Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial

Jewish American Heritage Month provides an opportunity for Capitol District Jewish Holocaust Memorial (CDJHM) to recognize and celebrate the enduring contributions Jewish Americans have made to our nation and especially to New York State. From public service and education to science, business, labor, the arts, and civil rights, Jewish New Yorkers have helped shape the cultural, economic, and civic life of our communities for generations.

New York became home to many Holocaust survivors who transformed personal tragedy into extraordinary public service and cultural contribution. Among the most influential was Elie Wiesel, who lived and taught in New York and dedicated his life to Holocaust remembrance, human rights, and combating hatred worldwide. Many survivors also contributed quietly but profoundly to the city’s civic and cultural life — founding businesses, supporting hospitals and universities, strengthening Jewish communal institutions, and helping make New York a global center for tolerance, immigration, and remembrance. Their lives helped turn New York into not only a refuge, but also a place dedicated to memory, education, and human dignity.

Thus, Holocaust education is essential to preserving the truth of history, honoring the memory of the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, and teaching future generations about the dangers of hatred, prejudice, and indifference. As survivors become fewer in number, the responsibility to educate and bear witness becomes even more urgent.

Jewish American Heritage Month also reminds us that antisemitism remains a serious and growing threat. Acts of hate and intolerance against Jewish individuals and institutions continue to occur across the country and here in New York. We must confront antisemitism wherever it appears and work together to build communities grounded in dignity, understanding, and mutual respect.

We are grateful to New York State's elected leaders, including Governor Kathy Hochul, who have made statements in support of Jewish American Heritage Month in 2026. In her statement Governor Hochul reaffirmed her commitment to fighting antisemitism, saying, "This Jewish American Heritage Month, we recommit to standing up to antisemitism and celebrating the great achievements of our Jewish brothers and sisters." In December 2025 Governor Hochul signed a law to create a state-sponsored, CDJHM-inspired Holocaust Memorial at the State Capitol in Albany.

Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial is committed to promoting Holocaust education, preserving memory, and standing against antisemitism and all forms of hatred. By learning from the past and recognizing the contributions of Jewish Americans, we strengthen our shared commitment to democracy, human rights, and justice for all.

Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial strongly and unequivocally condemns the defacing of Stolpersteine in Italy and Sweden. These cowardly acts are not vandalism alone — they are deliberate acts of antisemitism and hate directed against the memory of innocent Jewish men, women, and children who were persecuted, deported, and murdered during the Holocaust.

The Stolpersteine, or “stumbling stones,” serve as powerful and deeply personal memorials placed outside the homes from which victims were torn away. The individuals commemorated in Turin and Oslo were deported to Auschwitz and other N**i death camps simply because they were Jewish. These markers ensure that the victims are not reduced to statistics, but remembered as human beings with names, families, homes, and lives stolen by N**i brutality.

Attempts to desecrate these memorials are attacks not only on Jewish memory, but on historical truth itself. At a time when antisemitism is rising globally and Holocaust distortion and denial continue to spread, memorialization and education are more important than ever. Preserving the memory of the Holocaust is essential to combating hatred, ignorance, and indifference.

Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial stands in solidarity with all those committed to preserving Holocaust memory. We reaffirm our commitment to Holocaust education, remembrance, and the responsibility to speak out against antisemitism in all its forms. Silence and indifference can never be an option.

We must continue to teach future generations where hatred and dehumanization can lead. To honor the victims is to defend truth, protect memory, and ensure that “Never Again” is not merely a phrase, but a continuing moral obligation.

On this Yom HaShoah, we, the board of Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial, continue to fulfill the sacred duty of Zikaron—remembrance.

We stand in solemn tribute to the six million Jewish children, women, and men who were murdered during the Shoah, and the millions of others whose lives were extinguished by N**i tyranny. Here, in the heart of our community, we honor the survivors who rebuilt their lives in our neighborhoods, carrying the weight of history with quiet dignity and profound resilience.

To remember is an active choice. By speaking their names and sharing their stories, we ensure that the flames of those lost are never truly extinguished. By educating others we hope the tragic lessons of the Holocaust will never be repeated. We reaffirm our commitment to confront antisemitism and hatred in all its forms, ensuring that "Never Again" is not just a phrase, but a lived promise.

May the memory of the victims be a blessing, may soon to be built New York State Holocaust Memorial serve as a permanent testament to the endurance of the Jewish people and the light of truth, and may we see an end to hate and prejudice for good.

Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial is pleased to introduce our new and updated website.
We hope you will take a few minutes to check it out. Thank you.
https://www.cdjhm.org/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAQrHJdjbGNrBCsckWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHrHiTbt9gNteD2XBZM4Pm2fTFBewQjTJ9-gQNgZXjPUThdKvg0-ausvd3npJ_aem_2XnX33j-Qm3zdk2KBThAZg

Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial: Educate • Honor • Inspire • Connect Visit the Holocaust Memorial in New York, honoring six million Jews and educating future generations through programs based on Echoes & Reflections.

The Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial expresses deep concern and sorrow over the alarming rise in antisemitic attacks targeting Jewish institutions around the world. The recent attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, is one of at least five such incidents reported globally in the past week, underscoring a deeply troubling trend.

Jewish communities everywhere are feeling the impact of these acts of hatred. For many, this moment brings not only anger and sadness, but also fear. When houses of worship and community institutions become targets, it sends a chilling message to Jewish families, students, and congregants who simply wish to practice their faith and live in peace.

The Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial calls on all people of conscience to stand up and speak out clearly against antisemitism and violence. Silence allows hatred to grow.

We ask our friends, neighbors, community leaders, and institutions to do something simple but powerful: reach out to the Jewish people in your communities. Let them know that you care. Let them know that they are not alone. Let them know that hatred and violence have no place in our society.

