An evening with STAV COHEN
Location: Inn at Great Neck, 30 Cutter Mill Road, Great Neck

(Come early at 6:00 pm for Tree Lighting and Latkes)

FREE Registration Required (See below)

12 YEARS IN THE IDF SPECIAL FORCES

• How does the BATTLEFIELD actually look like?
• What is RADICAL islam and how does it endanger America?
• How does international law clash with the war?
• What mission must Jewish Americans embrace now?

As a commander, fighter, and lawyer, Stav takes you inside the battlefield. Through exclusive, hard-hitting combat stories — he reveals what studios miss and analysts misread.

Stav fuses fieldcraft, strategy, and law into practical tools to decode narratives and challenge misinformation.

TWO WARS.

• Hundreds of deep ops.

• IDF disabled veteran, wounded and rebuilt.

Thursday, November 20, at 6:00 PM
Old Westbury Hebrew Congregation
21 Old Westbury Rd
Old Westbury, NY 11568

30th Annual Tribute Dinner

Pillar of Courage Recipient: Grammy Nominated John Ondrasik - Five for Fighting Singer “100 Years,” “Superman” (It’s Not Easy)”

HMTC Honoree: Samuel Nahmias, Mayor of the Village of Lawrence

Chartan Maier Founder’s Award: HMTC Vice Chair, Jolanta Zamecka

Jonny Daniels: Evening Moderator, Speaker, Author

Aliza Licht: Award-winning marketer, bestselling author, podcaster

Bruce Blakeman: Nassau County Executive

Sam Fried: IDF Paratrooper - First Sergeant, Gaza War Veteran

Abraham Hamra: Partner at Cohen, Tucker & Ades P.C., Syrian-Jewish Refugee

For information or questions, contact Bali Lerner at:
(516) 571-8040 or balilerner@hmtcli.org

While their families were hidden together in the secret annex in Amsterdam, Anne Frank’s young friend Peter confided to her that if he got out alive, he would reinvent himself entirely.  But no historical record has ever revealed his fate.  This book is the story of what might have happened if the boy in hiding had survived to become a man, a story that encompasses the inescapability of the past, the power of Anne Frank’s diary, and the strange world of memory that engulfed Peter when it was published and he found he was in it.

The discussion will be led by Dr. Linda Burghardt, Scholar-in-Residence.

On November 9th and 10th of 1938, the lives of German and Austrian Jews were indescribably altered as members of the SS, SA, Hitler Youth, alongside everyday citizens, took to the streets to destroy Jewish homes, businesses, and synagogues. 1,000+ synagogues were burned as thousands of Jewish men were arrested and imprisoned at concentration camps.

 On the 87th anniversary of Kristallnacht or "Night of Broken Glass", we look to commemorate those whose lives were lost or forever changed by the events of November 9th, 1938.

Please join us as we gather for a meaningful and reflective commemorative event, including a candle lighting ceremony. Light refreshment will be provided.

THIS EXHIBIT OPENING IS POSTPONED AND WE WILL ANNOUNCE THE OPENING SOON

Please join us for the opening of HMTC's latest temporary exhibition: Sonja's Legacy. 

Sonja's Legacy is an unusual collection of artwork and images from the Holocaust. The colorful paintings and skillful drawings were created by Sonja Fischerova, a young girl from Prague while imprisoned in the Terezin concentration camp from 1942-1944. She and her mother and sister, and later her Bauhaus-trained art teacher Friedl Dicker-Brandeis, were deported to Auschwitz and killed by the Nazis.

The images in Sonja's Legacy, like the words in Anne Frank's diary, provide a unique humanistic way for children and adults to learn about the Holocaust and tolerance. The colorful exhibit conveys hope and life. Yet it is set against the tragic end of her short life and of the last three generations of her family that had been rooted in Prague for centuries and the millions who perished in the Holocaust.

Sonja's Legacy Foundation (SLF) was founded by relatives of Sonja to educate and teach about the Holocaust using the art of Sonja Fischerova, her life and the lives of her relatives. This exhibition will be on display at HMTC through spring 2026 with the goal of sharing the deeply personal, moving, and tragic experiences of Sonja Fischerova with thousands of students and adults.

Light refreshments will be provided for the exhibition's opening.
For more information on Sonja's Legacy Foundation, visit them here.

