Announced Last Spring Amid Rising Incidents of Antisemitism, the Initiative Aims to Educate 85,000 Youth on Holocaust History Over Three Years
(New York, N.Y.) – The Museum of Jewish Heritage, the Gray Foundation, and New York City Council Member Julie Menin today announced that the first year of the citywide Holocaust Education School Tours initiative has surpassed its ambitious goal, reaching 10,700 NYC 8th graders—well above the original target of 10,000 students. Launched amid rising antisemitism, this $2.5 million program aims to educate 85,000 public and charter school 8th graders over three years, with goals set to reach at least 20,000 students in the coming academic year.
This initiative, offered entirely free of charge to schools, builds on the Museum’s 26-year legacy of serving New York City and tri-state schools with Holocaust education and exhibition tours. The program provides critical education about the global history of antisemitism and the Holocaust, while encouraging students to reflect on the relevance of history to contemporary issues.
“This milestone is a testament to the dedication of our partners and the eagerness of New York City students and educators to engage with this vital history,” said Jack Kliger, President and CEO of the Museum of Jewish Heritage. “With 10,700 students reached in our first year, we are on track to meet and exceed our three-year goal. We thank Councilmember Menin, the Gray Foundation, and the NYC Council Jewish Caucus for their leadership and commitment to combating antisemitism through education.”
“We’re proud to see this program surpass its first-year target and look forward to expanding its impact,” said Mindy and Jon Gray of the Gray Foundation. “Education is our most powerful tool against hate, and we are committed to ensuring every NYC 8th grader has the opportunity to learn these vital lessons.”
“As we witness an alarming rise in antisemitism and related violence across the country, the participation rates of the Holocaust Education School Tours offer hope and renewed determination in combatting this abhorrent trend. By surpassing our target first-year goals and reaching over 10,700 eighth graders across New York City, the Holocaust Education School Tours initiative demonstrates the extraordinary impact that collaborative, citywide action can achieve. As the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, this program is not just about numbers; it is about ensuring the next generation understands the dangers of hatred and learns the lessons of the Holocaust. We are equipping students to recognize and confront antisemitism in all its forms, thereby strengthening the very fabric of our city for years to come,” said New York City Councilmember Julie Menin.
“This initiative reflects our unwavering belief that education is one of the most powerful tools we have to combat antisemitism and hate,” said NYC Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos. “As a parent and a former educator, I’m inspired by the dedication and collaboration that resulted in more than 10,000 young people completing this program in its pilot year. Key projects like these are planting seeds of understanding and empathy that will shape a better tomorrow.”
The program’s expansion will continue with increased outreach, additional education staff, and enhanced resources for teachers, ensuring equitable access for all students. The Museum’s specially trained educators will guide students through exhibitions such as The Holocaust: What Hate Can Do and Courage to Act: Rescue in Denmark, facilitating meaningful discussions and providing pre- and post-tour materials for classroom integration
Educators note that the 8th and 10th grades represent optimal stages in a student’s development to introduce comprehensive lessons about the Holocaust. The Museum already has developed a new resource for teachers to address questions about antisemitism and is partnering with New York City Public Schools to develop new curricula for the fall.
Following the first successful year of the initiative, the Museum will continue to expand its school group tour program, prioritizing and including higher numbers of public and charter school 8th-grade students from the city. Specially trained Museum Educators will continue to guide groups through exhibitions, including the main exhibition, The Holocaust: What Hate Can Do (which in part chronicles the historic rise in antisemitism before and during the Holocaust), and Courage to Act: Rescue in Denmark (which tells the remarkable story of the rescue of the Danish Jews during the Holocaust), facilitating meaningful discussions and providing pre- and post-tour resources for teachers to incorporate into their curriculum.
To support this expansion, the Museum hired additional education staff and adopted a more proactive approach to scheduling and outreach, ensuring equitable access to its educational programs for all students. Leveraging public partnerships and engaging with key stakeholders, the Museum is committed to fostering a deeper understanding of the Holocaust and its relevance to contemporary society.
About The Museum Of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust
The Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust is New York’s contribution to the global responsibility to Never Forget. Opened in 1997, the Museum is committed to the crucial mission of educating diverse visitors about Jewish life before, during, and after the Holocaust.
The Museum plays a leading role in Holocaust education in New York City and the tri-state area, serving many thousands of school children each year, with initiatives such as its Holocaust Educator School Partnership Program, professional development opportunities, its Speakers Bureau which enables conversations with survivors, and the creation of tools and resources such as the newly released Antisemitism FAQ Educator Resource to support educators in teaching about both historical and contemporary antisemitism.
The Museum’s current offerings include Courage to Act: Rescue in Denmark, an exhibition about the extraordinary rescue of Denmark’s Jewish population in 1943, a story of mutual aid and communal upstanding in difficult times for visitors aged 9 and up; and The Holocaust: What Hate Can Do, a major exhibition offering a timely and expansive presentation of Holocaust history, on view in the main galleries.
The Museum of Jewish Heritage maintains the Peter & Mary Kalikow Jewish Genealogy Resource Center, a collection of almost 40,000 artifacts, photographs, documentary films, and survivor testimonies, and contains classrooms, a 375-seat theater (Edmond J. Safra Hall), special exhibition galleries, and a memorial art installation, Garden of Stones, designed by internationally acclaimed sculptor Andy Goldsworthy. The Museum also hosts LOX at Café Bergson an OU-certified café serving eastern European specialties.
Each year, the Museum presents over 100 public programs, connecting our community in person and virtually through lectures, book talks, concerts, and more. For more info visit: http://mjhnyc.org/events. The Museum receives general operating support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and New York State Council on the Arts. For more information, visit mjhnyc.org.
About the Gray Foundation
The Gray Foundation is committed to improving the lives of low-income youth in New York City. The Foundation partners with leading nonprofits to expand access to education, healthcare and opportunity for children across all five boroughs. The Foundation also accelerates research, raises awareness and improves treatment to support individuals and families who have inherited BRCA mutations and related cancers. In May 2025, the Gray Foundation announced a one-time special gift to support the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Tel Aviv University. Learn more at www.grayfoundation.org.
About New York City Councilmember Julie Menin
An attorney and civic leader with over two decades of experience in the public and private sectors, Julie Menin most recently served as New York City’s (“NYC”) Census Director achieving a historic result where NYC finished number one of all major cities. She co-chairs the Women’s Caucus and has served as Commissioner of both the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection and the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. Julie Menin is a proud mom and honored to represent the district that her mother and grandmother settled in (known as Little Hungary) after escaping from Hungary after surviving the Holocaust. Learn more at www.council.nyc.gov/district-5.