"Voices of Survival, a new website produced by Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, provides deeply personal, first-person accounts of the realities of genocide."
Thank you to Julie Klein and Fenwick High School for partnering with us in piloting our new immersive platform, Voices of Survival, which blends advanced interactive conversational technology with authentic narratives, transforming static recordings into living human experiences. We are incredibly moved to see the impact the platform and our mobile virtual reality films have had on these students.
Visit voicesofsurvival.com to experience it for yourself.
As we continue to honor Jewish American Heritage Month, we look back at a moment that had a historic impact on our community: the protest against the attempted neo-Nazi march in Skokie.
In the late 1970s, when neo-Nazis threatened to march in Skokie, Holocaust Survivors refused to stay silent. What happened next? Survivors and neighbors rose up together, transforming grief and fear into collective action. Their courage sparked a movement that empowered Survivors to share their stories publicly and inspired the creation of our Museum.
Today, their legacy reminds us that standing up against hate can shape history, strengthen communities, and inspire future generations to speak out. We are proud to carry their stories forward and remain committed to ensuring their voices continue to educate, empower, and inspire.
#JewishAmericanHeritageMonth
During Cardinal Cupich’s visit to Experience360, he met Olga Weiss, whose survival during the Holocaust was made possible after she enrolled under a false name at a Catholic school.
In our Stories of Survival exhibition, Olga’s story is reflected through a cherished set of dominos her parents gave her for St. Nicholas Day so she could blend in with the other students. When Olga and her family immigrated to the U.S. in the 1950s, they carried the dominos with them, a symbol of resilience, identity, and survival.
We are deeply grateful for Cardinal Cupich’s visit and his time spent engaging with these powerful stories. Plan your visit to Experience360 today: /3upuskct
As we celebrate Mother’s Day today, we remember the story of the Rehbock family, where Ruth Nussbaum Rehbock risked everything to save her family during the Holocaust. In 1938, Ruth left Germany alone to secure U.S. sponsorship, returning with the documents that would ultimately save her husband and son, Ralph. She took six-hour train rides daily to deliver food to her husband, who was in hiding after Kristallnacht, and bravely outwitted the Nazi border patrol to reach freedom.
Because of her love, determination, and sacrifice, Ralph survived—and today, his family spans generations.
#MothersDay #HolocaustSurvivor #Mothers #MothersLove
#ThisDayInHistory marks the German surrender and the end of World War II in Europe- a moment of liberation, relief, and the fall of Nazi Germany. For many, it meant freedom. For others, it marked the beginning of rebuilding lives after unimaginable loss.
At our Museum, we honor the Survivors who endured, the victims who were lost, and the soldiers who helped bring an end to the Holocaust. We also recognize that liberation did not erase the trauma. It began a long journey toward healing and justice.
As we remember this historic day, we are reminded of the responsibility we all share: to stand against hatred, to preserve the truth of the Holocaust, and to ensure that its lessons continue to shape a more just and compassionate world.
#VEDay #NeverForget #HolocaustRemembrance
“The yellow star of shame is now the courageous badge of life. They killed the Jews, but Judaism survives.” Doris Fogel, Holocaust Survivor
As we enter May, we honor Jewish American Heritage Month—a time to explore and celebrate the rich history and contributions of Jewish Americans from the founding of our nation to today. We especially reflect on the many Holocaust Survivors who settled in the Chicagoland area after the war, building new lives and becoming integral to the fabric of the community. Their impact on the city, and in founding the 2nd largest Holocaust Museum in the country, has been profound and lasting.
Plan your visit to the Museum this month to learn more about these local Survivors and the powerful legacy they helped create: https://buff.ly/1Cdja4C #JewishAmericanHeritageMonth
What will you stand up for?
Our Museum was founded by Survivors of one of the darkest chapters in human history who refused to remain silent in the face of hatred, bigotry and violence. They not only survived but rebuilt their lives and dedicated their lives, working tirelessly to tell their stories, so that none of us would ever forget.
Now you can carry that legacy forward.
We are proud to share our brand new, “Experience Defiance,” T-Shirt, that represents the strength of the Survivors and the courage of the upstanders who stood up when it mattered most.
Available online and in the Museum’s Legacy Gift Shop, wear it as a tribute of bravery and standing up for what’s right: /3fwhx62j
“It can happen to everybody, and you have to speak out so that it won’t happen to anybody.”
Holocaust Survivor, Ellie Merar, who just celebrated her 100th birthday, shared some wise words of wisdom recently at Illinois Holocaust Museum presents Experience360.
Did you know that on select Tuesdays and Fridays the Museum hosts a Survivor Speaker Series where you can have the opportunity to hear firsthand from Holocaust Survivors and their descendants?
Reserve your tickets today to experience this special opportunity. If you have attended a Survivor Speaker experience, let us know how it impacted you!
#holocaustsurvivors #chicagomuseum #holocaustremembrance
Mother’s Day is coming on May 10! It’s not too late to shop for unique and meaningful gifts from our Legacy Gift Shop, available online and in person.
Discover fun gifts from mom-themed socks and mugs to beautiful jewelry and Judaica. Each purchase supports our mission to combat antisemitism, hatred, and indifference, helping carry this work forward.
Shop meaningful gifts for mom today: https://buff.ly/OObCpIY
#mothersday #mothersdaygifts #shopsmall
We owe it to our Survivors and to future generations to meet this moment — and every moment like it — with education, remembrance, and resolve.
#antisemitism #standuptojewishhate #upstander
“It’s an opportunity to really engage this issue, so that people don’t forget about what happened during the Holocaust.”- Cardinal Cupich.
It was an honor to welcome Cardinal Cupich and Bishop Sullivan from the Archdiocese of Chicago to our downtown Museum, Experience360 for a powerful and reflective visit, where they explored and participated in the Museum’s exhibitions including our award-winning Virtual Reality exhibition and our interactive hologram exhibition.
Thank you for spending this meaningful time with us and for helping ensure these stories endure.
Video Credit: Archdiocese of Chicago- @archdioceseofchicago
Today and every day, we are grateful to our Museum volunteers, who bring their passion to our mission and work endlessly to provide each visitor with a positive, inspiring, and empowering experience.
As we kick off #VolunteerAppreciationWeek, we’re proud to celebrate and thank this incredible community.
Interested in getting involved? Learn more about volunteering: /3bxf292p