PLEASE RSVP BELOW

Thursday, November 6, at 6:30 PM
Suffolk Y JCC
74 Hauppauge Road
Commack, NY 11725

Ten-Time Award-Winning Documentary
2025 • USA • English • 82 min

Director: Christiane Arbesu

The Weight of Memory: I Am Bernie Furshpan is a deeply moving, ten-time award-winning documentary that brings history to life through the personal journey of Dr. Bernie Furshpan, son of Holocaust survivor Moshe Furshpan and Vice Chair of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County.

As Bernie travels across the United States sharing his father’s extraordinary story of survival, audiences witness how one family’s experience can spark a universal message of courage, compassion, and responsibility. The film weaves powerful testimony with historical truth, challenging viewers to confront intolerance and uphold the timeless call to action: Never forget.

Why You Should Come:

This is more than a screening; it’s an experience that will move you, teach you, and remind you that hope and humanity can prevail even in the darkest times.

Live Q&A with Dr. Bernie Furshpan following the screening.

Ask questions, share your reflections, and join the dialogue on remembrance and moral courage.

Get your tickets today or at the theater.

TATAMI will be rescheduled in January

Please join us for a powerful evening of courage, conviction, and conversation.

This will be a special screening of the award-winning film TATAMI, proudly presented by the Sephardic Heritage Alliance Inc. (SHAI) and the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County (HMTC).

Location: 430 Plandome Rd, Manhasset, NY 11030

This extraordinary film—directed by Zar Amir and starring Arienne Mandi—delivers a gripping portrayal of integrity under pressure, human resilience, and the strength to stand up for what’s right.

Followed by:
A panel discussion featuring Dr. Siamack Shojai, Dean of the Ancell School of Business, and a dessert reception where guests can connect and reflect.

Tickets:
Adults: $30
Students: $10

Don’t miss this must-see event that unites film, dialogue, and community in the spirit of tolerance and understanding.

Like every Parisian during the German occupation, Lucian Bernard, a young Christian architect, was hungry.  So when a wealthy French industrialist offers him a factory to design, he leaps at the opportunity.  But there is a catch: before he is paid, he is to outsmart the Gestapo and risk his life building a foolproof hiding place for a Jew. And thus begins Lucien’s deep descent into the dark reality of the Holocaust, one in which he will be forced to question everything he has ever thought he believed about the world, human nature and, indeed, himself.  

Dr. Linda Burghardt, Scholar-in-Residence, will lead the discussion.

Please join us for a meaningful reception as author and Holocaust survivor Gilda Zirinsky launches her memoir I Went to Kindergarten in Casablanca.

As enemy warplanes roared overhead and bombs fell on the city of Liège, nearly five-year-old Gilda's childhood ended with a suitcase, a train ticket, and a mother's desperate plea to flee. So begins a sweeping true story that spans continents and decades-from a harrowing escape across war-torn Europe to an unexpected new life in sun-drenched Casablanca, and eventually, to the promise of America.

In this rich and moving memoir, Gilda Zirinsky retraces her extraordinary journey as a Jewish child refugee during World War Il. Through vivid memories and family history, she recounts scenes of narrow escapes, lost homelands, and acts of courage and compassion-from a French captain who risked his life to save hundreds to a tenacious mother who refused to give up hope.
Told with warmth, humor, and deep humanity, I Went to Kindergarten in Casablanca is more than a tale of survival—it is a celebration of family, love, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

Light refreshments will be provided and autographed books will be available for purchase. 10% of all proceeds from book sales will go to HMTC.

Please join us for a meaningful reception as author and Holocaust survivor Mireille S. Taub launches her memoir The Last Train From Paris: Escape and Refuge 1940.

The Last Train From Paris is a deeply personal and historically rich memoir that weaves together first-hand stories of survival, resistance, and remembrance during one of humanity's darkest times - the Holocaust. Author Mireille Taub shares powerful accounts from her own escape as a toddler on the last train out of Nazi-occupied Paris, alongside the harrowing fates of family members who were not as fortunate. Through vivid storytelling and heartfelt reflection, this collection honors acts of courage and love amidst unthinkable brutality. A moving tribute to memory, resilience, and the enduring human spirit, The Last Train From Paris ensures that the voices of the past will not be forgotten.

Mireille Taub is a Holocaust survivor and volunteer educator for Holocaust and tolerance programs at the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center. A retired literacy specialist, Mireille taught at Dodd Junior High School in Freeport for twenty-four years, Leo F. Giblyn Elementary School for ten years, and as an adjunct in the Basic Education Department at Nassau Community College. Since her retirement, she has worked in various Long Island educational communities as a literacy consultant for the Long Island Writing Project and Molloy College Advisory Board. Mireille chairs the David Taub Reel Upstander Film Series at HMTC, honoring her late husband, a hidden child in wartime France.

