where new technologies meet the old-fashioned art of storytelling

1 centropa annual reports 2012 & 2013 When I was a boy, I would listen to the stories of the elders of my tribe Nelson Mandela

2 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 3 The centropa Annual Report 2012–2013 Table Of Contents

Part 01 Part 02 Part 03 Part 04

Centropa In 2012 & 2013 06 Exhibition Openings And Public Readings 14 Centropa Education Programs 24 Expenses 2012 & 2013 62 The Only Oral History Institute With A Social Club 10 The Re-Discovery Of A Lost Master Of Photography 16 European Public Schools 26 Income 2012 & 2013 64 The Ones We Lost In 2012 And 2013 12 Centropa.org – A Jewish Museum That Visits You 18 Centropa Balkan Network 32 Donors 2012 & 2013 65 Centropa Film Program 22 CJN: The Centropa Network Of European Jewish Schools 38 Advocacy 67 Israeli Educational Programs 44 Centropa Staff 68 North American Public Schools 50 North American Jewish Schools 56

4 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 5 Introduction This annual report describes Centropa’s activities from January 2012 until the end of six, times or more, and most interviews lasted between six to twenty hours. We never 2013. The figures on the opposite page provide a glimpse of our accomplishments, used video in those interviews. Rather, we audio-taped and transcribed every word, which translate into thousands of students in twenty countries learning about other then digitized their family pictures while we quizzed them about the people in those CENTROPA IN 2012 AND 2013 cultures and working with students across borders and oceans; educators in those pictures: who are they; what’s going on here; whose wedding/school class/dinner countries creating projects that teach tolerance over intolerance, civic values over table is that; what happened to all these people and where are they now? prejudice and compassion for others. Twenty-two thousand times, on twelve hundred sofas, we held up a picture or a When we started our education program in 2007, we did not expect to be working document, asked those questions, entered keywords, then uploaded biographies in more than five hundred schools by 2013. These two annual reports, along with and annotated photographs into a searchable online database of Jewish memory. unique visitors come to our website annually our enclosed Summer Academy reports, will explain why we are expanding so rapidly. The result is something unique, something precious, and in the following pages, we 250,000 provide six excerpts with stories that span a turbulent century. Let us start by summarizing what makes Centropa unique. In the wake of the success of Steven Spielberg’s landmark film, Schindler’s List, several organizations launched Stories like these—so deeply human and so personal—draw readers in because they we held 2 summer academies for 160 teachers from 19 countries interview projects with Holocaust survivors. The Survivors of the Shoah Visual History are stories from real life—and that is why high school students and their teachers Foundation, the Fortunoff Archive, and several others video-taped tens of ­thousands on three continents embrace them. So do a quarter of a million other visitors who of elderly Jews in dozens of countries. Their goal: to ask Holocaust survivors to describe­ come to our website every year—to get lost in the stories we have captured, watch all they and their families had gone through during the years the Third Reich spread the films we have made from them, and use Centropa in the way that it was intended— We produced 4 films that were shown as official selections its cancerous shadow over Europe. as a library of rescued memories. Centropa was founded for an entirely different reason. Launched in the first year of the This annual report will describe all that we have accomplished in the most important in 9 international film festivals twenty-first century, our goal was to ask Jews still living in one particular area, Central twenty-four months since our founding, and I thank you for reading through this. and Eastern Europe, to paint a picture of the entire twentieth century—as they lived it. We asked them to share their stories of the towns they grew up in, the schools they Sincerely, went to, the jobs their parents had, the clubs they were members of. We asked them to

We curated and produced 6 exhibitions now traveling Spain, tell us about how they watched their world being destroyed and how they survived that destruction. Then we asked them about those very small worlds they patched Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, the US, and Austria together for themselves in the decades since. Edward Serotta

That means Centropa was not founded to commemorate the destruction of the Jewish *I realize that by stating the world of Jewish Central Europe been destroyed there world of Central and Eastern Europe.* Our goal was, and is, to build a digital bridge will be those who will counter with facts about the rebirth of Jewish life after 1989. 23 we organized workshops and weekend seminars back to a world that no longer exists, except in the yellowed old photographs and I understand the point, and this is something I described and championed as early personal stories of the people who once lived there. That is why we interviewed as 1991 in my first book, Out of the Shadows. But the Jewish communities in this for 340 teachers in 9 countries twelve hundred elderly Jews living between the Baltic and the Black Sea. That is why region today are not a continuation of their pre-war selves, and should not be den- we digitized twenty-two thousand of their old family pictures and documents. igrated by calling them "remnants." They are establishing a new model of Jewish identity as well as their own sense of community. The way we see it is that every one of these old souls is like a library unto themselves, and when they go, the library closes and they take with them the stories only they can tell. We were determined to find a way to keep those libraries open. To do that, Centropa’s oral history methodology had us visiting our respondents three, four, five,

6 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 7 six excerpts from the centropa archive: prewar, wartime, postwar

In Kiev, Dora Postrelko shared this story with Zhanna Jiri Franek shared this anecdote with Dagmar At the age of ninety-four in 2004, Katerina Litinskaya in 2004: Greslova in 2007 in Prague. Loefflerova met with Martin Korcok in Bratislava

In 2005, Magdalena Bizon interviewed Teofila Silberring My sister Hana [Gehtman] came down with tuber- I had been thrown out of the Communist party in the As for the changes in 1989 [Communism’s collapse] in Krakow nine times over the course of a month. culosis in 1936 but made a rapid recovery. Hana was mid 1960s and was teaching Soviet and Russian literature when the demonstrations started, I was on the streets Iosif Yudelevich, who was living in Kaunas in 2007, was engaged to Sasha Goldberg, and they planned to get in Charles University. In 1966 I got a call from Tübingen every God-given day. Every time Jan Carnogursky [lead- interviewed by Zhanna Litinskaya In 2005, Roza Kamhi shared this story with Rachel When those Soviet soldiers liberated us [from married after university, but life writes its own rules. I University in West Germany because they needed a er of the anti-Communist opposition] took the podium, Chanin about Bitola, in the Republic of Macedonia Ravensbrück], I flew to Krakow like a madwoman—on have always kept their pictures, taken in 1940. lecturer. They had had Russians lecturers, but they he scanned the crowd, saw me standing in front and Grandpa Avel owned a large hardware store [in Jonava] trucks, train, and by foot. It had all been so horrible were propagandists so they threw them out. Then they announced, "Mrs Loefflerova is here. We can begin." and peasants came to buy nails, horseshoes, fasten- The first time I traveled on a train was when I went to a [she had endured beatings, medical experiments and When war came [in July 1941] Sasha put us on a train brought in Russian emigrés, but they just ranted about ings, buckets, and other things like that. There was a moshav scout camp run by Hashomer Hatzair [a Zionist death marches] but I knew that if I could just get home heading east before going off to find his unit. We how much they hated the Soviet Union. That’s why they As for today. Antisemitism? I don’t want to say that it warehouse in the yard, as well as these huge scales youth group]. It was the first time I slept away from again, Dad and Henrik [her brother] would be waiting stayed in touch and Hana wrote him letters. We ended invited me, because I simply love all of Russian literature. got bigger, but it didn’t get much smaller. At the same on which peasants used to weigh cattle and then sell home; the first time I went out of Bitola. Oh good- for me and I could have my own room again, we would up in Kuibyshev, four thousand kilometers from home. time, I can say since the regime change, the world them to Grandpa. ness—looking back! It was the first time I bathed in a all be together and I could just go back to school and As winter came, Hana’s tuberculosis came back with a But then the changes came at home [Dr Franek is refer- here [in Slovakia] hasn’t gotten worse. That I can give clean, icy river and the first time I slept out all night pick up the life they took away from me the day they vengeance. She was coughing blood and in February ring to the Soviet-led invasion after the Prague Spring of my opinion without risk, that’s a plus. I always gave it This elderly Jew, Avrumke, he worked the scales for under the stars. shot my mother in 1939. 1942, they took her to a hospital where a Jewish doc- 1968 and the subsequent hardening of the Communist before, but I would be nervous after. Now I don’t worry longer than anyone could remember. He was always tor, a woman, told me Hana had only a few weeks left. regime]. I was summoned back. I could have stayed in and I say it everywhere, whether they like it or not. wrong, saying that the weight was less than the scales Kids from all over Yugoslavia came every summer, and But when I got there, I found another family living in Germany but I didn’t want to. When I arrived, they set showed. Then the peasants, who got really angry, each town had its own big tent. The kids from Zagreb our apartment and they slammed the door in my face. Hana died at night, on 14 April 1942. Some workers made up a meeting in the university and they threw me out of Our Jewish community has been re-organized for stormed off to complain to Grandpa and Grandpa were over there, Belgrade here, Vincovi there. We pre- And the janitor of my building told me she had already a coffin and a few men and I got on a truck to go and the party (again) then fired me for having been a ‘rich the better. I go to meetings and it's always crowded! tried to find out who was right. Avrumke invariably said pared our own food, learned and sang Hebrew songs, heard that Dad and Henrik were never coming back. bury my sister. We couldn’t get to the cemetery because Jew from Prague.’ That was the worst thing you could I never knew there are so many Jews in Bratislava so that the cow had just eaten and had a lot of food in made campfires, and told stories. We had very pro- the snows made the roads impassable, so we buried my be in their eyes. Never mind that my family had been I get to find out who’s who. I don’t go to synagogue her stomach. The food would be released soon, if you gressive ideas for that time and we discussed books, I stood there on Miodowa Street sobbing to the darling sister by the side of the road in the forest. desperately poor and that we never lived in Prague. often, and most of us, to be honest, we go mostly to know what I mean. Therefore he had to consider that talked about moving to Palestine and we worried about heavens and all I could think was: I wanted to go back ‘Rich Jew from Prague’ just sounded better. chat. In 1991, I took my first trip to Israel. Considering when weighing. No matter how much Grandpa scolded the Nazis. Because we had taught ourselves to be so to the camps. At least there I had had my bunk and I I answered Sasha’s letters pretending I was Hana be- what I have been through [her husband and nearly all Avrumke, he always did exactly what he wanted. Which self-reliant, when the war came, most of the kids in my had been somebody’s business. Then I went seeking cause I couldn't bear to tell him the truth while he was I ended up working for the railroad. I sat in a tower switch- her family was murdered in Auschwitz and she was lib- means, of course, the peasants would have been stu- Bitola group went right into the Partizans. We wanted a place to spend the night. In some ways, it was the on the front. When the war was almost over I told him. ing trains with one eye, and organizing a massive bibliogra- erated from Mauthausen], my reaction was that I had pid if they didn’t fatten their cows up beforehand. to fight. worst part of the entire miserable six years. He said he never wanted to see me again. phy with the other. Amazingly, no one ever got hurt. never encountered something so perfect. Could I ever live there? First, it’s a bit late in the day, but second, 8 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 no. I have too much Central Europe in me. 9 CAfe CEntropa the only oral history institute with a social club

In June 2006, the US and British ambassadors to Austria offered to sponsor an of one-hundred-sixty events, including five day trips to visit the Jewish communities afternoon event for the elderly Viennese Jews we had been interviewing. We sent of Graz, Baden, and Bratislava. out invitations to seventy of them; we received RSVPs from one hundred people, as friends of friends wanted to join in, too. We bring cookbook writers and novelists to speak with our elderly interviewees and their friends, as well as actors who read stories, musicians who perform. Our The ambassadors worked the room and gave heartfelt speeches; heavily laden Hannukah party and Passover Seder in Vienna draw more than one hundred fifty Viennese dessert trolleys wove their way around the tables; old friends showed seniors and their families. But most important is that in both Vienna and Budapest, each other pictures of grandchildren and great grandchildren. As we began winding we bring in school classes—sometimes up to fifty teenagers at a time—to meet with down around 6:00 PM, one of our interviewees asked loudly, "So can we meet again our seniors. The teachers have their students go to the Centropa website to read next month?" Everyone in the room applauded and nodded in assent. the biographies before they come, write down their questions, and then listen with rapt attention as history comes alive for them. The answer was: yes, and we have been holding monthly events in Vienna ever since. Soon after, we began doing the same in Budapest. In fact, we have had a total

10 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 11 CAfe CEntropa the ones we lost in 2012 and 2013

Hannah & Jindrich Lion, a journalist and Aron Neuman was born in Poland in Herbert Lewin was born in East Prussia Heinz Bischitz, born in 1932, grew up in translator, were born in the mid 1920s in 1917, fled to Palestine and worked as a in 1917, fled to Palestine in the 1930s and a rural village in Austria and was taken to Prague, fled the Nazis in 1939 and re- furrier and jeweler in Vienna. worked as a warehouseman in Vienna Budapest during the war by his father. turned in 1945. After the Soviet invasion of for half a century. Heinz worked as a businessman until he 1968 they fled again, this time to Vienna. retired.

