Yom HaShoah, Remembrance Day for the Holocaust and Heroism, is an occasion to commemorate the lives and heroism of the six million Jewish people who died in the Holocaust between 1933 and 1945.
Chattanooga’s Yom HaShoah commemoration will occur on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 North Terrace Road. The event is free and open to everyone in the community.
The commemoration consists of candle lighting and prayers to honor those lost to violence, as well as survivors of the Holocaust and their family members.
This year Alison Vick will speak on the use of AI technology in Holocaust History and a short movie musical Malka will premier. While at the Jewish Cultural Center the audience will be able to view the Stars of David Project and artifacts from the Gilbert Tabby Collection in the gallery.
Officials said, "Ms. Vick will present Cracking the Code: The Use of AI Technology in Holocaust Education. The proliferation of AI technology presents significant challenges to Holocaust history. AI is used to deny, distort and trivialize the Holocaust across the internet and social media platforms. But can it also be used to foster deeper understanding of the Holocaust among students? This presentation investigates the challenges of AI technology but also considers how educators can ethically and effectively employ AI in their classrooms."
Ms. Vick is the historian and program coordinator for the Tennessee Holocaust Commission and a history professor at Pellissippi State Community College. Currently, she is spearheading the Commission’s interfaith clergy program, which focuses on partnership and interreligious dialogue to counter contemporary antisemitism in communities across Tennessee. She serves as the Commission’s oral historian, and is a consultant for a forthcoming exhibit at the East Tennessee Historical Society about local survivors and liberators. She is deeply involved with educational and community programming, and Holocaust curriculum development.
Malka, a 17 minute movie musical will screen as part of the Commemoration. The film is inspired by Seth Bisen-Hersh's grandmother's Holocaust experience starring six-time Emmy/Tony nominee Tovah Feldshuh (currently costarring on Netflix’s “Nobody Wants This”). Malka starts to see visions of her life at the camps during a present-day family Seder. As time progresses, Malka looks for the hope in the present that she embraced in the past in order to survive. Post-film discussion with Mr. Bisen-Hersh, the film’s producer, composer/lyricist, and co-star will also take place. Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1051641899.