Autographed copies of the Last Train From Paris will be available for purchase following the event for $15. Light refreshment will be provided.

PLEASE RSVP BELOW IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND

October 7th Commemoration

The Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center (HMTC) will hold a special commemoration on Sunday, October 5, 2025, to mark the second anniversary of the October 7th terrorist attacks in Israel. This solemn event will honor the memory of the victims, show solidarity with the hostages and their families, and reaffirm our commitment to standing against antisemitism, hatred, and terror in all its forms. As a center dedicated to Holocaust remembrance and the lessons of history, HMTC recognizes the urgent need to confront rising hate with truth, unity, and resilience.

ANNUAL CHECKMATE HATE

A CHARITY “CHESS IN THE PARK” TOURNAMENT EVENT.  TAKING PLACE ON THE GROUNDS OF THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL AND TOLERANCE CENTER OF NASSAU COUNTY IN GLEN COVE, NY. 

CHESSanity, has been teaming up with the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County (HMTC) aimed at putting an end to hate and bigotry and promoting tolerance and respect for all people, regardless of their background or religion, as the way forward for future generations of humanity.  We hope to inspire a new generation of leaders who are committed to creating a more just and equitable world.

As part of this partnership, CHESSanity has scheduled this event that promotes the values of tolerance and inclusivity, while also donating the proceeds to support HMTC's mission to educate the public about the Holocaust and its lessons for today. We believe that through our joint efforts, we can make a real difference in the fight against hate and discrimination, and create a brighter, more tolerant future for all.

ACTIVITIES:
12:00pm-5:00pm
CASUAL Play

12:30pm-3:00pm
Blitz, 5 Rounds, Three Sections
over 1000 | 600-1200 | U600 and Beginners
G/5TimeControl

3:30pm-5:30pm

Bughouse, 5 Rounds, One Section
Open to any two-member teams, G/5 Time Control

PRIZES:
Blitz:
$75, $50 & $25 for the first three places in each section

Bughouse:
$150, $100 & $ and 50 for the first three teams

FLORA BEA NYC: STYLE IT FORWARD

10% of proceeds from Flora Bea NYC sales benefit HMTC

Join 3X Emmy-winning Holocaust Documentarian Dana Arschin for an intimate conversation with activist-stylist Gayle Perry followed by Gayle’s best styling tips. It will be a night of shopping & fashion to help combat antisemitism and all forms of hate.

$40 tickets to enter
if you purchase before September 5th
($50 tickets at the door)

POSTPONED:

Drawing Parallels with Simon Deng

Location: Inn at Great Neck, 30 Cutter Mill Rd, Great Neck, NY

Simon Deng is a South Sudanese-American human rights activist and former child slave who has dedicated his life to fighting modern-day slavery and promoting freedom. Enslaved at age nine during a militia raid, he escaped after three years and later found refuge in the United States, where he became a prominent voice against human rights abuses in Sudan and Darfur. Known for organizing the “Sudan Freedom Walk” from New York to Washington, DC, and similar marches worldwide, Deng uses his personal story to raise awareness and inspire action. In recent years, he has also emerged as a passionate advocate for Israel and the release of hostages held by Hamas, drawing parallels between his own experiences and contemporary struggles for justice and liberation.

Suggested Donation: $18

Location: Manhasset Movie Theater, 430 Plandome Rd, Manhasset, NY

Blind Spot has also been accepted for consideration for a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary.

Blind Spot is the first film to document both the antisemitism that existed on American campuses before October 7 and how it led to the explosion of virulent and often violent campus antisemitism after October 7. In their own words, it tells the story from the perspectives of more than two dozen students at more than a dozen schools who’ve experienced and fought against this hatred.

Panel Discussion To Follow:

• Producer, Leonard Gold & Yuval Donio-Gideon,
  Consul for Public Diplomacy at the Consulate General of Israel in New York

• Legislator Mazi Pilip

• Activist Sabrina Soffer

In this debut novel, the long shadow of the Holocaust casts its darkness over two sisters and an emerald necklace that both connects them and tears them apart, entangling one more young woman, Lucy Rey, in its mystery. Now, eighty years after the necklace was lost, it takes Lucy up and over the majestic Dolomite mountains of northern Italy in a cinematic search to find the jewels and the sister who seems to know where they are – and who they belong to.

Dr. Linda Burghardt, Scholar-in-Residence, will lead the discussion.

