Through Survivor Stories: An Interactive Dialogue visitors have the opportunity to converse with 10 Holocaust survivors who are members of the Museum’s Speakers Bureau. The installation can be seen in person at the Museum and accessed online.
Survivor Stories: An Interactive Dialogue features pre-recorded testimonies from 10 Holocaust survivors, addressing over 150 of the most frequently asked questions about their experiences before, during, and after the Holocaust. Leveraging AI technology, the recordings enable survivors to “hear” and “answer” visitors’ direct questions, simulating a real-life conversation. The project is a partnership between the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, USC Shoah Foundation, and USC Libraries.
Each survivor has a unique story. We encourage visitors to begin by asking them to “Tell me your story.” This approach provides an overview of their experience: what country they grew up in; whether they survived the war in hiding, in ghettos, or in camps; who made up their families; and, how they rebuilt their lives after the Holocaust. By learning each survivor’s narrative, visitors gain a foundation continue the conversation and ask more specific questions. It also allows visitors to understand how the Holocaust impacted each survivor in a different way.