Community Programs
Workshops & Seminars
All of our educational programs for students can be adapted for communities or workshops for teacher professional development purposes. Please reach out to HHRC Education Coordinator Erica Nadelhaft for more information. Throughout the year, the HHRC hosts a number of community gatherings, seminars, and professional development opportunities for Maine's educators. Please check the home page of this website for opportunities.
Dismantling Democracy
We are deepening civic education through the Dismantling Democracy: 53 Days in Nazi Germany which explores the critical weeks following Hitler’s appointment as chancellor in 1933, when the Nazi Party legally and systematically dismantled the democratic foundations of the Weimar Republic. Grounded in primary sources and historical context, the program offers an opportunity to learn about this pivotal moment in history—one that reminds us how quickly democratic institutions can erode. At the HHRC we work to promote Holocaust education, confront antisemitism and bias, and strengthen a more informed and compassionate civic culture across our state. One way we pursue that mission is through educational programs that invite communities to examine history in ways that deepen understanding and inspire civic engagement.
On Tuesday, April 21st, Erica and Tam presented at the Kennebunk Free Library for 65 people. The program has been very popular, attracting dozens of interested people in towns and communities across Maine. We are delighted, and indebted, to the Maine Humanities Council for their generous funding and support of this initiative. Please Join Us at an Upcoming Event:
Bangor Public Library - May 5th at 6:00
Auburn Public Library - May 27th at 4:00
Fort Kent Public Library - June 3rd at 5:30
The Rockland Public Library - July 23rd at 6:00
Methodist Church in Brunswick - September 23rd
Scarborough Public Library - September 24th at noon
Falmouth Memorial Library - October 7th at 5:30-6:45
Soul Survivors Book
We are delighted to collaborate on a beautiful book by and about Maine Holocaust survivors as a resource for students and teachers. "From the Holocaust to Maine: Testimonies of the Survivors" by Photographer Jack Montgomery showcases stunning portraits paired with the survivor’s story about suffering, persevering and surviving to build a new life in America. These people founded and built the Holocaust and Human Rights Center—and remain steadfast supporters and members of our close community. The book is brings together projects that date back to the beginning of the HHRC and building of the Michael Klahr Center. We are indebted to Jack, and thrilled that these evocative portraits and heartbreaking, inspiring stories now exist in a book. Writes Jack, “The things we save can become the means for our recovery. I am moved by every aspect of these stories … And I am forever grateful to the survivors for giving us this record, which no amount of denial or historical revisionism can ever erase. We are in their debt.” A generous donor has funded the gift of a free copy to every school in Maine. Email us if you would like to buy a copy.
Witness to History Project
Another initiative continues our mission to connect students with personal testimony through our Witness to History Project. In partnership with the Holocaust Awareness Museum and Education Center, we’re offering presentations by Holocaust survivors, liberators, and resisters—in schools, online, or at the Michael Klahr Center. These firsthand accounts offer important insight into the consequences of hatred, bigotry, and systemic violence.