Experience the exhibit that sparked the creation of Arizona’s first future Holocaust Education Center:
“Stories of Survival: An Immersive Journey Through the Holocaust”
Open for Visits, Reservation Required
Join our upcoming Cultural and Educational programs:
Making an Emotional Connection to the Holocaust
“Our Escape from Berlin to Shanghai”
Featured Guest: Holocaust survivor Evelyn Goldstein
February 7, 2025 10AM MST
Free Virtual Seminar, RSVP Required
As antisemitism spread in 1930’s Germany, Evelyn Goldstein’s family knew they had to flee. Experiencing Kristallnacht helped solidify their decision. Hear Evelyn’s story about her family’s escape to Shanghai, her years growing up there, and her eventual immigration to San Francisco.
About the Series: AZJHS is honored to present workshops and conversations led by Holocaust Survivors, Liberators, World War II Veterans, and many influential individuals with experience and knowledge of the Holocaust.
Documentary Film Series
“Ver Vet Blaybn? Who Will Remain?”.
February 11, 2025 7PM MST
In-Person event. RSVP Required
Ver Vet Blaybn?(Who Will Remain?) tells the story of Hadas Kalderon, Avrom Sutzkever’s granddaughter, as she attempts to better understand her grandfather. Kalderon, an Israeli actress, travels to Lithuania, using her grandfather’s diary to trace his early life in Vilna and his survival of the Holocaust. Sutzkever (1913–2010) was an acclaimed Yiddish poet—described by the New York Times as the “greatest poet of the Holocaust”—whose verse drew on his youth in Siberia and Vilna, his spiritual and material resistance during World War II, and his postwar life in Israel. Kalderon is determined to connect with what remains of the poet’s bygone world and accept the personal responsibility of preserving her grandfather’s literary legacy.
About the Series: From September to June, AZJHS makes documentaries available to the public as in-person and/or online events
Book Discussion Group
“Why the Germans? Why the Jews? Envy, Race Hatred, and the Prehistory of the Holocaust” by Götz Aly
February 13, 2025 2PM MST
Free event via Zoom. RSVP Required
The two questions that make up the title have been discussed by Holocaust historians for decades. Aly comes at this with a unique twist, linking envy and race hatred as causal factors. He argues that the German people’s “gnawing envy” of the Jews ended up combining “with a collectivist longing for a life among equals” and “paved the way for [the] racial theory” that the Nazis employed in their genocidal assault on the Jews in their own country and beyond.
About the Series: Join us for a monthly group discussion about books pertaining to the AZJHS mission, led by AZJHS staff or volunteers
Manny Riba: A Story of Survival
SPEAKER: Susan Schneiderman, daughter of Mendel “Manny” Riba
February 21, 2025 10AM MST
Free Virtual Seminar, RSVP Required
In the late 1930s, Manny was a teenager in Nazi-occupied Poland who survived six hard labor concentration camps in three countries and numerous attempts to end his life. His determination to survive and hard work led Manny & his wife, Sally, to Wisconsin, where they raised their family. Manny became a successful businessman and a leading authority in the cattle & meat industry. Later, he continued his business in Tampa, FL.
Events & Programs
From workshops, seminars, book discussions, documentary film screenings, exhibits, musical concerts, and galas, Arizona Jewish Historical Society offers the community this and much more.
People of all faiths are invited to share in the richness of our local history and the excitement of our many events.
AZJHS MISSION:
The Arizona Jewish Historical Society preserves and celebrates the rich heritage of Arizona’s Jewish communities, educates the public about the Jewish historical experience including the Holocaust, and promotes awareness of our state’s diverse history through arts, culture, and educational programming.
AZJHS VISION STATEMENT:
Inspiring visitors to learn from history, to become upstanders, and to work toward a world without hatred and bigotry.
Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center
Coming April 2027
The Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center's mission is to educate about the Holocaust, other genocides, and related topics to inspire students and visitors to become advocates against antisemitism, hatred, and bigotry. Through immersive and engaging exhibits and personal stories, the center honors the memory of Holocaust victims while promoting a commitment to preventing future atrocities.
Supporting AZJHS
Learn how you can help support the preservation, collection and exhibition of materials relevant to the Jewish community in Arizona and the Southwest.
Venue & Rentals
Our Phoenix historical venue can be used for all types of functions including weddings, corporate receptions, fundraisers, meetings, social events, and more. All set-ups are customized to meet the needs of your group.
We welcome people of all faiths!