Erwin Landau was born in Vienna in Hedvig Endrei was born in Budapest in András Rác was born in Kolozsvár, or György and Vera Preisz were born in When we lose them, it is like the closing of a library. But we do lose them, and we then served everyone coffee and cake as she went from table to table to speak to 1929, spent the war in Shanghai, re- 1915. She worked in catering and wrote Cluj, Romania, in 1926. During the war Hungary; György in 1922 and Vera in 1923. mourn their passing. These are the members of our Café Centropa clubs in Vienna each guest. turned to start a family and worked for a cookbook while in a Nazi labor camp, András was hiding in Gaudiopolis, a home György survived forced labor in Ukraine and Budapest who we have lost in 2012 and 2013. the Vienna Jewish community. which we published in 2013. Ms Endrei for Jewish children funded by Lutheran and Vera survived the Mauthausen- Here she is speaking with Aron Neuman and Richard Kohn. We lost Mr Neuman in died at the age of ninety-seven. pastor and righteuos gentile Gábor Gusen concentration camps in Austria. The picture above is one of our saddest. It was at a much happier time, on a 2011 and we lost Mr Kohn in 2013. In 2014, just as we were going to press with this Szthelo. András Rác worked as a painter They were married for forty-five years November day in 2009. The President of the Austrian Parliament, Barbara Prammer, publication, Barbara Prammer died of cancer, and we have lost a great friend. and mosaic artist throughout his life. until Vera passed away in 2012. György had held a special event for the members of Café Centropa. President Prammer followed her a few months later. took an entire afternoon off from her duties to give a tour of the Parliament, and

12 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 13 Public events Exhibition openings and public readings

At Centropa, everything we do is about stories. We spent a decade collecting them, Sarajevo exhibition was shown in the City Museum of Graz, in the Friedrich-Ebert When Wie Wir Gelebt Haben (How We Lived) was published in 2008 by Mandelbaum before the war, wartime, postwar. Vienna Stories is a compendium of Jewish memo- and our website, as described on the previous page, shares how we disseminate our Foundation in Berlin, and in three high schools in Austria. Verlag, Der Standard newspaper called this compendium of Jewish memory one of ry in Central Europe, and we are enormously proud of it. work over the internet. But there are also more traditional ways that work, such as the best books of the year. In 2013, we published the English language edition under traveling exhibitions, book launches and public film screenings that tell our stories, too. Thanks to a grant from the US State Department, in 2012 and 2013 we were able to the title Vienna Stories: Vienna’s Jews Remember the Twentieth Century in Stories Supported by the City of Vienna, the Austrian Education Ministry, the Austrian create exhibitions based on our Polish, Lithuanian, and Hungarian interview proj- and Pictures. Foreign Ministry and the National Fund, we held an evening in November 2013 Although our program on Sarajevo will be discussed in the educational section, we ects. All three exhibitions have been traveling their respective countries and will in the Hamakom Theater, to commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of can state that in the United States, Survival in Sarajevo: Jews, Muslims, Serbs and continue to do so for the next few years. Although we have well more than a dozen publications under our belt, Vienna Reichspogromnacht (Kristallnacht). Two of Vienna’s best known actors, Peter Matic Croats working together during the Bosnian War, 1992-1995, was shown in universi- Stories is our first major English publication: two hundred sixty pages of exquisitely and Dorothee Hartinger, each read excerpts from Vienna Stories while photographs ty libraries in St Louis and San Diego and five public schools in North Carolina and reproduced photographs, printed by one of Europe’s finest art printing companies. from those family stories floated by on a large screen behind them, and a pianist Florida. The exhibition was also shown in the Palm Beach School Administration Each of the three hundred photographs comes with a story told to us by one of the played softly. Moving, poignant, funny, and deeply sad, we brought the stories of and the Baltimore Jewish Community Center. The German/English version of the seventy elderly Jews we interviewed, and the book is divided into three chapters: Viennese Jewry to life.

14 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 15 Public events the re-discovery of a lost master of photography Some of the greatest names in twentieth century pho- tography were Hungarian Jews: André Kertész, Robert Capa (born Friedman) and László Moholy-Nagy (born Weisz). All three left Hungary before the dark times and they made their fame elsewhere.

Imre Kinszki was also a budding young Hungarian Jewish photographer, and while he, too, produced a remarkable body of work in the 1930s, he and his young family decided not to leave Hungary.

During the final months of the Second World War, while Imre Kinszki was staggering toward his end on a death march near Sachsenhausen, while his son Gabor was freezing to death in Buchenwald, Kinszki’s wife Ilona and his daughter Judit survived the horrors of the Budapest ghetto. As they ran from house to house, hiding from murderous Arrow Cross henchmen and ducking falling bombs everywhere they went, eleven- year-old Judit carried with her a carton of her father’s photographs.

Those pictures were all Judit and her mother would have of their father and husband, and after the war, they held them tightly. Imre Kinszki’s name, which had once burned brightly, faded entirely from view. The museum of Imre Kinszki was limited to two visitors and Chicago, Washington, and San Francisco have bought Gallery in Budapest, we supported the first major it was housed in a tattered box. Only when insurmount- them up, books are now being published. exhibition of Kinszki’s work, which was held in the able financial troubles reared themselves before Judit, Budapest Jewish Museum. It is an exhibition we hope a single mother living on a school teacher’s pay, did she Centropa interviewed Judit Kinszki several times over to see travel. relent to selling his photographs. the past ten years. We helped arrange the placing of a brass plaque (a stolperstein) in front of their home, we Slowly, starting in the late 1990s, Imre Kinszki’s pho- helped publish a book of Kinszki’s photographs. Most tographs began to get noticed. Museums in Paris, importantly, working with Attila Pocze of the Vintage

16 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 17 Centropa.org A Jewish museum that visits you Imagine that you’re planning a trip to Prague, Berlin or Budapest and you’d like to explore travel itineraries. Perhaps you are looking for one of those recipes Aunt Rosie and her friends were making in Arad, Romania, like chicken paprika or drunken plums. Let’s say you want to look at photographic portraits of stiff-backed Jewish soldiers in the Austro-Hungarian Army before 1918, or maybe you’d like to see pic- tures of where Central Europe’s Jews fled to before and during the Holocaust.

You might wish to read the accompanying biographies that come with every one of these pictures. If you’re a doctoral student needing to listen to scores of original language interviews you can, like eighteen other doctoral candidates did in 2012 and 2013, contact us and download those recordings.

All this is available on our website, Centropa.org, where twelve thousand photos and documents are already online, and another ten thousand are slowly being uploaded until all twenty two thousand annotated images are online. Of the twelve hundred people we interviewed in fifteen countries, more than half of their biographies are online, totaling some twenty-five thousand pages of text if you dared push "print."

This is how you can access an entire world, and by using the Advanced Search feature in our database, you can fine tune photographic searches to show Soviet Jewish soldiers, people dressed in Sephardic fashion, school and wedding portraits, vacation pictures, and documents such as wedding certificates, military commen- dations, and even deportation orders.

18 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 19 Centropa.org Centropa.org A Jewish museum that visits you blogs

Jayne Cohen author of the highly acclaimed, The Ruth Ellen Gruber, with some half dozen books on Jewish Holiday Cookbook, offers stories and reci- Jewish heritage and travel, has written two dozen pes covering the gamut of Jewish food—from the itineraries exclusively for Centropa, which give you simmering stews and hearty dishes from Lithuanian behind-the-scenes suggestions if you’re planning to and Russian Jewish kitchens to feather light, elegant drive from Vienna to Prague, or visit Krakow, or look for Sephardic communities in the Balkans. Sephardic dishes from Istanbul and Thessaloniki. E-Books

We now have a total of fifteen downloadable interactive books for iPads, or eBooks for your computer, and all of them were created from our most compelling interviews:

Teofila Silberring grew up wealthy and spoiled by her doting father in Krakow—until, The Turkish Jewish Reader This volume of personal stories and pictures, all tak- that is, the German occupation began. What makes Mrs Silberring’s story unique is en from a dozen of our interviews in Istanbul, is like a compendium of Sephardic that she never left that neighborhood in Krakow, save for the six years she lived in Jewish memory. It was assembled over the course of six months by Sherri Cohen of hell. She remembers it literally by door number, and paints a lively and compelling New York University, who is now working on her master’s degree in Jewish studies. story of middle-class assimilated Jewish life. The Lithuanian Jewish Readers The Jewish world of yesterday is all but gone in Although our film program is described on page 22, our multi-media films can all Whether you are interested in exploring Jewish history before a trip to Europe or We Lost Our Home, We Lost our Childhood is an interactive eBook created by Alex Lithuania; the shtetls are no more. That is why these volumes of stories make for be found on our website: both personal stories based on our interviews, like Teofila a teacher needing one-stop-shopping for your students, each film page comes Savits, one of our academic interns. Alex took the final chapter of Edward Serotta's such compelling reading. In 2006, our interviewer, Ella Levitskaya, spent half a year Silberring's story, pictured above, along with ten documentary shorts. with an online study guide with links to connect you with essays, articles, maps and 1996 book, Jews, Germany, Memory, off the printed page and brought it to iPad interviewing twenty elderly Lithuanian Jews. Most of them now live in Vilnius or photos. screens. We Lost our Home follows seven elderly Jews who returned to their rural vil- Kaunas, but they had all been born in pre-war shtetls. That makes them the very The films can be streamed or downloaded on our site, or be seen on our Youtube lages in the Mosel River Valley for the first time in fifty years. The book is available free last witnesses of a world destroyed, and these native-born Yiddish speakers paint channel and are available as free video podasts from the iTunes Store. as a downloadable book from Apple, as well as from Centropa. for us a picture of how life was lived: before, during, and after the Holocaust.

20 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 21 Centropa.org

Centropa Film Program Official selection Centropa’s USP—our unique selling point, as they say in marketing—is our film program. Whether they are documentaries that address a specific need teachers have asked us to fill, or our personal stories that are deeply emotional, all our most recent films have proven to be powerful and compelling. This is what digital storytelling is all about, and in 2012 and 2013, we produced four films that have been shown in nine film festivals, hundreds of high New York Sefardic schools, and in public showings, too. Here we describe the highlights of the past two years in our film program. Jewish Festival

Jewish Soldiers in the THE STORY OF THE KALEFS OF BELGRADE Austro-­Hungarian Army a CenTropa filM Official Official was produced to com- A bookstore in selection THREE PROMISES selection memorate the beginning a Jewish family running from the Nazis, a priest who took them in of the First World War. six chApters This short film shows just The sTory of renee and solon Molho Barcelona Jewish Warsaw Jewish how multiethnic the old Film Festival Film Festival empire was, once stretching from what is now Ukraine to the borders of Switzerland, from Galicia in today’s Poland to Dubrovnik on the Adriatic. Narrated by veter- Official Official an CBS Newsman Morley Safer, the film ends with, "It’s selection selection not that the Jews were monarchists, it’s just that they felt whatever came after the Empire would be so much worse. And, as we all know, they were right." Philadelphia Jewish New York Jewish Film Festival Film Festival

Maps, Central Europe A CENTROPA FILM Written by edward serotta visuals and sound wolfgang els narration by nina Molho and History is a seven WRITTEN BY EDWARD SEROTTA PRODUCED BY WOLFGANG ELS DIRECTED BY STEFAN SABLIC minute documentary Produced in cooPeration with the Jewish MuseuM Berlin and the Jewish MuseuM thessaloniki Official NARRATION BY SEKA SABLIC DURDIJA CVETIC NEBOJSA LJUBISIC Official that covers the sweep of selection selection history from the Treaty A Bookstore in Six Chapters: the Molho fami- Three Promises: the Story of the Kalefs of Belgrade of Vienna in 1815 to the ly of ­Salonika. For more than a century, the Molho This eighteen-minute film is now one of our most widely war in Kosovo in 1999. We bookstore was the intellectual gathering point of atlanta jewish shown in film festivals as well as in schools. When the New York Sefardic film festival Jewish Festival made this film at the request of teachers, who were Thessaloniki, or Salonika as it was called by Turks and Germans swept into Belgrade in April 1941, every Jew having a very hard time explaining just how Europe’s Jews. What most of its customers never knew, howev- in the city was marked for murder. Fathers and sons borders continued to change over the years. The film er, was that the most riveting tale could not be found were shot in firing squads; mothers and daughters met Official award of is narrated by Tim Butcher, a British-born journalist on its shelves, but how its owners, Renee and Solon selection their end in gas vans. How Dona Bat Kalef saved her two excellence living now in South Africa. Tim Butcher is the author of Molho, managed to survive the Holocaust. This unique daughters is the subject of this story. Lilith Magazine the recently released The Trigger, which tells the story story is told by their daughter, Nina, who narrates the wrote that Three Promises is "a valentine to a lost of Gavrilo Princip, the man whose pistol shots started film in three different versions: in Greek, in English, uptown Film Sephardic world, yet it is one that does not shy away The indie film the First World War. and even in Ladino. Festival from the destruction of that world." Festival

22 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 23 Education Centropa Educational Programs our four principles In 2006, we were working in exactly no schools; by the end of 2013 our educa- could take us back there: twelve hundred elderly Jews who told us about the world tional network extended to more than five hundred schools in twenty countries. they grew up in, the world they watched being destroyed, and then we asked them We cooperate closely with public school administrations in South Carolina, North to tell us about how they rebuilt their lives as best they could in the decades after. Carolina, Florida, and Texas. We plan programs with the federal education ministries of Serbia, Greece, and Austria. In 2012 the US State Department provided us with a We did not want to conjure up memories on how their families were murdered. $200,000 grant to expand our programs in Hungary, Lithuania, and Poland. We have Our goal was and is to show how they lived—through good times and bad—and created the first professional network for European Jewish schools since the 1930s; to create a tribute to this destroyed world, the world that gave us Albert Einstein we have forty schools in our Israeli network and two dozen active American Jewish and Sigmund Freud, Franz Kafka and Gustav Mahler, the very names that defined schools. Western thought, music, and literature in our time.

