Session 5 – Words That Wound: Propaganda and the Power to Dehumanize

This session explores how media, posters, and radio shaped public perception, convincing millions that cruelty was patriotism. Through survivor reflections, we uncover how lies were normalized and why truth-telling remains the foundation of freedom.

Presented in partnership with Opera Orlando, this free screening of "The Boys of Terezín" provides powerful historical context for Opera Orlando’s upcoming production. The film brings together five Holocaust survivors, a boys’ choir, and a chamber music group to tell the story of the secret concentration camp journal created by young prisoners at Terezín under the watch of their Nazi captors.

Move beyond survival narratives by exploring the complete life stories of Holocaust survivors. Learn how to use first-person testimony to help students understand Jewish life before the Holocaust, experiences during persecution, and the resilience demonstrated in rebuilding lives after liberation. Includes Florida-based survivor resources and classroom activities.

Session 6 – Judgment and Justice: The Nuremberg Trials and the Meaning of Accountability

After the Holocaust, the Nuremberg Trials redefined international justice. This closing session looks at how lawyers, judges, and survivors turned memory into law, creating terms like “crimes against humanity” and “genocide.” Participants reflect on how justice after atrocity shapes the moral conscience of free nations.

Hope & Humanity Take Center Stage on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at Steinmetz Hall at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts as we Honor Bruce Gould with this year's Tess Wise Tribute Award.

Named in honor of the Center’s founder, the Tess Wise White Rose Tribute Award recognizes individuals and organizations whose dedication to justice and equality actively contributes to building a society free from all forms of hate. Honorees embody the Center’s mission by promoting education and fostering unity and understanding in Central Florida.  

The Holocaust commemoration series honors the memory of victims and survivors while encouraging reflection on how to prevent such atrocities

The Holocaust commemoration series honors the memory of victims and survivors while encouraging reflection on how to prevent such atrocities in the future. By fostering dialogue and engagement, these commemorations underscore the enduring importance of remembrance and promote tolerance, empathy, and justice.

Gather with us to observe Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass), also called the November Pogrom, marking the intensification of terror against the Jews in the Third Reich. Speaker details to come.