By Jody Kipnis and Todd Ruderman
International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27 marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp. This year’s commemoration came at a time of rising antisemitism. According to the ADL, antisemitic Incidents in New England went up 205% in 2023 to 623 incidents. In 2018, while touring Auschwitz with Holocaust survivor David Schaecter, we pledged to honor the Holocaust’s memory and ensure its lessons endure. The Holocaust stands as an explicit warning of what happens when hatred and democracy’s breakdown go unchecked. That pledge is taking shape through the Holocaust Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit we co-founded to create a Holocaust museum in downtown Boston, located across from the Freedom Trail, to examine the past and create a more just future. Education is the strongest antidote to hate.
The Holocaust Museum Boston will immerse visitors in history through multi-media exhibits and authentic artifacts, including a Nazi-era railcar, and spaces for learning and reflection. The museum will also house classrooms for educational programming. When it opens in 2026, it will be the only museum in New England dedicated to Holocaust education. We hope it inspires visitors to reflect on their choices, values, and impact on others.
The lessons of the Holocaust demand more than remembrance, they demand action. Together, we can build a future rooted in empathy, dignity, and respect for all. Jody Kipnis and Todd Ruderman are the co-founders of the Holocaust Legacy Foundation