Episode 11: "Resilience" and Jackie hosts from Jerusalem

Host Jackie Congedo, CEO at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, joined this episode from her hotel in Jerusalem, where she was with leaders from Holocaust education centers around the world, studying and collaborating.  

“Their son had a knack for connecting with people, and for seeing the humanity in somebody else, and for caring enough about another human being with a different story to ask about that story, to want to know more about it.” -- Jackie, on meeting the parents of an Israeli soldier killed by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Now, they honor his memory by passing out packets of instant coffee, urging people to listen to people who are different than them. 

Jackie and her co-host Kevin Aldridge, Opinion & Engagement Editor at Cincinnati.com talked about some of the people she met and the experiences she had during her time in Israel, including Holocaust survivors and their families.  She was also very moved by her time meeting other leaders in Holocaust education, which faces multiple challenges right now – the loss of remaining survivors, rising antisemitism, and a growing gap in knowledge about the Holocaust itself.

During our taping, sirens went off in Jerusalem, indicating a safety threat, and Jackie had to quit recording and take shelter. She is fine, and we were able to continue the episode. This brief interruption left us all with a greater sense of empathy for the daily realities that people on both sides of this conflict are living with right now and the incredible resilience required to sustain life there. 

This episode touches on the human toll of conflict, the importance of preserving and learaning from history, and how even small acts can create ripple effects of empathy and understanding. 

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity   

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Episode Resources 

Visit us in person or online https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/  

Removal of articles from government websites 

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/19/politics/pentagon-website-purge/index.html  

https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/03/19/jackie-robinsons-pentagon-page-removed-then-restored-in-dei-purge/  

https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-dei-diversity-social-media-purge-fb15996733408a8122a97acd3baa6820  

Dr. Eyal Kaminka and his wife Elena, on the loss of their son, Yannai, at the hands of Hamas 

https://time.com/6327936/israel-mother-son-death-hamas-war/  

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