College of Arts and Sciences

BOONE, N.C. — The 24th Annual Martin and Doris Rosen Symposium will take place July 9–15, 2026, in Boone. The symposium is hosted by Appalachian State University’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies (CJHPS) and supported by the Claims Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, the Martin and Doris Rosen Symposium Endowment, and community partners.

For more than two decades, the Rosen Symposium has brought educators from across North Carolina and the United States together to learn about the Holocaust and how to teach it effectively. This year’s theme, "Survivors," honors those who continue to share their firsthand accounts and recognizes the generations now carrying their stories forward. Survivor testimony remains central to the symposium’s mission, offering educators opportunities to learn directly from survivors and to explore the profound impact of personal narrative in Holocaust education.

This year's schedule includes a robust lineup of free public events, held in Reich College of Education 124ABC. Each event title below links to the university calendar for additional details.

Friday, July 10

• 9 – 10:30 AM: "Historical Introduction to Judaism & Antisemitism" with Dr. Davis Hankins

• 10:45 AM – 12:15 PM: "Holocaust as the Void of Existence" with Dr. Tomasz Cebulski

• 1:30 – 3 PM: Lee Holder on Survivor Exhibits

• 3:15 – 4:45 PM: "'Auschwitz did not fall from the sky upon humanity; it trod little steps' — Marian Turski" with Dr. Tomasz Cebulski

Saturday, July 11

• 8:15 – 9:45 AM: "'I survived not to have a life, but to bear witness' — Marian Kołodziej" with Dr. Tomasz Cebulski

• 1:30 – 3 PM: Survivor Testimony with Allan Hall

• 3:15 – 4:45 PM: "The Holocaust & Children’s Literature" with Kathy Kacer

• 7 – 8:30 PM: "By Chance Alone — A Survivor’s Story" with Kathy Kacer

Sunday, July 12

• 8:45 – 10:15 AM: "After Night – Painting Responses to the Holocaust Memoir Night by Ellie Wiesel" with Dr. Rob Simon

• 10:30 AM – 12 PM: "Addressing Erasure: Using Memoir & Art-Making to Teach About the Holocaust" with Dr. Rob Simon

• 1:15 – 2:45 PM: "Odd Nansen's & Thomas Buergenthal's Stories of Survival, Their Diaries, & Their Legacies" with Timothy Boyce

• 3 – 4:30 PM: "Non-Jewish Victims of Nazi Persecution" with Laurie Schaefer

• 4:45 – 5:45 PM: Art, Memorials, & Commemorations of the Holocaust with Michael & Bonnie Berkowicz

Monday, July 13

• 9 – 10:30 AM: "Spiritual Resistance: She Wouldn't Take Off Her Boots" with Laurie Schaefer

• 10:45 AM – 12:15 PM: "Analyzing Propaganda & Teaching Media Literacy: The Holocaust as a Case Study" with Laurie Schaefer

• 1:30 – 3 PM: Survivor Testimony with Drs. Zohara Boyd & Peter Petschauer

• 3:15 – 4:45 PM: Presentation by Rabbi Dr. Michael Berenbaum

Tuesday, July 14

• 9 – 10:30 AM: "Introducing the Art & Educational Framework of Lives Eliminated, Dreams Illuminated" with Dr. Alexandra Cirone

• 1:30 – 3 PM: "The Impacts of Gen-AI on Teaching the Shoah" with Dr. Alison Vick

• 7 – 8:30 PM: Presentation by Lee Holder & Dr. Alison Vick

All are welcome to attend. To learn more about the Rosen Symposium, visit the CJHPS website. Questions can be directed to the organizers, Dr. Davis Hankins and Lee Holder, at holocaust@appstate.edu.

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About the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies
Appalachian State University’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies was established in 2002 to develop new educational opportunities for students, teachers, and the community. Located administratively within the College of Arts and Sciences, the center’s vision promotes tolerance, understanding, and respect for all human life. To accomplish this vision, the center works to strengthen tolerance, understanding, and remembrance by increasing the knowledge of Jewish culture and history, teaching the history and meaning of the Holocaust, and utilizing these experiences to explore peaceful avenues for human improvement and the prevention of further genocides. Learn more about the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies

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