Educate
Educators Conference
Each year, PHA and Arizona Jewish Historical Society work with the Bureau of Jewish Education to present an annual conference on the Holocaust for teachers. This, combined with the Speakers Bureau, brings another important educational opportunity to the community. The three organizations have a long history of working together in both local and national Holocaust education.
The primary goal with the annual educator conference is to provide an opportunity for teachers to hear from not only survivors and descendants, but experienced teachers who teach this subject. Educators have access to this and other valuable information and resources so they can incorporate study of the Holocaust in their classroom lessons.
Speakers Bureau
Survivor Speakers
Arizona’s Holocaust survivors have long volunteered to share their personal stories with members of the community. These important and inspiring stories are shared with schools, youth and community organizations, faith congregations, and business, civic and governmental groups. PHA speakers offer a wide variety of Holocaust-related experiences, from survivors being hidden, imprisoned in ghettos and concentration camps, engaging in multi-country odysseys to avoid capture, to how their descendants were raised and impacted in the shadows of that traumatic history.
Descendant Speakers
With the aging and death of survivors, it is more critical than ever to provide testimony of this part of history. The children and grandchildren of survivors are stepping up to share remarkable stories of their families’ resilience and forgiveness, and to remind us that the effects of genocide can last for many generations.
Those who grew up with Holocaust survivor parents or grandparents have a unique story to share. Some speak about their parents’ Holocaust experiences; a few have memorialized the stories in publications. Our trained descendant speakers share their experiences about what it was like growing up as a child of survivors and the impact it has had on their lives.
Speaker Request Form
Phoenix Holocaust Association invites teachers to visit Arizona Department of Education where state standards related to the teaching of the Holocaust and other genocides can be accessed as well as a Toolkit for teachers and students developed by the Task Force on The Holocaust and Other Genocides.
Each survivor has a poignant and unique story to tell of survival. By passing these stories on with their family and those who care about them, they make certain their story continues and the lessons of the Holocaust are not forgotten. Collectively, these stories tell the history of the Shoah, a history we must preserve and share.
PHA highly encourages teachers to consider bringing multiple classes together when requesting a speaker in order to limit the number of presentations from one speaker on a single day.
Resources
The Phoenix Holocaust Association provides, sponsors, supports a number of Holocaust education related events and programs as well as providing speakers, materials and references to Holocaust information.
Educator Recognition
The Phoenix Holocaust Association presents the Annual Shofar Zachor Award to an individual or group who has made outstanding contributions to the teaching of the Holocaust and genocide awareness.
Over the years, recipients of the Shofar Zachor Award have made a positive impact by keeping memory of the Holocaust alive and teaching its important lessons.
Some award recipients have gone on to make Holocaust education their life’s work, not only here in Arizona but at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, throughout the country, and in other parts of the world.
Past Recipients
2024
Heather Land, Mesa Public Schools
Sandra Flayton, Scottsdale Unified School District
2023
Representative Alma Hernandez
Christine Harthun, Arts Education Coordinator at Scottsdale Arts
2022
Ashley Crose, Educator
Janice Friebaum, 2G and Former PHA Vice President
2021
The Shofar Zachor Award was presented to 54 survivors who reside in Arizona.
2020
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no award was given in 2020
2019
The Arizona Republic, accepted by Phil Boas, Editorial Page Director
2018
Anthony Fusco, Educator
2017
Amy Drake, M.Ed., Educator
2016
Anna Cichopek-Gajraj, PhD
2015
John Liffiton, Scottsdale Community College Genocide Awareness Week
2014
Steve Tepper, East Valley JCC’s Holocaust & Tolerance Museum’s Railcar Restoration Project
Robert Sutz, Artist
2013
Ruth Callahan, PhD., Educator
2012
Steven Johnson, Educator
2011
Sheila Polk, Yavapai County Attorney
2010
Northern Arizona University’s Martin-Springer Institute
2009
Valerie Foster, Educator
2008
Barbara Hatch, Educator
2007
Ed Hermanski, Educator
Carolyn Nathan, z”l, Sponsor of BJE’s conference for educators
2005
Kim Klett, Educator
2004
Peggy Peters, Educator
Judy Peterson, Educator
Nancy Stevenson, Librarian
2002
Beth Joice, Educator
2001
Pete Fredlake, Educator
2000
Katie McFadzen, Childsplay Theater
1999
David Kader, Second Generation/Educator
Magda Willinger, z”l, Survivor
1998
Elaine Hirsch, BJE Community Library Coordinator
1997
Helen Handler, z”l, Survivor
1996
Harry and Ella Adler, z”l, Survivor
1995
Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, Luke AFB (American Military Liberators)
1994
Paul Wieser, Educator and 2006 Anti-Defamation League’s Bearing Witness Program
1993
Anna Koenig, z”l, Survivor
1992
Carl Ofisher, z”l, Survivor
1991
Kae Knight, Educator
1990
Jeffery Platt, z”l, Educator
1989
Cameron Harper, Journalist
(z”l – deceased)
1st place: Matthew Maledon, Brophy College Preparatory, Junior
2nd place: Avery Shafron, Rancho Solano Preparatory, Sophomore
3rd place: Alisa Velasquez, Dobson High School, Freshman