As Paris trembles on the brink of the German occupation, a young Frenchwoman discovers a secret from her father’s past that brings her to the doorstep of an elegant, aged courtesan, a powerful but secretive woman whose fabled legacy and devotion to art and beauty help light her way through the Holocaust. 

Dr. Linda Burghardt, Scholar-in-Residence, will lead the discussion.

The Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County (HMTC) proudly announces its 16th Annual Golf Outing, honoring Stuart Lubow, President & CEO of Dime Community Bank.

Dime Community Bank is delighted to serve as our Event Sponsor.

Registration is now open for golf packages, foursomes, and sponsorship opportunities.

Join us for a memorable day of friendly competition on the greens and help us in the fight against hate!

All proceeds directly support HMTC's vital education and advocacy efforts to combat antisemitism and discrimination in all forms.

For additional details or registration inquiries, please contact Bali Lerner at balilerner@hmtcli.org or 516.652.1636.

Nazi troops are amassing at the Polish border as Alina waits for Tomasz to come home from Warsaw so they can be married.  But as the occupation takes over her village and the people are divided by fear and hate, Alina is forced to enter into dangerous alliances as the only way to save her life.  Two generations later, and thousands of miles away, another Alina – now called Alice – tries to unravel the hidden secrets in her family’s history, woven so closely with her own, secrets born of the devastation that occurs when truth is silenced.

Dr. Linda Burghardt, Scholar-in-Residence, will lead the discussion.

Northern Italy in 1941 is a war zone like all the others spreading their stain across Hitler’s Europe, with Mussolini’s new racial laws twisting loyalties and destroying  families and friendships. But for Lili and Esti, who have been close as sisters, the war only magnifies and deepens their reliance on each other, until one day Esti is torn from her young son and Lili is forced to flee with him, a choice that might very well cost Lili her own life.

Dr. Linda Burghardt, Scholar-in-Residence, will lead the discussion.

Pink Triangle Legacies: Holocaust History and the Fight for LGBTQ+ Rights [VIRTUAL]

Join us as historian Dr. Jake Desai-Newsome tells the dynamic and inspiring history of the LGBTQ+ community's original pride symbol by tracing the transformation of the pink triangle from a Nazi concentration camp badge into a widespread emblem of queer liberation, pride, and community. Drawing from unexplored archival sources and original interviews, Dr. Desai-Newsome showcases the voices of LGBTQ+ Holocaust victims and a rich tapestry of queer lives who found meaning in the pink triangle in a post-Holocaust world. The presentation will be followed by Q&A.

The Pink Triangle Legacies Project honors the memory of the Nazis' LGBTQ+ victims and carries on their legacy by fighting homophobia and transphobia today through education, empowerment, and advocacy. You can learn more at pinktrianglelegacies.org.

Attendees will receive a discount code for 30% off Pink Triangle Legacies: Coming Out in the Shadow of the Holocaust. 

Elzbieta Rabinek, a young Polish gentile, lives in Warsaw just beyond the walls of the ghetto, protected by a secret identity designed to keep her safe.  She knows all too well about the Germans’ brutality, yet she enters the ghetto on a social work mission to help the Jewish families imprisoned there.  Through her deepening relationship with Roman, a zealous resistance fighter within the ghetto, she makes a shocking set of discoveries that propel her into a dangerous world of deception and heroism. 

Dr. Linda Burghardt, Scholar-in-Residence, will lead the discussion.

An Evening of Storytelling & Inspiration

Hosts Matt & Ilana Engel warmly invite you to join them for an intimate evening at their home, featuring a powerful and inspiring conversation with:

Dana Arschin, HMTC’s Storyteller-in-Residence

Sam Fried, IDF Lone Soldier

Come hear his remarkable stories of resilience, identity, and courage, in a setting designed for meaningful connection and reflection. We hope you’ll join us for this special evening.

*100% of the proceeds will support HMTC

*hors d’oeuvres and Israel wine tasting

More info: dana.arschin@hmtcli.org

Sold Out

THE WEIGHT OF MEMORY: I AM BERNIE FURSHPAN
A Film by Christiane Arbesu | Terrebonnne Productions

Location: Manhasset Cinemas, 530 Plandome Rd, Manhasset, NY

In a time when the voices of history are fading and intolerance threatens to resurface, The Weight of Memory: I Am Bernie Furshpan emerges as a vital and moving call to action. This compelling documentary is more than a recounting of the past—it’s a bridge between generations, a personal journey with universal resonance. Dr. Bernie Furshpan invites viewers into his family's legacy, shaped by the Holocaust and carried forward with purpose and passion. This is not just a film to watch—it’s an experience to carry forward.

