(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie, which is dedicated to the memory of the Holocaust, celebrated 15 years since its opening over the weekend
Opening on April 19, 2009, the idea for a Holocaust Memorial in Illinois began when a group of Holocaust survivors in 1981 created a foundation after a group of neo-Nazis attempted to march in Skokie during the late 1970s.
Two years later, in 1983, they began fundraising. Eventually, they purchased a small storefront in Skokie, which was where they first opened and worked to share with the public the dangers of hatred and indifference.
The April 19 opening date for the Illinois Holocaust Museum was symbolic. It’s the date, in 1943, when the Warsaw Ghetto uprising began. During that struggle, about 14,000 Jews were either killed or were sent to a killing center.
On Sunday, the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie held a free workshop on Sunday about confronting anti-semitism in K-12 schools.
The interactive workshop was geared toward parents and caregivers of school-age children from all backgrounds and all levels of knowledge on the topic.
Through video, images and discussion, participants learned about the diversity of Jewish identities, along with historic and contemporary examples of anti-semitism.
Also taught through the workshop: Scenario-based problem solving, with the goal of preparing individuals to identify and respond to anti-semitism in local communities.
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