How did all this happen? There are two answers: first, back in the mid 2000s, when We will not see their like again and that is why teenagers in public schools in teachers began writing and asking what sort of education programs we offered, we Hungary, Lithuania, Serbia, Greece, and Poland (and the other European countries thought it logical to ask them to help us create programs they would use. After all, in which we work) want to embrace and own the stories from this lost Jewish world, in 2007 we had no educators on our staff and we figured: teachers stand in front because those stories belong to them, too. of their students every day and they’ve paid retail for their experience working with teenagers. Why shouldn’t we rely on them, since they know what succeeds We want Jewish students, no matter where they live, to find dignity in the stories our Stories are universal and stories No one teaches a teacher better 21st century students don’t want We don’t believe in borders and what doesn’t? Cooperating with and working alongside teachers has been our elderly Jews have told us, and we want teenagers in American public and charter connect us all than another teacher to learn passively; they want Maureen Carter, a school administra- leitmotif ever since. schools to find the magic in these stories, and then share their own stories with our 1 2 3 to create their own projects 4 Not only did we interview twelve hun- Many institutes offer teachers a boxed tor for Palm Beach County, is respon- students in Haifa and Hannover, Be'er Sheva and Belgrade, Tel Aviv, and Timisoara. and share them with students dred elderly Jews in fifteen countries curriculum and their seminars train sible for social studies in seventy-sev- The second answer is more complicated, and it lies at the heart of where Centropa everywhere and create a bank of films based on teachers how to use the contents of en schools. She is pictured here with has been and where we are going. That is how we felt when we started, and in the pages that follow, the data we pres- their lives, we established social clubs that box. We don’t train teachers; we Pictured above are students from a student in a Belgrade high school ent supports our idea that there is a need for this different approach to teaching for them in Vienna and Budapest, don’t have a boxed curriculum; we the Heschel School in New York and during her trip with Centropa to meet There is no dispute that the Holocaust is modern man’s single greatest crime, and 20th century European history. where school classes come to engage don’t have a box. We bring teachers the Zwi Peres Chajes Jewish School with Serbian students and teachers. since many schools have limited time (and resources) to teach what is often a them in conversation. And through together to brainstorm and share best in Vienna. They had just met with We now have a half dozen Serbian and mandated subject, a large percentage of Holocaust education programs focus on As Vasily Grossman wrote in his masterpiece, Life and Fate, "The mind is a very diffi- our education programs, students on practices with each other, like these Holocaust survivors in Vienna, then Florida schools carrying out programs the crime itself, the destruction of Jewish life. Many teachers rely on short video cult thing to open. If you want to open the mind, go through the heart." Our educa- three continents not only learn from teachers from rural Hungary. they came to our office to create their together. clips of Holocaust survivors describing what they went through on Kristallnacht, in a tional programs are meant to take every teacher, and every student, and open the these universal stories of growing up, own podcasts and videos based on concentration camp, in a ghetto. Most of the educational programs they use have doors to their hearts, and their minds, by letting our elderly storytellers regale them surviving the unspeakable, and starting those meetings. been provided by institutions founded specifically to commemorate, study, and with anecdotes about the twentieth century and how they lived through it, despite over, but they connect to each other document the Holocaust itself. all that history threw at them. We believe they have much to teach us. The follow- through projects designed around ing pages highlight what students and teachers are learning in our six educational these stories. Centropa was not founded as a Holocaust-specific project. We wanted to bring networks. to life the stories of an entire century but especially the world destroyed by the Holocaust. Because that world is no more, we sat down with the only people who

24 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 25 Education European public schools Everyone reading this report is deeply concerned about antisem- they help us develop and the seminars we hold, Centropa has itism in Europe. Concern is one thing. Doing something about it is changed the way they teach. another, and as we are working in hundreds of European schools, we believe we have much to add to the conversation. Another reason: students entering middle and high school in these countries today weren’t even born in the twentieth century. They There is even good news to share, and some will probably be sur- have come of age in countries that are proud members of NATO prised to learn that in former Communist countries, in those lands and full participants in the European Union. The twin scourges of that had enormous pre-Holocaust Jewish communities, there is an Nazism and Communism do not weigh on their young shoulders. ever-growing interest in local Jewish history—so much so, in fact, While their parents were terrified of even asking for permission to we at Centropa can barely manage our growth. In Poland in 2012, travel to western Europe, seventeen-year-old Poles hop on a train for instance, when we offered a weekend seminar and had facili- to attend a rave up across the border in Germany while uploading ties and a budget for fifty teachers, well more than one hundred blogposts and selfies, and tweeting to their friends, many of whom applied. In Macedonia, one hundred-twenty teachers applied for have gone off to Sweden or Norway to do the same. forty places. Trying to tell young Poles and Lithuanians the horrible things that Among the reasons for the burgeoning interest: we have reached happened to Jews in their country might have worked in the old that point in time when very few teachers today were working un- days, but it doesn't work now, and those who try to use guilt as The family stories bring history der Communism twenty-five years ago. These younger educators a teaching tool eventually find it functions like a boomerang. But closer to students. After we feel that learning about their towns’ Jewish history is a way of con- when you ask those same young Poles, Hungarians, and Lithuanians used Centropa, for the first necting to their own history, cutting away those four soul-draining to create videos on Our Town’s Jewish History—and to make those time, my students weren’t decades of Communist rule. Although most of them were not films in English—and share them with teenagers in Israel, Germany, thinking that Jewish history teaching before 1989, they certainly were students back then, and or the US, real learning takes place. That is because these teens was only about the Holocaust. Jewish history was locked away from them—and they knew it. Not aren’t passively learning anything. They are taking history and cre- That is quite a change, be- any more. In today’s world, thanks to seminars conducted by Yad ating their own responses to what they are learning. And by getting cause until Centropa it’s all Vashem (Israel’s Holocaust Museum) and others, these teachers to know the people in Centropa’s films, databases and exhibitions, we had to offer them: victims. have learned much about the Holocaust and they are primed to they very quickly get to where we want them to be: understanding Now we offer them stories of move to the next step. that the Holocaust deprived them of their history, too. world class photographers, army officers, business people, That is where Centropa comes in, with films telling family stories and Orthodox families living in stretching back a century and detailed study guides available at small towns. We have a world. the click of a mouse and even historical lectures on video and scores of Centropa biographies that are set in their countries. Andrea Komódi As you will read in the quotes from our Hungarian, Polish, and Mezoberény, Hungary Lithuanian teachers on the following pages, because of the tools

26 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 Education logic model: European public schools the goals we set The tools we use Seminars to implement those tools Exhibition openings outputs created Outcomes achieved

help teachers and students under- at least one multi-media film set in March 2012 May 2013 Poland February 2013, Eötvös József after attending our seminars increased student apprecia- multiplied the number of stand that their country’s Jewish histo- nearly all of these countries Evangelical High School, and Summer Academies, tion and willingness to stand schools using Centropa in Munich, Germany, half-day workshop for Vilnius, Lithuania, 42 teachers, 2.5-day March 2012: Galicia Jewish ry belongs to them Sopron teachers create lesson plans up for others, whether it in- cross competency platforms 14 history­ and social studies teachers seminar Museum, Krakow traveling exhibitions that visit their based on Centropa films volves racial minorities, other (something still rare in many April 2013, ELTE Radnóti Miklós provide films and projects that will en- schools or local public libraries (we Budapest, Hungary, 28 teachers, 2-day Budapest, Hungary, 38 teachers, 2 days May 2012: public library, Opole which they share with other ethnic groups, or antisemitism countries) School, Budapest able students to embrace their coun- now have exhibitions created for seminar for Hungarian teachers teachers in our European Warsaw, Poland, 60 participants, 1-day October 2012: AVI Liceum try’s Jewish heritage as their own, not Romania, Czech Republic, Hungary, September 2013, Weöres network expanded student interest in upgraded skills of students Krakow, Poland, 39 teachers, 2.5-day town hall meeting with ministry officials, Ogólnokształcace im. as an "Us vs. Them" story Lithuania, Poland, Spain) Sándor Theater, Part of Jewish sites in their towns and who now communicate more seminar awards for student film competition Króla Zygmunta Agusta w the Tolerance Festival, student-made videos, graph- their towns’ Jewish history, in- easily in English and use new Białymstoku, Bialystok raise awareness of and belief in stand- web pages and content in eight lan- Szombathely ic novels, and exhibition cluding now caring for Jewish technologies more readily October 2012 October 2013 ing up for the powerless and the value guages November 2012: M. Kopernik projects, which they make sites December 2013 Lauder Javne of civil society Bialystok, Poland, 47 teachers, 2.5-day Gijon, Spain, 22 teachers, 2 afternoon High School, Zywiec" in response to our films and facilitated partnerships with School, Budapest an enormous database of Centropa seminar sessions as part of Casa Sefarad semi- databases boosted teacher confidence schools in different countries April 2013: Museum of the by partnering with students in interviews and pictures set in each of nar for Holocaust education in teaching 20th century Pecs, Hungary, 39 teachers, 2.5-day ­History of Polish Jews, Warsaw Lithuania Centropa schools in Israel and the US, their countries joint projects that teachers Jewish history beyond the seminar we want European students to have a November 2013 December 2012: Jewish and students make in Europe Holocaust because we have Hungary broader view of the world and a better Community Center, Vilnius in partnership with our provided them with easy-to- Skopje, Macedonia, 22 educators from Teruel, Spain, 14 teachers, 2 sessions understanding of multiracial societies March 2012, Holocaust schools in North America and access, web-based content Macedonia and Serbia, 2.5 days as part of Casa Sefarad seminar for April 2012: Ryto High School Memorial Center, Budapest Israel Holocaust education Druskininkai improved teacher skills using November 2012 September 2012, Wesselényi May 2012: Plunges High new technologies in the class- December 2013 School, Budapest Vilnius, Lithuania, 38 teachers, 2.5-day School, Plunge room workshop Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 69 October 2012, Zsolnay September 2013: Žemynos teachers, 2 sessions as part of Casa Cultural Quarter, Pécs London, Great Britain, 23 teachers, high school, Vilnius Sefarad seminar for Holocaust education afternoon workshop with the Centre October 2012, Apáczai November-December 2013: for Holocaust Education Valencia & Barcelona, Spain, 60 teach- Educational Complex, Pécs University of Mykolas Riomeris, ers, 2 sessions as part of Casa Sefarad November 2012, Széchenyi Vilnius December 2012 seminar for Holocaust education István High School, Pécs Belgrade, Serbia, 33 educators from Budapest, Hungary, 22 teachers January 2013, Klebersberg Serbia and Macedonia, 2.5-day seminar Kúnó High School, Budapest Budapest, Hungary, 39 teachers 28 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 29 Education feedback: European public school teachers During our seminar, after watching our films and viewing our exhibitions, Independent Lithuania between the wars. After attending this seminar I think it If you attended another seminar, please tell us how the Centropa seminar we had you work on lesson plans with other teachers from different would be much more important to teach about Jewish daily life in our country you attended differed. schools. Did you find this approach—sharing best practices with your before and after the war. This would raise the interest and enrich the knowledge At the Centropa seminar, there was more emphasis peers—to be effective? of my students because once they see Jews as part of our society then they on personal stories actively want to explore what their fate was during the Holocaust. Your approach 69% is radically different. At the Centropa seminar, we worked more among Gita Baltutiene, Druskininkai 71% ourselves to create lesson plans we could use

