Lessons From the Holocaust

Protecting Each Other in Perilous Times

It is estimated that out of nine million Jews under Nazi domination, tens of thousands were rescued during the Holocaust by non-Jewish people. Many rescuers acted out of a sense of altruism, some acted out of deeply held religious beliefs or moral codes, while others acted in the spur of the moment.

Carol Rittner, Ph.D.

The Tulsa Council for Holocaust Education invites the public to the 27th Annual Yom HaShoah: An Interfaith Holocaust Commemoration on Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m. at Temple Israel, 2004 E. 22nd Place. Featured speaker Carol Rittner, Ph.D., a Catholic nun with the Religious Sisters of Mercy, will address the topic “Lessons From the Holocaust: Protecting Each Other in Perilous Times.” The commemoration is free and recommended for ages 12 and older. Registration is required.

A distinguished professor of Holocaust and genocide studies emerita and Dr. Marsha Raticoff Grossman professor of Holocaust studies emerita at Stockton University of New Jersey, Rittner has dedicated her life to her Christian faith and to understanding the circumstances that allowed the Holocaust and other genocides to occur. Since retiring from Stockton University in 2015, Rittner has taught several online graduate courses for Stockton’s M.A. program in Holocaust and genocide studies. She is the editor or co-editor of numerous books on the subject, including “The Courage to Care: Rescuers of Jews During the Holocaust” and “Different Voices: Women and the Holocaust.” Her newest title, “Stress Test: The Israel-Hamas War and Christian-Jewish Relations,” co-edited by John K. Roth, is due out in early 2025. Visit https://carolrittner.com for more information about Rittner.

2025 Yom HaShoah Music and Art

The commemoration also will include music selections embracing and reflecting the theme of the commemoration, performed by Lyndon Meyer, principal pianist for the Tulsa Opera. In addition, the commemoration will feature an exhibit of the winning entries from the 2025 Yom HaShoah Art Contest created by Oklahoma students of the Holocaust, a candle lighting ceremony honoring protectors and victims and survivors of the Holocaust, and a selection of Holocaust resources available for checkout from the Tulsa City-County Library.

The Holocaust Commemoration is presented by the Tulsa Council for Holocaust Education of the Jewish Federation of Tulsa in partnership with the Tulsa City-County Library, The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art, Congregation B’nai Emunah and Temple Israel.

Register for Yom HaShoah

Visit jewishtulsa.org/yomhashoah2025 to register for the commemoration or contact Sofia Thornblad at eat0@eau0eav0eaw0 for more details.