by Andrew Roth, Project Archivist Just in time for Passover, the JFCS Holocaust Center recently received a beautiful, three-tiered Seder plate as a donation from 98-year-old Holocaust survivor Hans Adler. This striking Seder plate not only has a fascinating history but also imparts an often-overlooked aspect of the Jewish refugee experience: the desire to hold on to the cherished and familiar while adapting to a new life in a new land.   The plate was used at Passover by the Adler family in Stuttgart, Germany, where Hans was born to Jakob and Bella in 1929. Jakob, known as Jack, stu ..read more

Why is April Genocide Awareness Month? April is recognized as Genocide Awareness Month due to the occurrence of numerous significant dates in the history of genocide within this month. During this month, we commemorate four genocides, raise awareness about all genocide, and explore how to recognize and interrupt the patterns. We Remember – Important Historical Occurrences in April The Armenian Genocide (1915) The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (1943) Anniversary of the Fall of Phnom Penh and Memorial for the Cambodian Genocide (1975) The Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda begins (1994) The JF ..read more

“I don’t want people to forget.”   That is what Georgie, a middle school student in San Mateo, found herself thinking when she was asked to explore topics for a two-year-learning project at school. As her friends explored starting a catering business or learning how to train pets, Georgie wondered how she could share about a topic close to her own heart—the Holocaust.   When asked why she chose the Holocaust for her project, Georgie explained that people learn about the six million Jews and 6 million others who were killed in the Holocaust but they “can’t really understand how b ..read more

by Andrew Roth, Archivist at the JFCS Holocaust Center’s Tauber Library and Archives On November 9–10, 1938, Nazi leaders unleashed a series of pogroms against the Jewish population in Germany and recently incorporated territories. This event came to be called Kristallnacht (The Night of Broken Glass) because of the shattered glass that littered the streets after the vandalism and destruction of Jewish-owned businesses, synagogues, and homes.  Kristallnacht hit Vienna particularly hard. Some 6,000 Austrian Jews were deported to the camp of Dachau, 27 were murdered, and nearly ..read more

George Rothman didn’t think he had a story to tell. His daughter, Elizabeth, convinced him otherwise. George Rothman, 2023 George, age 3 “I didn’t have to go to a concentration camp. I didn’t have to hide in someone’s closet. I was hidden in plain view. But my daughter said, You have a story. And you have to tell it.” George turned 90 this year, and requested that anyone who’s inclined to give him a gift instead make a donation to support the construction of JFCS’ new Holocaust Center. His belief in this project is intrinsically linked to his childhood, his journey to the United States, and ..read more

by Angelique Silva, YouthFirst Summer Intern In 1884, Germany (a minor power in Africa at the time) ruled over south-west Africa. After Germany had taken over, the Herero and Nama grew sick of the colonization and oppression, and in January 1904, decided to start a rebellion. With their revolt, Germany began a massacre targeting the two ethnic groups. This massacre led to what has been called “The 1st genocide of the 20th century.”  German forces gathered in GSWA to join in the conflict against the Herero people in 1904. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons [Public Domain]. It began when German ..read more

June 6, 2023, San Francisco—The Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS) Holocaust Center has announced the public phase of a $45 million capital campaign to build a new, state-of-the-art Holocaust Center, library, and archive.   The JFCS Holocaust Center is widely recognized statewide, nationally, and internationally as a leader in Holocaust and genocide education. The organization is currently guiding a major statewide response to combatting antisemitism, including co-chairing the Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education and leading the California Teachers Collab ..read more

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The Corruption and Reclaiming of the Jewish Star By Dr. Yedida Kanfer, Director of Collections and Programming  This Jewish American Heritage Month, we consider how the meaning of the Jewish Star has changed over time. Consider the blue and gold logo of the Golden State Warriors, with the Golden Gate Bridge in its center, or the Jewish Star of David. What gives these symbols their power?  Symbols can be hateful (eg. the swastika) or inclusive (eg. the LGBTQIA+ rainbow).  The meaning of a symbol can be contested; it can also change over time. From the collections of the Tauber Ho ..read more

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