Lithuania Poland Hungary At other seminars, we were trained to use specific lesson plans whereas at Centropa we were given From Poland 59% the opportunity to create our own plans The movie about Teofila Silberring [born and died in Krakow; worked for Schindler; experimented on in Auschwitz; returned home and refused to leave her old Yes, by working with other teachers on a Centropa lesson plan, I was able to neighborhood] made quite an impression on my students, as well as my fellow I used the exhibition, and the ideas we created in the seminar. We used photos create one I could use with my students teachers. Some even cried, because after the war, Mrs Silberring went looking for and stories from the website. At the end my students used the sources of the every Pole who gave her any kind of help when she needed it, so she could help website better than I ever did. They were showing me stuff but the most import- I found this somewhat helpful them. Nearly all our teachers and students took notice of the words her father ant thing about this: they wanted to look through your site. They were learning From Hungary It was a waste of time told her just before they took him away, "always keep learning, Tosia!" The idea from it and finding that its graphics, its photos, and its films were talking directly I did not participate that you have to be courageous and strong in any circumstance really effected Long-term engagement—that’s what describes Centropa best. They follow up to them. This is the best way to teach the Holocaust because it’s so much more the girls in my class. with the teachers, and maybe they are the only ones who do not focus only on than that. It’s Hungarian history, told in Jewish stories. Beata Gendek-Barhoumi, Czestochowa the seminars but also the lesson plans and projects the teachers do afterwards. I Eszter Matus, Budapest From Lithuania cannot emphasize this enough. At almost every other seminar, we teachers listen, After attending your seminar [December 2012], I really do now have to rethink The students were mostly interested in the Centropa exhibition. It surprised go home, and that’s the end. I remember getting a call from Marcell and at first I The students were reluctant to get involved with the exhibition, because this every lesson plan I made before. Before, I had been trained to use hand-outs, them; it didn’t present stereotypical ideas. The most surprising thing to them thought something was wrong. I laughed when he said he wanted to know what is such a delicate subject. Then they went to your exhibition and watched the to lecture, to pass out facts and figures and review the horrible things about was the panel pertaining to the army—the topic of Jews in the Polish army is Centropa could do for me. Hungarian Centropa films, and at the end they were the most enthusiastic stu- the Holocaust. I believe there is value in that, but you really don’t reach as a subject that isn’t very well known. They loved those pictures showing ordi- Bernadett Csehi, Sopron dents I have ever seen. After they studied the stories and showed the exhibition many students as you do when you show them a story like Ranana Malkhanova. nary life, families, and children because they have those very same pictures at to other students they asked me if we would have the exhibition next year. That Here they meet a woman who could be their great-grandmother. Here they home. Because of Centropa I was able to cooperate with two other colleagues from Sopron, isn’t an output. That’s an outcome. meet a Lithuanian family who saved her. Here you see Ranana translating for Aleksandra Bura, Zywiec and when the exhibition traveled to our town we planned everything together. We sat Éva Hajnal, Pécs our Parliament when we became independent. In a single weekend, Centropa around and were able to bring all our ideas to the table. I would like to be clear: I nev- changed the way I look at teaching what had been a very difficult subject. Here is all you need to know about how slack-jawed my students got in walk- er cooperated with anyone from another school before and I know that is true for Students identify with stories, it makes history personal. Learning dry facts cannot Dangis Varankevicius, Vilnius. ing through the Centropa exhibition. One of my students, one of the cool boys teachers everywhere. We come to work, we teach, we think, we plan, we go home. do the same. One has to take into consideration that students have a very deep in class, came over to me shaking his head. "I didn’t know Jews went to the But to form a team with other teachers in my city, my country and other countries? I emotional life. Once you understand that you will be a much better teacher. And In our curriculum, the way it has been mandated, only Holocaust is emphasized beach," he said. I can promise you, this is how you smash stereotypes. thank you for that! Centropa understands that perfectly. and truly nothing more. You just don’t find any information about Jewish life in Mariusz Sokolowski, Bialystok Zsolt Vódli, Sopron Éva Juhász, Zalaegerszeg

30 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 31 Education centropa balkan network Just when the other countries in Central and Eastern Europe Slovenia, some in Croatia, and the Vojvodina region of Serbia), it is were throwing off the mantel of Communism like a garment that the fascinating and tragic story of the Sephardim that haunts the no longer fit, adopting democratic rule, and developing market Balkans to this day. economies, Yugoslavia began the 1990s by launching into a decade of ruinous ethnic nationalistic wars. Nearly every city of size, and a great many small towns, once had Jewish shopkeepers, bookstore owners, doctors, traders, and While Foreign Direct Investment stayed away from what we now pharmacists, and for the most part, they were wiped out during call the western Balkans during the 1990s, the FDI that rushed into the Holocaust. But there are facts about Jews in the Balkans that the region in the early 2000s withered when the economic crisis stand out and draw us in: hit in 2008. At this writing, the economies remain in shambles, unemployment has stayed stubbornly high, social benefits are be- • Jews under Ottoman rule never lived in a ghetto, there had ing cut and corruption is rampant. Nationalism and ethnic hatred never been a pogrom against them, and they were integral to The most meaningful part of still flare; they are twins that sleep lightly. Civil society was dealt a the societies in which they lived; the seminar was the part when near-fatal blow in the 1990s; it is now barely standing on less than our colleagues from Serbia stable legs. • while most Yugoslav Jews were indeed murdered during the and all over Macedonia could Second World War, four thousand five hundred sought refuge show the films and projects Yet as bad as things are, our teachers in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, with Tito’s Communist Partizans, and three thousand of those their students were making on Republika Srbska, Serbia, and Macedonia are among the most joined in active battle. Indeed, one hundred sixty Jews were Sephardic Jewish history. It dedicated, innovative, and committed educators in our entire awarded medals for bravery, and even Tito’s right hand man, gave all of us the confidence network. Some of them earn as little as $500 per month, yet those Moshe Pijade, was Jewish, as were three of his generals. No to feel that I can do this, too. are the ones we hear from (by email) at midnight or after, when other partisan army can make that statement; The fact that you actually had they have an idea or want to query us on a project they’re working students showing us their own on. • and when war came to Bosnia in 1992, the tiny Jewish com- projects made it that much munity of Sarajevo refused to take sides and reached out to better. And something else: I While citizens of these war-ravaged societies find speaking of help everyone (we discuss this in our Summer Academy 2014 our film Three Promises: The Story of the Kalefs of Belgrade, about two Serbian In 2012 and 2013, we could have accomplished very little without our partner just don’t have the chance to the horrors of the 1990s nearly impossible (keep in mind that our report). The fact that a band of Holocaust survivors wanted to girls saved by a Slovene priest living in Belgrade. As for Survival in Sarajevo, the film organization, The Holocaust Memorial Center of the Jews of Macedonia. Working meet teachers from Serbia, teachers in Spain still do not speak of the civil war of the 1930s), aid and shelter Muslims, Serbs, and Croats makes this story ex- we made on La Benevolencija, the Sarajevo Jewish community’s non-sectarian aid with the very able staff of this remarkable new museum—the largest Holocaust Bosnia, Croatia, and Slovenia, our Balkan teachers are genuinely interested in the Jewish thread ceptional—and compelling for every person living in the Balkans. agency of the 1990s, this film is used everywhere in the region. museum between Yad Vashem and Memorial de la Shoah in Paris—we conducted and I thank you deeply for that runs through Balkan history, from Split on the Adriatic to four seminars in Skopje, two for Macedonian teachers and two for teachers from that. Please continue bringing Thessaloniki on the Aegean. The key to success is providing teachers and students in these After our students in the western Balkans watch these films, we then challenge Macedonia, Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. We also now work closely with La us together. lands stories to share, and in 2012 and 2013, we produced two them to create videos on their towns’ Jewish histories, and to make those films in Benevolencija in Sarajevo, and the Serbian Education Ministry. In 2014 we will begin In short, Balkan Sephardic history gives these teachers and their films based on two powerful family stories: the story of Beno and English so we can share them with students in other countries, too. Knowing that working in Republika Srbska and in Croatia. Ljubinka Gjurova, students a bridge on which to meet, a place they would otherwise Roza, two teenagers in Macedonia who fell in love, joined the their stories are being watched and appreciated by teens in other countries means Shtip, Macedonia not venture. While there were some Ashkenazi Jews (especially in Partizans, and fought back in every way they could. We also have the world to them.

32 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 33 Education logic model: balkan network the goals we set The tools we use Seminars to implement those tools outputs created Outcomes achieved

create a network that gives teachers at least one multi-media April 2012, Skopje, 9 high school students, 8 teachers Student-generated videos of the increased appreciation for and willingness to stand and students throughout the Balkans film set in each of these Belgrade, teachers and education ministry officials Jewish history of their hometowns and up for other ethnic groups in this war-ravaged land a sense of belonging where they feel countries also their own family histories, which secure in exploring tolerance issues May 2012, Vienna, education ministry officials and they narrate in English expanded student interest in Jewish sites in their and civil society through a Sephardic traveling exhibitions that teachers towns and their towns’ Jewish history Jewish lens cover all of the Balkans Graphic novels based on the inter- July 2012, Centropa Summer Academy 2012, 12 views Centropa conducted throughout boosted teacher confidence in teaching 20th century help teachers and students under- web pages in their lan- Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian education ministry the Balkans Jewish history stand that Sephardic Jewish history guages officials & teachers belongs to all of them and embrace it Exhibition projects that students improved teachers skills at using new technologies as their own Centropa interviews, October 2012. Skopje, 3 day seminar for 30 create whenever Centropa exhibitions complete with pictures Macedonian teachers come to their schools or towns an expanding number of schools that use Centropa in provide educators throughout the re- and stories, set in their cross competency platforms such as English, litera- gion with tools for teaching the impor- countries December 2012, Belgrade, 3 day seminar for 40 ture, history, and technology (something still rare in tance of standing up for the powerless Serbian, Macedonian, and Croatian teachers many countries) and the value of civil society May 2013, Skopje, 70 Bosnian, Macedonian and upgraded student skills in English language and new connect Balkan students with our Serbian teachers technologies multiracial and multiethnic schools in America, something they do not have July 2013, Centropa Summer Academy 2013 in Berlin, strengthened cooperation between the ministries, in their countries, and this is a corner- 12 Bosnian, Macedonian, and Serbian education schools, teachers, and students in each country stone for any sort of tolerance pro- ministry officials and teachers attended this 1 week gram and civil society education Academy

August 2013, Sarajevo, 1 day workshop for 12 Bosniak teachers,

34 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 35 Education Feedback: balkan teachers This seminar offered fresh ideas about how to make teaching better and more During the seminar we divided you into smaller groups. We wanted you interesting. It would be a good idea to organize more Centropa seminars in other to work on lesson plan ideas based on educational films—and then share towns all over Macedonia. We have to introduce more teachers to such method- with each other. Did you find this useful? ologies, so that they will adapt them in their classrooms. Absolutely Vlado Kuzmanovski, Bitola, Macedonia To some extent Using Centropa’s educational films in the classroom is a very effective teaching Not at all tool. Students find such methods very appealing and they can learn Jewish history I was not there and culture much better this way. Ferdi Baftija, Skopje, Macedonia

We exchanged ideas, gave different opinions and shared best experiences of how Which of the following films—that we showed during the seminar—will you we might use the Centropa film on the two Jewish partisans in our classrooms. use in class (if you are a teacher) / will you recommend to teachers (if you This is a very useful way of implementing new ways for finding the right tools to are a school director, education ministry official or other multiplier)? use with our students—by working together. Daniela Sterjova, Skopje, Macedonia Beno and Roza Three Promises Using new media is a more proper way of presenting ideas to young people. We also have to teach them critical thinking, and these methods give us the ability to do so. Survival in Sarajevo Ivan Nedeljkovic, Kragujevac, Serbia A bookstore in six chapters

I think that this film (Survival in Sarajevo) could be presented to students as a compulsory part of civic education. I will definitely offer this material to my col- leagues who teach civic education. Centropa’s goal is to present Jewish history and culture in a broader Lidija Županic Šuica, Belgrade, Serbia way than the Holocaust itself. Do you feel that we did an adequate job of presenting 20th century Balkan Jewish history in ways you can use in class? Both films (Three Promises and Survival in Sarajevo) have a very human and moral Yes perspective, they talk about tolerance and overcoming the differences in hard times – about courage to help other people despite danger and sacrifice. All To a certain extent teachers should include this moral lesson more often in their classrooms. Any of Serbia macedonia Not really these films could be used in teaching because they deepen empathy and under- standing of circumstances in present and past times, as well as the common life of Jewish and other people. Marko Dimitrijevic, Nis, Serbia

36 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 37 Education CJN: the Centropa Network of European Jewish Schools Although Centropa does not work in France or Belgium, there are be sending him to the Lauder school. "Huh? But that’s for Jewish more than fifty community Jewish schools (meaning, non-Ortho- kids!" he told them, laughing. They looked at him. He looked at dox) in the rest of Europe. Before 2011, there was no professional them. And so the same conversation that has been taking place development program that brought teachers from these schools throughout Central and Eastern Europe started around the together to study contemporary Jewish history and new technolo- Kenesei kitchen table—about the grandparents who died early and gies. Our goal was to establish one. never spoke about the past; about the small size of their extended family compared to everyone else; about how, under Communism, There are several reasons for this deficit. First, more than thirty of it was better to keep one’s religion tucked away. these schools did not even exist before the fall of Communism in Central Europe and the former Soviet Union, and second, before From that night on, Marcell threw himself into Jewish life. He at- the flood of Soviet Jews coming to Germany, between the 1990s tended and graduated from the Lauder school, joined nearly every and the early 2000s, very few Jewish schools could be found Jewish youth group in Budapest, attended the Szarvas interna- there, either. tional summer camp as both a camper and a counselor, learned Hebrew and visited Israel several times, and after university Marcell Since then, these schools have been working as hard as they spent a year as a graduate student at the Paideia Jewish Studies can to attract students, upgrade facilities, recruit good teachers Institute in Stockholm. That means Marcell developed a network of and find funding to keep programs going. Since all these schools European Jewish millennials who, just like him, are making Jewish need to meet the requirements of their own education ministries, life relevant for their peers they send their teachers to seminars and workshops that have to do with math, literature, and science. The results are already in When Marcell heard in 2011 that Centropa was starting to explore evidence: the Jewish schools in Budapest, Prague, and Vilnius, for the possibility of connecting Jewish schools throughout Europe, instance, have quickly established themselves as at the very top he contacted us and confidently stated, "I can make that happen. It's not just different, it's academic levels in their respective countries. I want to make that happen." unique. There is no other forum for European Jewish Most of these schools also hired an Israeli or two to teach Hebrew Working with our team of professional educators in Vienna, school teachers to share and sometimes religious studies. But when it came to modern Washington, and Jerusalem, and drawing on that (virtual) rolodex ideas and perspectives about Jewish history, heritage, and identity, these schools were left to of his, in three short years Marcell launched, tested, and expanded European Jewish history, and fend for themselves and, as they told us frequently, it was an area the first professional development network for teachers working in We hold an annual weekend seminar exclusively for teachers in European Jewish connecting them with each other only helps them build a stronger European Jewish in that sense also the future where they needed help. We were keen to address this deficit, but European Jewish schools. schools and Marcell follows up by visiting schools already in our network, as well as identity, while strengthening their bonds with the world Jewish community. aspects of living as a Jew in our problem was finding the right person to work with them. schools we’re trying to bring in, such as in Riga, Tallinn, and Madrid. The very best Europe. In these schools throughout Europe, students are now watching teachers are then invited to our international summer academies. We found that person in Budapest: Marcell Kenesei. Before he the same Centropa films, exploring the same family stories online, Sheila Weintraub, was twelve, Marcell had no idea he was Jewish, but just before he then creating projects they share with each other, flying over bor- This is new, it is unprecedented, and it is overdue. After all, many of the students Jewish School of Helsinki was to start middle school, Marcell’s parents told him they would ders as only teenagers born into the world of social media can. in these schools today will be the leaders of their communities tomorrow, and our

