High School; Rayne Pyron and Payton Henry from the Creative Arts Academy of the Quad Cities; and Anna Stivers and Kara Hughes from Morning Star Academy. Each student received a $25 gift card to a local art supply store.

All entries will be on display at the annual Yom Hashoah Rembrance Program to be held Sunday, April 23, 7:00 PM at Temple Emanuel, 1115 Mississippi Ave., Davenport, IA.

Entries will also be exhibited at West High School, 3505 W. Locust St., Davenport, IA, during the first two weeks in April and at the Moline Public Library (dates TBA).