Moments like these remind us why Holocaust education and remembrance remain so essential. As the number of living Holocaust survivors diminishes, our responsibility to teach the consequences of hatred and indifference becomes even greater. Education helps build communities of upstanders—people who refuse to remain silent in the face of injustice.

Together, we must reaffirm our shared commitment to dignity, tolerance, and the protection of all communities from hatred.

Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial (CDJHM)

Educate. Honor. Connect. Inspire.

CAPITAL DISTRICT JEWISH HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL RECEIVES FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ITS TRAVELING EDUCATION PROGRAM

ALBANY, NY - Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial, Inc. (CDJHM) today announced that it will receive $600,000 in federal funding to support and expand its Traveling Holocaust Education Program. The funding, originally proposed by U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and signed into law in February, will enable CDJHM to accelerate the rollout of its Traveling Memorial and related educational initiatives across New York State.

Once received this critical investment will empower CDJHM to be able to fast-track pop-up educational exhibits designed for schools, museums, and community centers, bringing Holocaust education directly to communities where access may otherwise be limited. The Traveling Memorial program focuses on educating students and the public about the Holocaust, the dangers of antisemitism, and the consequences of hatred left unchecked.

"We are deeply grateful to U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and U.S. Congressman Paul Tonko for securing this vital funding for Holocaust education,” said Dan Dembling, CDJHM President. “Senator Gillibrand recognized the unique and proactive nature of our education programs and the value they bring to communities throughout New York State. This support will allow us to make Holocaust education more accessible and impactful, ensuring that more people understand the devastating consequences of hatred. As firsthand stories of the Holocaust continue to fade, the urgency to remember, to educate, and to work together toward tikkun olam - healing the world - has never been greater.”

Senator Schumer said, “I am pleased to support Senator Gillibrand’s initiative to fund the Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial’s traveling educational programming. This awful chapter of human history must never be forgotten, and efforts like this one will help educate future generations about the Holocaust so that it will never be repeated.”

“The Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial honors the memory of those lost in the Holocaust by educating the next generation about the perils of repeating the past,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Antisemitism is unacceptable anywhere it occurs. I was proud to secure federal funding for CDJHM’s educational memorials, and I will continue working to bring home federal dollars to help combat rising antisemitism in our country.”

Congressman Tonko said, “I’m thrilled to celebrate this important infusion of federal funding — a testament to the importance of accessible Holocaust education and to the vital role played by Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial in delivering these essential learning experiences to people and communities who might otherwise lack access to them. This award will allow CDJHM to further expand its Traveling Holocaust Education Program across New York State, providing learners with an opportunity to connect with this important history and to understand how antisemitism and other forms of hate can lead to deadly violence. Now more than ever, it is essential that we equip ourselves and our children with the tools and inspiration to speak out and care for our neighbors. This funding will help CDJHM do just that, and I’m eager to see how this organization will utilize these resources to help build a better world.”

CDJHM’s Traveling Memorials are specially designed to deliver immersive learning experiences in communities where Holocaust education may be difficult to access. The exhibits are enhanced with interactive features and digital learning modules accessed through QR codes embedded throughout the display, allowing learners to engage deeply with the material wherever they live in New York State. Understanding how antisemitism and other forms of hate can escalate into violence—and ultimately genocide—is a critical lesson for learners of all ages.

Founded in 2018, CDJHM is a 501(c)3 registered nonprofit organization dedicated to memorializing the six million Jews and other innocent victims of the Holocaust while educating the public about the consequences of hatred, brutality, and apathy. That vision reached a major milestone in December 2025, when New York State enacted legislation to create a permanent New York State Holocaust Memorial at the Empire State Plaza in Albany.

Through its memorial and innovative education programs, CDJHM honors the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, recognizes the rescuers and liberators who stood up to the N**i regime, and connects present and future generations to the lessons of history. By fostering awareness, empathy, and moral courage, CDJHM seeks to inspire individuals to stand up, speak out, and work toward a more just and tolerant world.

For more information about the Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial, visit www.cdjhm.org.

www.cdjhm.org

Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial board members Dan Dembling, President, and Evelyn Loeb, Education Director, were pleased to present "From Memory to Meaning: Teaching and Preserving Holocaust History" in commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day
at the NYS Museum today.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Dic8sUkk4/

Today, the New York State Museum commemorates with the following programs that explore how New York State is preserving, teaching, and commemorating Holocaust history.

12 pm: Gallery Tour of the NYSM exhibit Holocaust to Haven
https://nysm.nysed.gov/programs/holocaust-to-haven-guided-tour

2 pm: Collaborative presentation: From Memory to Meaning
https://nysm.nysed.gov/programs/memory-to-meaning

Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial

Today, January 27, 2026 is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Today we join with others the world over to mark the 81st anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camps.

Today, and always, we remember.
We remember the 6 million Jewish children, women, and men who were systematically murdered by the N**is just because they were Jewish.

And, we remember the millions of other innocents who died, those who fought against the hate, as well as those who survived against all odds and made a new life after the unimaginable happened to them.

We salute the 2026 theme for this day across the world which is “Holocaust Remembrance for Dignity and Human Rights."

Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial joins with the many around the world and here in the United States as we pause to remember, and also to focus on educating others about the perils of hate left unchecked.

Especially on THIS Holocaust Remembrance Day when antisemitism and hate are reaching new heights, we urge you to use this day as a time for reflection, education, and strengthening the commitment to fighting antisemitism and hate.

In a world filled with so much darkness, we must strive to be the light.

Today, after 843 days in captivity, the body of Ran Gvili was returned to Israel for burial. CDJHM will always remember October 7, 2023, the day that the greatest number of Jewish people were murdered just for being Jews since the Holocaust.
We must always stand against antisemitism hate in all its forms.