Holocaust Remembrance Day includes local survivor and family testimony, national speaker
MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin–On the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the liberation of Nazi concentration and death camps, the local Jewish community and their allies will gather this Sunday to ensure that the lives lost and impacted during the Holocaust are never forgotten. This year’s commemoration is significant given the rise in antisemitism in Wisconsin and globally in recent years. According to Samantha Abramson, Executive Director of the Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center, “The Holocaust is the world’s best example of the dangers unchecked antisemitism and hatred pose to any society.”
The Yom HaShoah — or Holocaust Remembrance Day 2025 — commemoration will present a mosaic that illuminates the Milwaukee Jewish community’s Holocaust legacy. These “Voices of the Community” will include the experiences of the children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors. Additionally, other community members will speak about their connection to the Holocaust and the significance of that legacy while remembering the 6 million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, recognizing those who resisted and fought, and honoring the survivors.
The featured speaker is Jordan Bielsky, an actor, writer, poet, teacher, and musician who has appeared in numerous television shows and films, including Get Shorty on, EPIX, How I Met Your Father on Hulu, and on the Apple+ series Sugar. He is the grandson of Tuvia Bielski (1906 – 1987), the leader of The Bielski Brigade, a Jewish partisan group that saved the lives of more than 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust, as featured in the film “Defiance.” This Yom HaShoah, Jordan will share his personal connection to the Holocaust, reflecting on the profound impact of his grandfather’s heroism and the importance of bearing witness and standing up for the Jewish people.
EVENT DETAILS
Sunday, April 27 | 3 PM
Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC – Daniel M. Soref Community Hall 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay
Open to the public, with advanced registration required
MEDIA
Interested in covering Yom HaShoah? Email Sara Sillars or call 414-963-2710.
This commemoration is organized by Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center, Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, and Milwaukee Jewish Federation.