UPHOLD THE SOLEMN VOW
NEVER FORGET
Bearing Witness
Bearing Witness exists to ensure that the legacy of Holocaust survivors and victims endures through firsthand remembrance. By providing descendants—children, grandchildren, and future generations of survivors and victims—with the opportunity to travel to Holocaust sites across Europe, we ensure they have the ability to see it first hand and personally bear witness to the atrocities committed and return as living testaments to their family's history. Through these journeys, participants gain a profound, and personal understanding that transcends textbooks and museum walls, equipping them to preserve memory, combat denial, and uphold the solemn vow: Never Forget.
In many countries it has been found that as many as 48% of young adults, ages 18-24 don't know what the Holocaust was. Holocaust education through personal accounts of the atrocities is vanishing as survivors pass away.
The ability to visit the sites where the atrocities occurred is prohibitively expensive for most of the descendants, and that's where Bearing Witness steps in. Through our generous donors we provide partial and full scholarships to help in making it attainable.
We help send descendants of Holocaust survivors to visit concentration camps, so that they may personally bear witness to the atrocities committed and keep the legacy of the survivors alive. We believe that their testimony is far more impactful than just reading about it, or learning about it in school. In fact 31 states have NO requirement to teach students about the Holocaust. 1 in 10 adults under the age of 40 surveyed didn't recall ever hearing the word Holocaust prior to being asked.
All Scholarships are paid directly to an organized tour group on behalf of the recipient.
When surveyed 46% of Americans couldn't name a single concentration camp.
With the rise of antisemitism, it is now more critical than ever to ensure we educate people and uphold the solemn vow to "Never Forget"
International Study about Holocaust Literacy: https://www.claimscon.org/country-survey/
SPLC Study on Holocaust Literacy: https://www.splcenter.org/resources/hatewatch/holocaust-education-mixed-bag-us-schools/
About Us
As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, I was blessed to be able to hear first hand accounts of what My family endured. My grandmother was a survivor of Auschwitz, KL Krottingen, and Stutthof and my grandfather was a survivor of Mauthausen. I promised my grandmother that I would keep her legacy alive, and make sure I upheld the solemn vow of Never Forget.
With the rapid decline in the number of survivors that are still alive, and the sharp rise in Holocaust deniers, antisemitism, and lack of holocaust education we are failing as a society to uphold the vow.
I felt that it was my duty to uphold my promise to my grandmother and do everything I can to ensure the legacy lives on.
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Irene Berkowitz= Survivor of Auschwitz, KL Krottingen, and Stutthof
APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP
Fill out the form below to be considered for a scholarship.
All applications must be received by May 1st.
Recipients will be notified on June 19th
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