James Loeffler is an associate professor of history and Jewish studies at the University of Virginia. He is a trained pianist, musicologist, and specialist on Jewish classical music. He serves as scholar-in-residence at Pro Musica Hebraica in Washington, DC, and has curated concerts at the Kennedy Center.
Robert Edsel's book The Monuments Men is about a group of Allied men and women tasked with saving the cultural and artistic treasures of Europe. Now a Hollywood film, Edsel's book details the extraordinary scale of Hitler's theft, alongside the calculated destruction of Jewish art and culture.
Iranian-born Rita Jahanforuz is one of the biggest pop stars in Israel. With the release of her recent album, sung almost entirely in her native Farsi, Rita is developing a fan base in Iran as well, despite the fact that her music is banned there. Although she does not consider herself a political person, Rita is proof that individuals can challenge a system of state-sponsored antisemitism by reaching across cultural boundaries.
In her signature poem "Hebrew Mamita," Vanessa Hidary addresses antisemitic stereotypes in her direct, no-nonsense style. In this piece, she unpacks insult-as-compliment antisemitism, and the subtle ways that oppression can get under your skin.
As frontman for the multi-platinum hard-rock band Disturbed, David Draiman writes songs that are often personal and political. As a kid, he was drawn into occasional fistfights over anti-Jewish remarks. As an adult, he addresses Holocaust denial and antisemitism in his song "Never Again."
Although Vidal Sassoon has stopped cutting hair himself—he jokes that no one wants an 84-year-old stylist—he maintains a strong pride in his Jewish identity, a robust sense of political activism, and a vigilance toward antisemitism.
During his career, Kahn has produced The Merchant of Venice three times. It is among the most popular and the most contentious of Shakespeare's plays, with ever-evolving relevance for modern audiences.
Sir Ben Kingsley has played key roles in several films about the Holocaust, including Simon Wiesenthal, Itzhak Stern, and Otto Frank. Kingsley believes that it is important to confront tragedy in film and art, and that as an actor he is able to be both storyteller and witness.
Sarah Jones is well known for her one-person Broadway show Bridge & Tunnel, in which she delivers monologues from fourteen characters of different ages and cultural backgrounds. Jones has dedicated her work to bringing people together through shared stories.
Racism and antisemitism have, unfortunately, been part of soccer culture for many decades. As a black player on predominantly white British teams, Garth Crooks experienced the problem firsthand, and now strives to purge the sport of prejudice and hate.
Watch videos and read articles about the Holocaust and the conditions that made it possible.