The Weight of Memory: I Am Bernie Furshpan is a deeply personal and timely documentary that follows Dr. Bernie Furshpan, son of Holocaust survivor Moshe Furshpan, as he travels the country educating younger generations. Through a powerful blend of historical fact and personal testimony, Bernie shares his family’s story to inspire action against hatred and its devastating consequences. It is with a sense of urgency that he delivers his mission to empower a new generation to stand against intolerance and ensure that history’s lessons are never forgotten.

SOLD OUT, DO NOT RSVP

Kindertransport History Bench Unveiling
Sunday, May 4th at 12:00 PM

The Kindertransport Association (KTA) is proud to announce the unveiling of our very first Kindertransport History Bench, to be permanently installed on the grounds of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center in Glen Cove, NY.

Join us on Sunday, May 4th at 12:00 PM for this meaningful installation event, which will include remarks from:

• Ilse Melamid, Kindertransport survivor — whose powerful story is featured on the bench

• Peter Suchmann, creator of the Kindertransport History Bench initiative

• Melissa Hacker, Executive Director of The Kindertransport Association

• Jolanta Zamecka, representing the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center

The Kindertransport History Benches offer visitors a space to reflect, rest, and engage with history. Each bench includes a QR code that links to video testimonies from Kindertransport survivors, preserving their voices and experiences for generations to come.

This is the first in what will be a series of benches to be placed in Holocaust centers, memorial gardens, and museums across the country — turning everyday spaces into immersive opportunities for remembrance and education.

We warmly invite the community to attend this special event and stand with us in honoring the legacy of the Kindertransport. Learn more about KTA at kindertransport.org

Free Live Webinar for Professional Educators Only
Religion and Politics in the Middle East
Facilitator: Liz Burns Taormina New York Educator, Institute for Curriculum Services

The Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center (HMTC) in partnership with the Institute for Curriculum Services provides a workshop on teaching the topic of religion and politics in the Middle East.

This session explores the complex and diverse religious landscapes of Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, and Iran and considers the ways religion and politics are intertwined in each country using constitutions and founding documents. This session will deepen participants' background knowledge on the region, but will not directly address current events. Teachers of Global History II, as well as all who are eager to deepen their knowledge, will benefit from this session.

The Myth and Mystery of Salvador Dali and the Making of his Masterworks in "Aliyah: The Rebirth of Israel"

Art experts have long seen Salvador Dali as a flashy, flamboyant, intense, and eccentric enigma, never more so than when he created his brilliant series of artworks to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel.  But who was the man behind the paintings?  How did he become the brilliant technical virtuoso with the unique ability to create imagery plucked directly from his dreams?  And how did he come to honor the Jewish people with his genius?

Dr. Linda Burghardt, Scholar-in-Residence, will lead the webinar.

End Jew Hatred (EJH) & the Holocaust Memorial
& Tolerance Center of Nassau County (HMTC)
& the Babylonian Jewish Center (BJC)
Proudly Present:

The Viewing of 
Frontline Warriors

Followed by a panel discussion 
with Activist Shabbos Kestenbaum, 
Legislator Mazi Pilip 
& Director, End Jew Hatred, Michelle Ahdoot
Moderated by HMTC Executive Director, Bali Lerner.

Please join the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County for our annual Yom HaShoah commemoration. In partnership with Congregation Tifereth Israel and North Country Reform Temple, we invite both the local and broader community to unite in remembering the over 6,000,000 Jewish victims of the Holocaust as well as the millions of others who died at the hands of the Nazi Regime. Join us as we bear witness to Holocaust Survivor Gilda Zirinsky's testimony of her survival as a child refugee. HMTC thanks Rabbi Huberman and Rabbi Churgel for their support and participation in this event.

Light refreshments will be provided.

 HMTC Book Club April 16 - A Place to Hide by Ron Balson (on Zoom)

Refugees from Nazi-occupied Austria, Poland and Germany were desperate to escape to America by 1939, and as Hitler swept through Europe, conquering one country after another, one member of the U.S. Consulate in Amsterdam realized he held the key to saving hundreds and perhaps thousands of lives.  Would he make the dangerous decision to use his position to rescue those with no other hope of escape?

Dr. Linda Burghardt, Scholar-in-Residence, will lead the discussion.

We will meet on Wednesday, April 16, at 1:00 p.m. on Zoom.