38 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 39 Education logic model: European jewish Schools the goals we set The tools we use Seminars to implement outputs created Outcomes achieved those tools students develop a deeper and more a set of Centropa multi-media films A series of lesson plans teachers will connected teachers in small European personal relationship with their coun- about Jewish families, set in nearly all February 2012: Berlin, Centropa held make based on Centropa videos set in Jewish schools to one another so they try’s Jewish history, as well as Jewish of their countries the very first professional development all our European Jewish communities have colleagues to turn to for support history in other European countries seminar for teachers in European pan-European documentaries that Jewish schools, with 28 teachers from Student-generated videos such as created bonds between Jewish stu- students strengthen their identities as broaden their understanding of 14 countries "Our Jewish Community's History," dents in different European communi- Jews European history which they will make in English and ties through sharing family history vid- July 2012, Mannheim, Frankfurt, Berlin, share with students in other European eos (on a closed, non-public Centropa teachers create professional partner- documentaries on Jewish history, 8 European Jewish school teach- Jewish schools. Students will also cre- site) ships with teachers in other European such as Jewish Soldiers in the Austro- ers joined us for our annual Summer ate videos on their own families, and Jewish schools Hungarian Army Academy these will be locked behind a pass- developed an appreciation for and word-protected firewall willingness to stand up for others lessons and pedagogies will become traveling exhibitions that can be dis- October 2012: Prague, Lauder School, more creative and innovative played at their schools 7 teachers Student-generated exhibitions on dif- expanded student interest in Jewish ferent European Jewish communities, sites in their towns and their towns’ in their teaching, teachers include two web pages with content in Bulgarian, November 2012: Zagreb, Lauder-Hugo all of which these students will find on Jewish history seriously overlooked Jewish narratives Russian, Polish, Hebrew, German, Kon School, 8 teachers our Centropa website—an excellent in Europe: the Jewish story in the Czech, English, Hungarian and example of a DBQ (Document-Based- boosted confidence of educators in Soviet Union and our Balkan Sephardic Romanian—all so students and teach- January 2013: Bucharest, Lauder-Reut Question) project Jewish schools to teach 20th century heritage ers in European Jewish schools will Educational Complex, 18 teachers Jewish history find relevant material in their languag- students understand the importance es March 2013: Budapest, Scheiber increased skills in using new technolo- of standing up for the powerless and Sándor School, 10 teachers gies to teach history, English language, the value of civil society Centropa pictures and stories set in social studies, and literature their countries July 2013, Berlin, 9 European Jewish the creation of a working professional school teachers joined us for our an- growing use of Centropa in cross-com- development network for teachers in Centropa interviews, photographs, and nual Summer Academy petency platforms European Jewish schools films from the former Soviet Union and Sephardic communities in the Balkans. October 2013: Münster, Jewish schools facilitated partnerships with schools in in the North Rhine-Westphalia region different countries in Germany, 9 teachers

40 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 41 Education feedback: european jewish schools This storytelling concept on the Centropa site is more than helpful to me as a We would like your schools to create ten minute videos called Our Town's teacher of several subjects. Students love it and it is perfect for both individual Jewish History, which will need to be narrated in English. We would then research and group work. share those films with other schools in the US and Israel so that we can Diana Gherasimiuc, Bucharest, Romania build bridges and relationships between students and teachers in Jewish schools. Would you like to do this with your students? You’re bringing us something we should have been doing a long time ago, which is Yes, I will do my best to encourage my students to telling about the pre-war lives of Czech Jewry, not just their horrid degradation make a video and destruction. I love the Centropa Czech films and so do my students. If we do not teach this, we will never understand what was destroyed. I will try but I'm not optimistic Katarina Weberova, Prague, Czech Republic This isn't really for our school

Nowadays children are not interested in studying history as they find it a little old-fashioned and not useful. I was upset with that but at this seminar I saw in- teresting and new ways to make lessons more alive and close to children, to their Do you feel Centropa provides you with enough material to present 20th generation and their needs. century Jewish history beyond the Holocaust? Svetlana Kutuzova, St. Petersburg, Russia Yes, definitely A once-in-a-lifetime experience. After the seminar, I was asked to make a presen- Perhaps tation about Centropa at my school and for sure I will motivate my colleagues to use Centropa´s educational materials in their classes, as well. Not really Rita Sason, Athens, Greece

I am now quite a veteran of Centropa programs, and when I describe Centropa to oth- er teachers, I tell them to be prepared to work and work hard, but if you do go to one of their seminars, you will feel not only appreciated but validated—and challenged. Do you know of any other programs that take an entire family story and Ricky David, Stockholm, Sweden turn it into a mini-biographical film that you can use in the same way as these Centropa films? Centropa is not only a unique archive of personal memories, stories, photos, and No, I don't know of any other programs that offer films of Jewish lives. It is also an incredibly important resource for a teacher since life stories like this it is, as you say, ‘one-stop-shopping.’ Even better, I have to say that a Centropa seminar is a training event where one gets inspiration from other teachers on how I have seen some excellent short segments of video to use this resource. That is really very helpful, since you work with other teachers interviews with Holocaust survivors, but they are in real time on how to get the most out of Centropa. entirely about the Holocaust itself Kinga Mahr, Budapest, Hungary Yes, I have seen other films like these

42 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 43 Education Israeli educational programs Since 2010, a total of seventy-nine history, art, literature, and English our teachers continually tell us, this kind of peer-to-peer cooper- teachers have taken part in seven half-day workshops and/or two- ation with teachers just isn’t available to them. day seminars in Israel, or in our eight-day summer academies in Europe. We can state that twenty-six teachers are highly active and Centropa also distinguishes itself from other educational pro- another twenty-four teachers participate to some degree. grams through our choice of Israeli partners. In March 2012, we held a workshop for teachers in The Israel Museum, where teach- Teachers in Israel are drawn to Centropa because we are so much ers watched and discussed how to use our Sephardic content, more than a Holocaust education program. Centropa uses digi- then toured this great art museum’s collections of Balkan and tal storytelling, social media, video, and personal stories to bring Sephardic art. James Snyder, the director, welcomed the teachers twentieth century Jewish history to life for Israeli students. and sat in on our presentation.

Another reason teachers are drawn to us: everyone reading this Our primary partner is the National Library of Israel, where we report is fully cognizant of how creative and innovative Israelis are. have now held two December seminars. The idea is to show Yet when it comes to the national education system, there are Centropa films about Salonika, or Krakow, and then have the very few programs that give teachers a platform to create, inno- teachers delve into the stacks and online resources of the vate, and develop their own projects, then share them with each National Library, accompanied by the Library’s curators and edu- other. As the teachers’ responses below clearly indicate, this is cation staff. There's a huge need to revamp one of the things they like most about Centropa. Holocaust education to make The model we created in Israel is a unique partnership between it relevant and this is a major Since 2011, we have received funding to develop a set of effective English, history, literature, and tech teachers, the Education discussion in the Education outputs, now being used in schools throughout the country, and Ministry, and the National Library. Our goal over the next two years Ministry, at conferences, and those include our enormous traveling Polish exhibition, pictured is to work steadily in fifty schools, and with the online resources in the media. Yet for the time on these pages, as well as a set of biographical films that begin in we have at hand, and the enthusiasm of our teachers, we believe being, the talking continues Germany and Austria and end in Israel. Further, we now have a set we will arrive there. and there’s very little progress. of documentary films that teachers and students love to use, and That is why it is a relief to find all are narrated in Hebrew by Eliezer Yaari, a radio host, or Eliezer Centropa and attend your Papo, who explains the story of the Balkan Sephardim to teachers seminar, where I find so many and students alike. high tech storytelling programs are right there and online and These outputs help Centropa become one-stop-shopping for so readily available. Israeli teachers and students, and we use our seminars as plat- forms so that veteran teachers can share with new teachers how Rivka Geft they use our materials in their classrooms. It is this kind of cross Maaleh Adumim, Israel fertilization that works so well in Israel’s hi-tech industry, but as

44 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 45 Education logic model:Israeli schools

the goals we set The tools we use Seminars to implement outputs created Outcomes achieved those tools broaden the focus of twentieth centu- When Ben Yehuda Strasse Spoke lesson plans and projects developed expanded Israeli students' views of ry European Jewish heritage in Israeli German, a film about Erna Goldmann March 2012: Jerusalem, The Israel by Israeli teachers who have taken part twentieth century European Jewish schools who was born and raised in Frankfurt Museum, 22 teachers in our weekend seminars and summer history, so that they see that it is much and fled in the late 1930s to Tel Aviv— academies more than an unending story of po- create partnerships with pub- sponsored by the City of Frankfurt June 2012: Tel Aviv, 29 teachers groms and Holocaust lic schools all over Europe, giving videos, graphic novels, and other proj- Europeans real Israeli partners to work two Centropa documentaries narrated July 2012: Israeli teachers attended ects made by students such as poetry increased student appreciation for with, thereby helping break stereo- in Hebrew by Eliezer Yari, a well-known our Summer Academy in Frankfurt, videos on Polish poetry and willingness to stand up for others, types radio personality (one film is Maps, Mannheim, Berlin by acquainting them with our Sarajevo Central Europe and History, the other exhibitions created by students for story increase the programs about and the Survival in Sarajevo) October 2012: Half-day workshop with set-up in conjunction with our Polish understanding of Balkan Sephardic veteran teachers in Herzliya exhibition, which continues to travel raised student interest in telling their Jewish history in Israeli schools a video lecture, in Hebrew, by Dr the country families stories—in English—so they can Eliezer Papo of Ben Gurion University, December 2012: Jerusalem, 2-day share them with our students in other empower Israeli teachers to use tech- who paints a lively portrait of Balkan seminar for 36 teachers countries nology when using Centropa films and Sephardic life databases in class July 2013: Israeli teachers attended boosted teacher confidence in teach- our traveling exhibition on Poland, our Summer Academy in Berlin ing 20th century European Jewish help Israeli students understand the which has already been traveling the history importance of standing up for the country for three years December 2013, Jerusalem, powerless and the value of civil society 34 teachers improved technology skills of teachers a website in Hebrew where teachers who will use our Google Street View can upload lesson plans and students tour of Krakow, which was develped by can upload and share their own family a teacher in Mevesseret Ziyyon videos a greater number of schools using Centropa in cross competency plat- forms

a growing number of partnerships with Centropa schools in other countries

46 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 47 Education Feedback: israeli teachers There's a huge need to revamp Holocaust education to make it relevant, and it is During the seminar we divided our participants several times into a relief to find the great work of Centropa so readily available. discussion groups: the first division was between new and veteran Rivka Geft, Maaleh Adumim teachers (Erna Goldmann/Centropa based projects); the second was a random division (Rovno film discussions); and the third was between To me the Centropa seminar was a great experience of both intellectual and English and History teachers (Max Uri /Maps films). Did you find this emotionally charged learning and teaching. dividing into discussion groups helpful/productive? Eti Gal, Tel Mond Yes, I definitely found it helpful In other seminars you just heard stories, but in Centropa we learned how to turn I found it only partially helpful them into meaningful lesson plans, and that is so much different! Dorit Bar Cohen, Maaleh Adumim No, I did not find the method at all helpful

Personal stories of people who lived in Europe at the time have much greater po- tential effect on students than the study of mere historical facts. Using films, oral interviews, visuals, etc., encourages identification, involvement and reactions. Ricky Tal, Tel Aviv We watched So That Memory Doesn't Die, about the life of Teofila Silberring, who was born in Krakow to a wealthy Jewish family and The seminar gave me a wealth of new ideas of how to renew and enrich my brought up in luxury, yet survived the Holocaust only to return to her teaching in different spheres, such as my Polish trip, educational work, Holocaust city to rebuild it anew. The Silberring saga involves many different I would describe Centropa as a wonderful opportunity to get our students in- and Hebrew. issues, bringing up questions about humanity, destiny, survival, and volved in History and Judaism in search of our roots. Rachel Zilberg, Mikveh Israel Jewish-Polish identity. Did you find this film relevant to your teaching Hagar Srugo, Tel Aviv and educational goals? Will you possibly show it to your students? One of the ways to get involved in Centropa can be writing a detailed Highly relevant I will definitely screen it for my I learned that we need a very fundamental and thorough change to adapt our lesson plan for your students, based on one or more of Centropa's films, students teaching to 21st century students. and sharing it with the rest of us by uploading it to the 'Border Jumping' Kochavit Kdoshim, Tel Aviv educational website. Would you possibly like to take up this challenge? Relevant, I might use it Wasn't attending, missed it What I am taking home is how to use a story as a learning tool. When a student Yes, I would like to get involved in Centropa by preparing and uploading a lesson plan tells his story, or is exposed to stories of others, it makes meaningful learning. Dikla Lerner, Tel Aviv I want to do it but I'm not sure if I have the time and/or the technical ability needed I was presented with a totally new, haunting, and thought-provoking field of edu- I would like to get involved but maybe in other cational opportunity, which I would truly like to adopt, with your help, of course! possible ways Ran Shechory, Tel Aviv

48 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 49 Education north american public schools As stated earlier in this report, we at Centropa never thought we the Europeans are learning first-hand that students from different would work in education in the first place. It was not, however, races and ethnicities really can be friends. That means one side is a long stretch to understand how—given the right tools—NA and learning about the Holocaust; the other about civil society. Both European Jewish schools, Israeli schools, and European public learn about tolerance. schools, would find Centropa interesting, since they could identify with the stories we were telling. We never thought that NA public The best example we have of this twinning in 2012 and 2013 was schools would find our programs relevant, primarily because we between Mike Irwin’s class of students in an inner city school in did not see how Centropa’s films would fit into their curricula. Detroit, who worked with Branislava Stevanovic’s class in Belgrade.

