South Carolina Council on the Holocaust
“The work that the SC Council on the Holocaust does is so important for our students in South Carolina. Having a chance to discuss and reflect on the past gives students the tools to be better citizens for our future.”
- Molly Spearman, State Superintendent of Education
The South Carolina Council on the Holocaust provides educational programs about the systematic genocide of six
million Jews and others in the Holocaust to help prevent such atrocities from happening again. Our work seeks to honor the
survivors of the Holocaust and the camp liberators who call South Carolina home.
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SC officials, Jewish community honor liberation of Auschwitz on 80th anniversary
Speakers included Holocaust survivors and their children
Full South Carolina Daily Gazette Article
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Rededication of Marion Square Holocaust Memorial
On November 17, 2024 the Charleston community held a rededication of its Holocaust memorial located in Marion Square.
As SCCH council member Eileen Chepenik, who also was chair of the memorial's rededication committee, stated "We're remembering the past, enjoying
the present, and rededicating ourselves to the future. In this precarious time we're living in, with antisemitism on the rise all over the world,
it is more important than ever to stand up and be proud." Please read more about this event here:
Charleston Memorial Article
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Museum Strongly Condemns Antisemitic Attacks in Amsterdam
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum strongly condemns the vicious attacks on Israeli soccer
fans in Amsterdam and the outrageous celebrations of those attacks, which are warning signs for any society. We commend the
Dutch authorities for their rapid denunciation of these antisemitic attacks. Governments and citizens must always hold
perpetrators accountable and work to prevent hatred of Jews.
"This event is especially chilling, coming just as we mark the 86th anniversary of the November pogrom (Kristallnacht), when Jews throughout Nazi Germany were systematically attacked by Nazis as fellow citizens looked on," said Museum Chairman Stuart E. Eizenstat. "Holocaust history is an urgent reminder about the dangers of silence and complicity and the need for all societies to aggressively confront antisemitism."
"This event is especially chilling, coming just as we mark the 86th anniversary of the November pogrom (Kristallnacht), when Jews throughout Nazi Germany were systematically attacked by Nazis as fellow citizens looked on," said Museum Chairman Stuart E. Eizenstat. "Holocaust history is an urgent reminder about the dangers of silence and complicity and the need for all societies to aggressively confront antisemitism."
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Auschwitz Legacy Fellowship for Teachers
Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Foundation (ABMF) is grateful
to the South Carolina Council on the Holocaust for their help in bringing Auschwitz
Legacy lessons to schools in South Carolina by partnering with us on the Auschwitz
Legacy Fellowship.
Read More About The Followship Here
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SCCH Chair Speaks at Kristallnacht Remembrance Ceremony
Dr. Lilly Filler, the SC Council on the Holocaust's chairperson,
was the keynote speaker at Queens University's Remembering Kristallnacht: The Night of Broken Glass
ceremony on November 12, 2023. Dr. Filler is the daughter of Ben and Jadzia Stern, both of whom were
survivors of the Holocaust. She spoke to an audience of over 350 people about her parents' experiences
and their survival.
Image from the ceremony
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The Selden K. Smith Holocaust Collection
Richland Library welcomes items from the personal Holocaust collection of Dr. Selden K. Smith.
Housed primarily at Richland Library Main, the collection features over 250 items including biographies, histories,
religious texts, and even cookbooks.
Click here for information
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UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM DEEPLY ALARMED BY SURGE IN DANGEROUS ANTISEMITISM
WASHINGTON, DC - The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is gravely concerned about the unprecedented antisemitism erupting-sometimes violently-on college campuses;
city streets in the United States, Europe and beyond; all over the internet; and even in an airport, creating an environment of intimidation and threat to Jews all over the world.
Museum Chair Stuart E. Eizenstat said, "In the wake of Hamas' terror attack on Israel, the largest killing of Jewish civilians since the Holocaust,
we are witnessing a horrific rise in antisemitism. College students, leaders, and the broader public need to learn the history and lessons of the Holocaust -
the dangers of unchecked antisemitism, the power of propaganda, and the potential for complicity in group-targeted violence. All of us need to
understand the lessons of the past and take responsibility for the future."
A nonpartisan federal, educational institution, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is America's national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust,
dedicated to ensuring the permanence of Holocaust memory, understanding, and relevance. Through the power of Holocaust history, the Museum challenges leaders
and individuals worldwide to think critically about their role in society and to confront antisemitism and other forms of hate, prevent genocide, and
promote human dignity.
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View Statement on USHMM Website
USHMM Statement on the Attack on Israel
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is outraged by Hamas's unconscionable attack on Israel, killing hundreds,
and targeting Israeli citizens for kidnapping, including a Holocaust survivor, according to the U.S. Department of State.
Museum Chair Stuart E. Eizenstat said, "These vile acts by this terrorist organization must be universally condemned and all hostages immediately
released. Our prayers are with all Israelis, including the many Holocaust survivors who helped build the State of Israel, where they could finally
live in the freedom and security they deserved after centuries of persecution, and ultimately genocide."
A nonpartisan federal, educational institution, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is America's national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust,
dedicated to ensuring the permanence of Holocaust memory, understanding, and relevance. Through the power of Holocaust history, the Museum challenges leaders
and individuals worldwide to think critically about their role in society and to confront antisemitism and other forms of hate, prevent genocide, and
promote human dignity.
View Statement on USHMM Website
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Statement on the Attack on Babyn Yar
Along with the Association of Holocaust Organizations,
the South Carolina Council on the Holocaust joins the world in strongly condemning
the missile attack damaging the Babyn Yar memorial site built to honor
the memory of the Jewish victims of the Holocaust who were murdered at Babyn Yar.
Read the full statement here
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Importance of Holocaust Education
We have new video resources regarding the importance of Holocaust education. The videos can be found under "Education" and by clicking
on the link titled "Importance of Holocaust Education". The videos include interviews with Robert Caslen (President of USC), Senator Katrina Shealy, Molly Spearman (Superintendent of Education), and Mayor Steve Benjamin.
View Videos
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75th Anniversary of the Auschwitz Liberation Commemoration
International Holocaust Remembrance Day was designated by The United
Nations General Assembly to commemorate the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945. On this day,
we honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazism and
recommit ourselves to developing educational programs that help prevent future genocides.
Click here for more information
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Palmetto Scene Special: SC Holocaust Commemoration
Features interview with Elisha Wiesel. He is the only child of Holocaust survivor, author, professor, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Elie Wiesel.
View Palmetto Scene Special