Meeting Our Colleagues

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JFR Centers of Excellence staff meet at AHO Annual Meeting, June 2010 in Skokie, IL[/caption]What a fantastic few days it's been!  I'm at the 25th annual conference of the Association of Holocaust Organizations, which is being hosted by the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie, Illinois.  This meeting has been a great opportunity to connect with colleagues, including those from the JFR's sixteen Holocaust Centers of Excellence.  In addition to meeting with staff from our Centers of Excellence, here are some of the highlights of the conference:

• Hearing Dr. James Young's session on "The Stages of Holocaust Memory and the Contemporary Monument"
• Visiting the recently opened new Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, which is one of the JFR's Centers of Excellence
• Hearing Dr. Stephen Smith talk about the exciting new work happening with testimonies at the USC Shoah Foundation Institute
• Hearing Dr. Robert Skloot speak about "The Holocaust and Theatre of Choice"
• Learning about "Current Issues in Antisemitism and the Persecution of the Roma" from our European colleagues, Norbert Hinterleitner of the OSCE and Karel Fracapane of the Shoah Memorial in Paris
• Listening to Dr. Michael Berenbaum and Richard Hirschhaut speak about "The Holocaust, Israel and Palestine - The Issues of Values and Politics"

Tomorrow we'll hear from Dr. Peter Hayes of Northwestern University and Reverend John Pawlikowski of the Catholic Theological Seminary.  Having the opportunity to meet with like-minded individuals who are dedicated to the study of Holocaust history and the importance of Holocaust education is always an inspiring and energizing experience!