We could not have been more wrong. Mike’s students watched our film about the Kalef sisters of Belgrade, wrote up questions for the sisters on a Wikidoc, and I teach in a rural public high Although Holocaust education is now mandated in several US posted them online. Brana’s students translated their queries, school. I have personally states and teachers can avail themselves of any number of pro- went to one of the Kalef sisters to pose them, then posted the taught close to 3,500 stu- grams, there is nothing on offer like Centropa. Because we pro- answers directly on the Wikidoc. dents in 24 years of being a vide films about individuals that cover an entire century, because classroom teacher and to our films are filled with maps describing Europe’s changing bor- Here, then, was real learning on both sides and each class cele- my knowledge I have never ders, and because these stories take us from pre-World War One brated their project by creating a short video on the things every- taught a Jewish student. The Europe to the fall of Communism in 1989 and beyond, teachers one needs to know about their hometown—and sent them to each fact that my students are not find them immeasurably helpful, while students find that they other, of course. only engaged in but learn life make for compelling viewing. lessons from Centropa speaks When education provides meaningful content that brings teen- volumes. Centropa allows me We know that public school teachers have relatively little time for agers together from different countries and gives them a plat- to teach social studies and Holocaust education and that is why our website is intuitive to form on which they can meet, they do learn—not just about the history without losing site of use and rich in content. Teachers can readily access other teach- Holocaust, but about the beauty of stories, of sharing their own the human lives wrapped up ers’ lesson plans; students can watch other students’ videos and stories—then that makes them feel validated, too. in the "big picture." Also, and upload their own. And Centropa’s online study guides offer dozens importantly, by using Centropa of links under each film to take students deeper into a story—and I am able to meet the rigors into history. demanded by the essential standards and Common Core Our goal is to have students in Lithuania, Serbia, and other coun- that has become the basis of tries create short films on Our Town’s Jewish History, in English, all my instruction. and then ask our American teens to tell the story of the civil rights Lee Holder movement in America. Here we have a strong connection: our LaGrange, NC American teens get to see a story that captures the Holocaust;

50 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 51 Education logic model: north american public schools the goals we set The tools we use Seminars to implement those tools Exhibition openings outputs created Outcomes achieved

for NA public school teachers and Centropa’s online database of photo- February 2012 March 2013 March 2013 lesson plans and projects created by an increased appreciation for and willingness to stand up for others students to develop a broader under- graphs and interviews teachers, several of which are based Washington DC, 12 of the 29 partici­ Durham NC, two-day seminar, 23 Survival in Sarajevo, Duke University standing of the Holocaust, required on Common Core standards, and all growing interest in Jewish sites in their own towns, especially in the American pants at our annual Winter seminar teachers learning in most schools traveling exhibitions that can come to uploaded onto our website for other South, where many smaller Jewish communities no longer exist were from public, charter, and paro- April 2013 schools and school districts public school teachers to adapt chial schools July 2013 provide resources to enable teach- Survival in Sarajevo, Southeast Guilford increased teacher confidence in teaching twentieth century Jewish history ers to meet Common Core and state our collection of short, multi-media Berlin: 14 public school educators from High School, Greensboro NC, videos and other self-directed proj- March 2012 standards films, personal stories, and documen- North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, ects created by students boosted teachers skills in using new technologies taries Philadelphia PA, afternoon workshop, Michigan, and Indiana attend our October 2013 offer materials teachers can use in 12 of 17 participants teach in or work Summer Academy projects using our exhibitions where multiplied the number of schools that use Centropa in cross competency plat- Survival in Sarajevo exhibition featured student-directed learning projects e-Readers online and printed books with public school students or teach- students act as guides for their family, forms in community program at the County such as DBQs (Document Based teachers use for Document Based ers October 2013 friends, and community members School Administration building, Palm Questions) Question lessons upgraded students skills with new technologies Houston TX, afternoon workshop, 6 of Palm Beach County FL, half day work- Beach County partnerships with schools in other the 13 participants teach or work with shop for 29 teachers create partnerships between NA and films and projects made by our part- countries working partnerships and cooperation with schools in Europe and a broader un- public school students European public schools to expose ner schools in Europe, which our NA Charleston, SC: workshop for 12 social derstanding of the world outside America’s borders American students to other cultures teachers share with their students studies teachers May 2012 and give them opportunities to teach Houston TX: workshop for 17 social European teens about American cul- Baltimore MD, afternoon workshop, studies and Spanish language teachers ture 2 of the 9 participants work in public schools or with public school educa- Columbia, SC: 2 sessions at the SC work with teachers to develop lessons tors Council on the Holocaust's annual and projects teaching the importance conference Chicago IL, afternoon workshop, 5 of 11 of standing up for the powerless and participants work in public schools the value of civil society

July 2012 7 public school educators from North Carolina, Florida, Texas, and New York invited to Centropa Summer Academy in Frankfurt, Berlin, Mannheim

52 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 53 Education Feedback: north american Public School Teachers I have never been able to answer the question "Why do I need to learn about We showed you an online database of pictures and stories that your history?" better than I have by using the Centropa database. I try to use Centropa students can use to explore Jewish history by searching for pictures and in every unit I teach. stories from a city, a country, or by theme. Is this database useful to you? Kelli Gerhardt, Spartanburg, SC Yes, this database will be extremely useful for my teaching Holocaust information is easy to find on the web, but much of it is the same. It is archival in nature and very impersonal. Centropa takes the tack that each life lost This database will be moderately useful for my —or impacted in any way—from the Holocaust was an individual with family and a teaching home and loved ones. This makes it very much more personal to students. No, this database will not be useful for my teaching Cathy Troublefield, Norwood, NC

Centropa fills a need that no other educational resource has been able to do Compared to other Holocaust-oriented seminars you attended, for me. It allows students to see and experience a more complete picture of Centropa… European Jewish culture and experience pre- and post-war. It allows my students to see the people in the stories as very much like themselves. provided me with a different lens for looking at the Juanita Ray, Asheborro, NC Holocaust, civil society, and European history offered me more opportunities to listen to other Centropa can be incorporated into almost any classroom from history to litera- teachers' presentations and work with them ture. The film on Sarajevo showing how people of different faiths work together for their fellow man is very relevant to today's events. was not really much different than the other seminars I attended Stacie Dotson, Rosman, NC I have not yet attended other Holocaust-oriented Centropa has been inspiring. It has given me new directions to explore with seminars my students as they explore their own roots and find commonality with people around the world. We like to make connections between educators and during our seminar Tom Glaser, Hialeah Gardens, FL we connected you with other teaching professionals at this seminar. Do you feel you made connections to educators with whom you can network? I learned more than I could have imagined studying with Centropa in Europe. I Yes, I'll definitely stay connected to others from the have studied and taught abroad in the past, but the Centropa experience exceed- seminar ed my expectations due to the quality of the activities and the expertise of all of Students respond to Centropa because their resources and materials are personally I have a bachelor's degree and am about to receive my master's degree in educa- the Centropa staff. In addition, I formed relationships with teachers from around Perhaps I'll follow up with another educator and technologically inviting. They make those personal connections through film, tion and the title I hold the most valuable, next to being a teacher, is not a being a the U.S., Europe, and Israel that continue to enrich my work to this day. I continu- Not at all photographs, and narrative. Students are also impacted because I am fully engaged, graduate from any particular university, but that I am a Centropa Border Jumping ally recommend Centropa to my colleagues in workshops at our Holocaust center. energized, and more knowledgeable as a result of my experiences with Centropa. Teacher. Mitchell Bloomer, Maitland, FL MJ Limbo, Jamestown, NC Mike Irwin, Holland, MI

54 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 55 Education north american Jewish schools We end this tour d’horizon with a tribute to those teachers, de- It is in American Jewish schools, however, where the sense of partment heads, and principals in American Jewish day and con- discovery is electric, palpable, and in most cases, it’s as if they are gregational schools. They were our first target market; they were unwrapping a family heirloom they are amazed to learn belongs to the first schools we visited, and here is where we found teachers them. and department heads who wanted Centropa to succeed as much as we did. That’s because they knew what we could offer, and they We know that sixteen-year-old NA Jewish students no longer feel were determined to see us get there. a strong connection to our shtetl roots and the stories that come with them. Outside of New York, most kids would cringe at the site As early as 2006, Beth Brown at the Weber School in Atlanta had of a plate of herring, flee from chopped liver, and have probably us meet with her students and go through our database with them never even heard of, much less tasted, borscht. so we could measure their interest and involvement; Cynthia Peterman at the Charles E Smith School in Washington showed They are—and all of us know it—drifting away from the world that us how each online film page had to offer ‘one-stop-shopping,’ spawned them: the world of the Eastern European Jewish expe- as she put it, with study guides and further links next to each rience (both Ashkenazi and Sephardi). Some of this is inevitable film. Neil Kramer of the New Jewish Community High School in and every American Jewish school offers programs for connecting Los Angeles had us meet time and again with both teachers and their students with Israel. But Israel is something else, and if the students to gauge their reaction, just as did Yoni Kadden at the only things we teach about twentieth century Central Europe are Gann Academy in Boston, Laura Frank at Beth Tfiloh in Baltimore, pogroms, Holocaust, and Zionism, then we aren’t just re-writing and Lilach Taichman at Barrack Hebrew Academy in Philadelphia. history, we are diminishing all that we have accomplished. The director and history chair of the Upper School in the Abraham Heschel Day School in New York, Ahuva Halberstam and Lisa The photographs in this section tell us much, because in two of Cohen, attended one of our Summer Academies together, and them, we see American Jewish teens acting as guides in exhibi- There are many valuable they subsequently designed a multi-year Centropa program in tions they helped write, edit, curate, design, and print. Clearly, institutions that highlight their school. they have not been just memorizing facts; they have been learn- areas such as the Holocaust, ing while doing, absorbing as they’re creating, understanding by History, Ethics, Identity, and Teenagers everywhere embrace Centropa’s Jewish stories as explaining. the present day, but Centropa their own, no matter what their religion, no matter where they is absolutely unique in what it live, and every student brings his or her own emotional bag- Telling stories and sharing stories is a key component of what we does, because through your gage to the story of the Holocaust. Young Europeans—in Serbia, offer. But our main goal in this network is to help American Jewish films, databases and projects, Poland, and Hungary, for instance—come to understand how teenagers engage with something they are rapidly losing touch you somehow string them all much they have lost. Young European Jews feel a deep attach- with—their European Jewish heritage. It is, after all, where most of together. ment because we are talking about their families. Israeli teen- their families come from and our goal is to help them understand Moshe Sokol agers are just as fascinated, as a large percentage of them trace that these stories are their stories, too. If we do that, then they Atlanta, GA their families back to Europe, too. will carry them forward to their own children.

56 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 57 Education logic model: north american Jewish schools the goals we set The tools we use Seminars to implement those tools outputs created Outcomes achieved February 2013: Berlin, Germany, 15 educators from help teachers and students in NA a plethora of personal stories of January–February 2012: June 2012: lesson plans and projects created by the films and projects we create on NA Jewish schools and organizations Jewish schools understand that Jewish families that open the hearts San Diego CA, annual two day Winter teachers, all uploaded onto our web- our Sephardic heritage broadens Cleveland, OH, Four-session profes- Philadelphia, PA, Virtual presentation invited to Centropa Summer Academy European Jewish history equals Jewish and minds of American Jewish teen- seminar, 19 Jewish educators site for other Jewish school teachers Jewish students’ understanding of sional development course for Jewish to NAACCHHS conference (North in Berlin heritage and, as Jews, this history be- agers to adapt their own Jewish heritage Educators, Jewish Education Center of American Association of Community longs to them Vienna, Austria, 12 students from the Cleveland and Congregational Hebrew High August 2013: a set of documentary films such as Abraham Heschel School in New York videos and other self-directed proj- teachers in our NA Jewish schools Schools) in Philadelphia, 22 educators teachers and students will see twen- Maps, History and Central Europe to San Diego, CA, Afternoon workshop spend a week visiting their counter- San Diego, CA, presented two sessions ects created by students now stay in regular contact with other tieth century Europe as so much give NA Jewish students a better over- in the San Diego Jewish Academy for parts at the Zwi Peres Chajes High at the annual Yom Limmud, commu- teachers in the Centropa Jewish July 2012: more than antisemitism, pogroms, the view of twentieth century history history department School in Vienna nity and educator’s program at the projects using our exhibitions where network in NA and Europe, comparing Holocaust, and Zionism Germany: 10 educators from NA Jewish Lawrence Family JCC students act as guides for their families notes, sharing lesson plans, and there- Washington, DC, 2 day annual Winter traveling exhibitions such as our Polish schools and BJEs invited to Centropa April 2013: and friends by improving their teaching seminar (East Coast), with a special students will understand the impor- and Sarajevo exhibitions, which travel Summer Academy in Frankfurt, Berlin, Houston: presented at Yom Moreh, emphasis on using Sephardic stories; Alexandria, VA: Presentation to Jewish tance of standing up for the powerless to their schools Mannheim, where they worked with the Houston BJE’s annual professional partnerships with schools in other teachers are far more willing to discuss 17 of the 29 participants were Jewish Youth Philanthropy Group; awarded and the value of civil society teachers from European Jewish development program countries Jewish life in Europe outside the stric- educators $700 to continue our Café Centropa a website that offers biographies, films, schools tures of the Holocaust Budapest program NA Jewish schools form a bond and databases and exhibitions Los Angeles, CA, 2 day annual Winter Richmond: presentation to Jewish a set of partnerships with European seminar, 17 Jewish educators attended September 2012: educators for the annual professional Washington, DC: Partnership for Jewish schools development program sponsored by Washington, DC, Jewish Study Center, Jewish Life and Learning ROUTES Day March 2012: the Jewish Community Federation of adult education course taught by of Adult Learning session educators and students will appre- Richmond Rockville, MD, Foreign Film and Food Centropa educators ciate to a much greater degree our Festival presentation to Temple Beth Chicago, IL, Skype presentation to Sephardic heritage, as well as the story December 2013: Ami community on Sephardic Jewry in October 2013: congregational religious school direc- of Soviet Jewish soldiers the Balkans tors through the Chicago BJE Marin County: Survival in Sarajevo exhi- Miami, FL, afternoon workshop in the bition at the Osher Marin JCC, opening Hillel Jewish Day School, Miami, for April 2012: June 2013: event with Edward Serotta history teachers Rockville, MD: Temple Beth Ami, four Houston, TX, led session at the Warren week adult education class November 2012: Fellowship Alumni Institute, Holocaust Museum Houston Rockville, MD: B’nai Israel Men’s Club, Baltimore, MD: workshop at Chizuk program on Sephardic Jews in the Amuno, 14 Jewish educators July 2013: Balkans

58 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 59 Education Feedback: north american Jewish schools Centropa has completely changed the way I understand and teach history. It has We want to broaden Holocaust education to include how Jews lived put me in contact with very special teachers from outside the US, for example in during the 20th century, not only how they perished. Do you feel that our public schools in Poland, with whom I maintain contact and with whom I continue seminar successfully conveyed this message? to work. Yes Shmuel Afek, New York City, NY Partly Our Centropa inspired museum has become a major community event. We draw hun- Minimally dreds of visitors who are universally astonished at the quality of presentation achieved Not at all by 9th graders. Our guests remark that the material represents a rich element of their heritage and that they treasure this new and in-depth presentation of it. Lilach Taichman, Philadelphia, PA We wanted seminar participants who work in similar contexts to Attending a Centropa Summer Academy a few years ago inspired me to launch a collaborate and discuss how to use Centropa in their particular settings: significant revamping of our entire social studies curriculum. We initiated the new day school and congregational school educators, middle or high school program in the ninth grade this past year and were thrilled with the outcome. teachers, etc. To what extent did you find these sessions useful? Lisa Cohen, New York City, NY Extremely San Diego is not what we would call the capital of Central European culture, but Mostly when I learned about the Centropa idea of students making films on interwar Minimally Hungarian Jewish photographers, as an art teacher in a Jewish school, I jumped at it and so did my students. They learned how to work together in groups to do their Not at all research about names they had never heard of, like Capa and Kertesz, created their movies and narrated them, and by doing so, they were able to connect these pho- tographers and their life and times with their own. One girl told me, ‘I didn’t know We also want to give educators the opportunity to network with each photography was anything more than me just taking pictures of me and my friends.’ other and collaborate on lesson ideas to bring back to their respective I am still amazed at how my students threw themselves into making these video work places. Did you make connections at our seminar that you will Students work more determinedly on Centropa projects than any other activity Centropa has provided resources as well as inspiration for new projects. Students documentaries. They could not have been more dedicated to seeing it through. follow up with? related to Jewish life. Centropa builds a relationship to k'lal yisroel that is unpar- have begun to create photo/video family histories with interviews of those from Yvonne Webber, San Diego, CA alleled—this from a teacher at a school that sends virtually 100% of its students to previous generations. At parent-teacher conferences, I was told that my students Yes, definitely either an Israel home exchange or March of the Living. have become family history experts and have created documents and albums Centropa has truly transformed the way I teach modern Jewish history. I am a Perhaps I'll follow up with another teacher Neil Kramer, Los Angeles, CA to share with extended family members. They model their family histories after better teacher, my curriculum is richer, and my passion for modern Jewish history Not at all Centropa biographies and videos. has grown exponentially. I can never thank Centropa enough for what it has given One of my students said ‘this experience had a profound impact on his life and Marita Poline, White Plains, NY me and my students. was one he would never forget.’ Laura Frank, Baltimore, MD Adrienne Eisenmann, Chicago, IL

60 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 61 finances expenses 2012 & 2013

PART I: Interviews and editing expenses 2012 2013 2012 2013 completing the editing of the last of our interviews € 18,825 $24,096 € 10,805 $14,371 Israel educational programs Total € 18,825 $24,096 € 10,805 $14,371 Salary, Israel education coordinator — — € 13,332 $17,757 Salary (partial) for headquarter educational team € 7,349 $9,500 € 17,506 $23,283 Part II: Educational programs Website development—spent on Hebrew language programs — — € 6,763 $8,995 EU educational programs Multi-media films for Israeli schools € 9,366 $12,006 € 6,022 $8,010 Salary: Vienna team’s time devoted to our EU educational program 39,471 $50,523 € 58,422 $76,324 Exhibitions for Israeli educational programs (our Polish exhibition) € 3,547 $4,545 € 2,171 $2,889 Honoraria for part-time coordinators in SER, MAC, CZ, LT, PL, RO € 2,910 $3,724 € 14,395 $19,042 Seminar costs, meals, seminar rooms, travel, hotel € 25,469 $32,654 € 3,714 $4,871 Website development—spent on all European programs € 8,495 $10,874 € 23,671 $31,483 Subtotal € 45,731 $58,705 € 49,508 $65,805 Multi-media films for EU Education € 12,233 $15,693 € 21,078 $28,034 Traveling exhibitions for EU educational programs: PL, HU, LT and Sarajevo € 22,591 $28,547 € 7,598 $10,112 International educational programs, Summer Academy Seminar costs, meals, seminar rooms, travel, hotel € 41,271 $53,463 € 31,252 $41,223 Centropa International Summer Academy transport, hotel, meals € 147,096 $188,282 € 142,234 $191,934 Subtotal € 126,972 $162,824 € 156,416 $206,219 Publications € 6,372 $8,155 € 26,024 $34,612 Website / server hosting English and German languages sites € 44,914 $56,539 € 1,074 $1,428 EU Jewish schools program Subtotal € 198,382 $252,976 € 169,332 $227,974 All salaries, European Jewish Schools Team € 15,112 $19,344 € 19,212 $25,552 Part time assistants € 5,821 $7,451 € 3,089 $4,135 Total € 685,713 $882,204 € 676,993 $898,495 Salary: Vienna team’s time devoted to EU Jewish programs € 16,916 $21,653 € 25,547 $33,633 Website development € 3,641 $4,660 € 10,145 $13,493 Part III: Community activities Multi-media films for EU Jewish schools program € 5,243 $6,726 € 9,033 $12,015 Receptions, lunches, in-house conferences € 2,035 $2,606 € 1,310 $1,742 Traveling exhibitions € 9,682 $12,235 € 3,256 $4,334 Cafe Centropa: monthly events for Holocaust survivors, Vienna & Budapest € 36,312 $46,479 € 33,489 $44,505 Seminar costs € 17,688 $22,913 € 19,209 $25,303 Total € 38,347 $49,085 € 34,799 $46,247 Subtotal € 74,102 $94,981 € 89,492 $118,464 Part IV: making Centropa work North American educational programs Vienna administrative expenses Salary, NA Education Director € 62,021 $80,864 € 56,762 $75,273 Rent and operating costs € 49,253 $63,071 € 53,798 $71,551 Salary: Vienna Team’s time devoted to our NA educational programs € 66,773 $85,470 € 66,462 $86,675 Legal and accounting € 7,235 $9,570 € 10,888 $14,416 Honoraria for historians, speakers € 3,519 $4,400 € 8,590 $11,414 Administrative salaries € 26,307 $33,674 € 29,708 $39,511 Website development—spent on all NA programs € 18,204 $23,302 € 27,053 $35,980 Capital investments € 8,052 $10,340 € 6,299 $8,378 Multi-media films for NA Education programs € 34,952 $44,837 € 24,089 $32,039 Total € 90,847 $116,655 € 100,693 $133,856 Exhibitions for NA Educational programs € 14,178 $18,248 € 8,684 $11,557 Seminar costs, meals, seminar rooms, travel, hotel, materials, preparation € 40,879 $55,597 € 20,607 $27,094 Subtotal € 240,526 $312,718 € 212,246 $280,033 Total expenses € 833,732 $1,072,040 € 823,290 $1,092,968

62 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 63 finances Morton L. And Amy Friedkin Israel National Fund for Victims of National Andrew A. Stern and Joanna Gold The Marc Rich Foundation For Socialism Donors 2012 Bertie and Jacqueline Woolf Education and Welfare Social Welfare Fund, City of Vienna Income 2012 & 2013 Max and Lynn R. Schrayer Fund The City of Tel Aviv Federal Ministry of Labour, Social United States The New York Community Trust The Federal Ministry of Education Affairs and Consumer Protection BENEFACTORS: $25,000 and above The Safer Fearer Fund Blue Door Foundation IKG: The Jewish Community of Vienna I. donations to our 501c3 account in the US 2012 2013 Conference on Jewish Material Claims Ruth and Robert Mirvis Nadav Foundation Total € 327,322 $425,215 € 264,083 $347,964 Against Germany Alfred H. Moses Serbia Howard & Geraldine Polinger Family Fred and Jeri Goldberg Germany Austrian Cultural Forum, Belgrade II. donations to our Austrian account Foundation Stephanie and Michael Naidoff Governmental donations US Embassy in Belgrade Donations from Austrian institutions (foundations, ministries, cities) € 75,525 $96,672 € 106,513 $141,663 The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert The Foreign Office Federal Education Ministry Donations from German sources € 101,400 $129,792 € 71,992 $95,749 Foundation FRIENDS: up to $1,000 BPB: The Federal Agency for Civic Embassy of Germany in Belgrade International organizations € 88,977 $113,891 € 51,247 $68,158 The Covenant Foundation The Pearlstone Family Fund Education Other European countries € 1,069 $1,368 € 9,474 $12,601 The Koret Foundation Cedric L. Suzman The City of Mannheim Macedonia Donations from US to our Austrian accounts € 129,570 $165,849 € 109,421 $146,121 The US State Department Jonathan W. Panofsky The City of Frankfurt The Holocaust Fund of the Jews in Total € 396,541 $507,572 € 348,647 $464,292 Righteous Persons Foundation Herbert and Adele Reznikoff The Education Ministry of Baden- Macedonia The Taube Foundation for Jewish Life Herbert S. Wander Württemberg US Embassy in Skopje III. DONATIONS TO our Hungarian account and Culture Deborah Oppenheimer Foundations Austrian Embassy in Skopje Total € 4,846 $6,400 € 16,960 $22,557 The Maimonides Fund Daniel and Ellen S. Shapiro Friedrich Ebert Foundation Sidney and Ruth Lapidus Foundation for Remembrance, IV. PAID DIRECTLY TO THIRD PARTY VENDORS PATRONS: $10,000-$25,000 Gail M. Bendit Responsibility Total € 34,625 $42,848 € 40,480 $53,728 The Alvin and Fanny B. Thalheimer Suzanne Cohen and the Future Donors 2013 Foundation Ken and Debbie Miller Konrad Adenauer Foundation V. INCOME FROM SERVICES The David Berg Foundation Brigish Fabian Fund Other contributions from Germany United States Total € 11,484 $15,368 € 17,403 $23,439 The Neubauer Family Foundation Victor and Joan Gelb Jewish Museum Berlin BENEFACTORS: $25,000 and above Louis H. Gross Foundation (Larry and Lawrence M. Bell Protestant Working Group for Conference on Jewish Material Claims VI. INCOME FROM INTEREST Sheila Pakula) Richard Silverstein Christian-Jewish Dialogue Against Germany Total € 23 $29 € 3 $4 Heinrich-Vetter-Foundation The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert SUPPORTERS: $1,000-$10,000 International The Central Council of Jews in Foundation TOTAL INCOME € 774,841 $997,432 € 687,577 $911,984 Ronne and Donald Hess Foundation Rothschild Foundation (Hanadiv) Germany Howard & Geraldine Polinger Sylvia Hassenfeld Europe Jewish Community Mannheim Foundation David A. Winston The Ronald S Lauder Foundation Jewish Community Frankfurt Covenant Foundation Judith M. Levin, Bernard S. Levin IHRA: International Holocaust Commerzbank Frankfurt Viterbi Family Foundation The Andrea and Charles Bronfman Remembrance Alliance Koret Foundation Philanthropies Dutch Humanitarian Fund Austria Taube Foundation for Jewish Life & Harry and Carol Saal European Jewish Fund Federal Ministry of Art, Culture and Culture The David and Barbara S. Hirschhorn Office for Democratic Institutions and Education Foundation, Inc. Human Rights Federal Ministry of European and Helgard and Irwin Field International Affairs 64 65 PATRONS: $10,000-$25,000 Learning:Teen Philanthropy Elisabeth Weihsmann The Foreign Office Hungary Ambassador Michael Kirby, Shana Penn of the Taube Foundation Genesis Philanthropy Group Marc E. Winston Robert Landesmann The Federal Chancellery Karyn Posner-Mullen, US Embassy US Embassy Randy Schoenberg, Los Angeles Neubauer Family Foundation Cheryl Fishbein and Phil Schatten Otto Suschny Foundations Advocacy Andras Heiszler, President, Federation Alan Rothenberg, San Francisco Maimonides Fund Marilyn Forman-Chandler and Robert Judith Widecki The Foundation for Remembrance, of Hungarian Jewish Communities Macedonia J. Ira Harris, Palm Beach A. Chandler Emilia Ratz Responsibility and the Future (EVZ) Everyone who raises money for a good Janos Molnar of the Ebert Foundation Goran Sadikario and Dule Veskovski Roz Lewy, Insight Foundation, Palm SUPPORTERS: $1,000-$10,000 Anita Hirsh Amalia Fodor Konrad Adenauer Foundation cause learns quickly there are two kinds Frank Spengler of the Adenauer of the Holocaust Memorial Center, Beach J. Ira and Nicki Harris Foundation The Pearlstone Family Fund Irene Bartz Friedrich Ebert Foundation of people in this world: there are those Foundation Skopje Maureen Carter, Palm Beach County Jewish United Fund Harry S. Roth Melanie Diamant Other German contributors who, when they see you coming, cross Zsolnay Cultural Quarter Milena Andonovska and Valerie Colby School Administration Alan Kluger and Amy Dean Phil Robinson Gisella Ackermann Jewish Museum Berlin over to the other side of the street. Then Israeli Cultural Institute US Embassy Skopje Amir Shaviv, JDC Diane and Howard Schilit Consulate General of Israel in San Elise Pal Central Council of Jews in Germany there are those who, as soon as they Bálint Ház John Swanson, University of Tennessee Ronne and Donald Hess Foundation Francisco Walther Fantl Protestant working group for see you, reach for their phones so they Bulgaria at Chattanooga Eugene and Emily Grant Josh and Genine Fidler Heinz Tauber Christian-Jewish dialogue, Hessen can help in any way they can. Centropa Germany Boris Missirkov, Agitprop Films Malachi Hacohen, Amy Vargas David and Barbara B. Hirschhorn Kenneth and Deborah Miller Ida Beck Jewish Community of Frankfurt has a great many such friends in several Peter Vorderer, Mannheim Becca Lazarova, Lauder Foundation Tonsi and Andrew Armarcost, Foundation Deborah Oppenheimer Herbert Schwarz countries. Here is our honor roll. David Linse and Mayor Peter Kurz, Albena Taneva, University of Sofia Duke University Barbara Hairfield The Gunther Family Trust Gisella Ackermann Israel Mannheim Shelly Weiner, Greensboro Dr. Barry Savits Lois Zoller Herbert Schrott German Embassy Tel Aviv Austria Stephan Kramer Israel Roberta Evans, BMW in Spartanburg The Weiner Family Charitable Fund Robert S. Sandler, Benita Sandler Austrian Embassy Tel Aviv Daniel Kapp Hans-Georg Vorndran and Gabriele Karen Ettinger, National Library Douglas Davidson, Stacy Bernard Jewish Foundation of Greensboro Shoshana Cardin International organizations Hans Winkler, Director, Vienna Zander James Snyder, The Israel Museum Davis, Jon Berger in the US State Morton L. and Amy Friedkin Brian Edward Silvey Rothschild Foundation (Hanadiv) Bosnia Diplomatic Academy Alexander Kallweit and Reinhard Margalit Bejarano, Hebrew University Department, Washington Max and Lynn Schrayer Jewish Federation of Richmond Europe European Jewish Fund German Embassy in Sarajevo Tommy and Shirley Moskowitz Krumm of the Friedrich Ebert Stefan Kobsa, German Embassy Mindy Reinstein, Washington Mindy and Joseph Shapiro III Samuel Ponczak Ronald S Lauder Foundation La Benevolencija Robert and Sylvia Liska Foundation Gabriele Feigl and Ambassador Franz Lynn and Jules Kroll Family Foundation Racquel Hecker Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund Rita Dauber Felix Klein, Victoria Zimmermann von Joseph Kuglitsch, Austrian Embassy The Centropa Sleepover Club Helgard and Irwin Field Deborah Peres Balkan Trust for Democracy Hungary Hannah Lessing, General Secretary of Siefart, Heinz Wirth, Sibylla Bendig, These kind friends and donors provide Betsy and Richard Sheerr Maureen Carter US Embassy Budapest the National Fund Bertram von Moltke of The Foreign United States Centropa staffers a room for the night, Leonard Wien Alice Rozenzweig Austria Eva Hajnal Martin Weiss, Peter Launsky-Tiefenthal Office Rabbi Andrew Baker, American Jewish or two, or three Dennis and Tracy Albers Anthony Ludwig National fund for Victims of National Andras Knopp and Martin Eichtinger of the Foreign Gerhard Wahlers and Kristina Committee Richard and Betsy Sheerr in US State Department Raymond and Colleen Knauer Socialism Ministry Eichhorst of the Konrad Adenauer Cheryl Fishbein and Phil Schatten, Philadelphia County of Charleston School Mary Reid Gomez Future Fund of the Republic of Austria Spain Martina Maschke, Hanspeter Huber Foundation New York Harry and Carol Saal in Palo Alto Administration Dani and Richard Helmly Federal Ministry of Education, Art and Casa Sefarad-Israel and Christine Koscis of the Ministry Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer Alan and Susan Rothenberg in BMW, Spartanburg Culture of Education, Culture and Art Bosnia Stephanie and Michael Naidoff San Francisco VHIV Our Cafe Centropa club members City of Vienna, Social Welfare Fund Macedonia Silvia Friedrich and Oskar Wawra of Asmir Hasicic, President of the History Mort and Amy Friedkin, San Francisco Margerie Simkin in Los Angeles Duke University Heinz Tauber City of Vienna, Cultural Department Holocaust Fund of the Jews for the International Department of the Teachers’ Association of the Canton Harry and Carol Saal, Palo Alto Neil and Robin Kramer in Los Angeles Michael J. and Raquel Haas Herbert Schrott Ministry of European and International Macedonia City of Vienna of Sarajevo Richard and Betsy Sheerr, Philadelphia Cheryl Fishbein and Phil Schatten North Charleston High School Eva Dutton Affairs US Embassy in Skopje Claus Raidl, President of the Austrian Jakob Finci of the Jewish Community Shale Stiller and Ellen Heller, Baltimore in New York Feinberg Philanthropic Family Fund Karoline Tauber Jewish Welcome Service Vienna Austrian Embassy in Skopje National Bank Alan Kluger and Amy Dean, Miami Mindy and JM Schapiro in Baltimore Rothenberg Family Philanthropic Fund Judith Reichard Jewish Museum Vienna Alice Burton, US Embassy Serbia Fred Turner, Chief of Staff, Senator Shalle Stiller and Ellen Heller Alice Granierer Serbia Siegfried Nagl, Mayor of Graz Zarko Korac, Member of Parliament Robert Menendez in Baltimore FRIENDS: Donations up to $1,000 Walter Stern Germany US Embassy Belgrade Peter Grabensberger, Kulturamt Graz Biljanan Stojanovic, Education Ministry Hannah Rosenthal, Milwaukee Jewish Tom Ott and Peter Bingham Partnership of Jewish Life and Judith Reichard Government contributions Austrian Cultural Forum Belgrade Peter Schoeber, ORF III Ryan Rowlands, Tanja Bakraclic and Federation

66 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 67 Making centropa work Staff Pictured from left to right: she graduated in 2012. Esther is cur- proposals for Centropa. Fabian emi- Tanja Eckstein, our chief interviewer Dr. Lauren Granite directs our North rently studying for a Master's degree grated from East Berlin to West Berlin in grew up in East Germany and moved to American educational programs. Before in Jewish Studies at the University of 1988. He has an M.A. in American History Vienna in 1984. Tanja joined Centropa joining Centropa, she spent a dozen Vienna. At Centropa, Esther digitizes from Rutgers and the Free University as an interviewer in 2002, and since years teaching Jewish history in col- our interviews and organizes our semi- of Berlin. Before joining Centropa in then she has conducted more than 70 leges, Jewish day schools and congre- nars. Vienna, Fabian worked for the American interviews in Austria and another three gational schools. As a teacher, Lauren Jewish Committee in Berlin. in Israel. In 2006, she started our Vienna created our first cross-cultural projects Marcel Kenesei learned he was Jewish Cafe Centropa social club, which brings with Berlin and Budapest. Since 2010 when his parents brought him, age Wolfgang Els hails from a small wine together our elderly interviewees once a she has been building our network of 14, to the Lauder Foundation school village in the Wienerwald, where when month to enjoy a lecture, social program Jewish day and congregational schools in Budapest. Since then he's been a not working for Centropa, he plays bass or a festive Jewish holiday meal. while expanding into public, parochial camper and counselor at Jewish camp, in a heavy rock band we cannot bear and charter schools. and received a master's degree from to listen to. Wolfi studied filmmaking at Marie Christine Gollner-Schmid was Paideia, the prestigious Jewish studies the University of St Pölten, is our chief born in Munich, grew up in Vienna, Edward Serotta is a journalist, pho- institute in Stockholm. Marcell oversees filmmaker and sound designer. where she studied at the prestigious tographer and filmmaker specializing our Hungarian public school program Hochschule für Angewandte Kunst. in Jewish life in Central Europe. Born and is in charge of our network of Ouriel Morgensztern, our tech director, Marie is our chief designer, which means in Savannah, Edward has worked in European Jewish schools. was born in France, served in the Israeli she designs our exhibitions, brochures Central Europe since 1985. Between Army for three years and is a member of and books. The publication you hold in 1996 and 1999, he produced four films Birgit Haberpeuntner hails from a small Vienna's Jewish community basketball your hands was also designed by Marie. for ABC News Nightline and published Austrian town near Salzburg and has team. He holds a degree in Sound and three books—Out of the Shadows, been working for Centropa part time Multi-media from ISTS in Paris. Ouriel Veronika Doppelreiter, our beloved Survival in Sarajevo and Jews, Germany, since 2009. Birgit received her masters’ keeps our multi-language, continually bookkeeper on whom we all rely, was Memory. He has contributed to Time degree in English at Vienna University expanding databases in check, and is in born in Brazil and moved to Vienna Magazine, The L.A.Times and other and did research for her second mas- charge of our website. more than 20 years ago. During our media outlets. Ed founded Centropa in ter’s thesis, in film and media studies, at years of interviewing in 14 countries, 2000. Columbia University. Birgit has worked Not pictured: Veronika managed to create systems alongside Fabian and Veronika and is Szilvia Czingel is helping our Hungarian to monitor and pay more than 140 Esther Cotoarba was born in the our Go-To person for all logistics for our director Marcell Kenesei with the orga- freelancers in their local currencies. Evgenij Gretschko was born in Siberia, grew up in Belarus and finished high Andrea Schellner is an Austrian freelance journalist and translator. Andrea spent Netherlands but grew up in Sighisoara, Summer Academies. nization of the Budapest Cafe Centropa, In recent years, as we have received school at the Chabad school in Vilnius. Evgenij, or Zhenia,graduated from Webster six years living in Kenya and began working for us as a fact checker in 2003. Since Romania where she attended a German which meets six times a year and substantial funding from the German, University Vienna, with a degree in business. Evgenij has worked for us part time for then Andrea has fact checked and edited more than 400 Centropa interviews and high school. She then studied Middle Fabian Rühle develops programs and brings together our interviewees from Austrian and US governments, Veronika the past three years. Evgenij was primarily responsible for our Lithuanian exhibition, continues to prepare our biographies for the internet. Eastern Studies at the University of runs seminars for schools all over Budapest. Szilvia also conducted more has been managing our bookkeeping which he curated, edited, designed and had printed. He has also worked on numer- Groningen in the Netherlands, where Europe and Israel, and writes grant than a dozen interviews for us in Hungary. and reporting procedures. ous other design programs for us.

68 Centropa annual Report 2012 & 2013 69