NEW YORK, NY – In a powerful stance against antisemitism and hate-fueled violence, the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation (AJCF), in partnership with the New Visions Public School District of the New York City Department of Education, brought 28 high school students to the Anne Frank Exhibit at the Center for Jewish Life this week as part of the New Visions Combat Hate Fellowship run in partnership with the AJCF.
The visit marks the launch of the Combat Hate Fellowship, a year-long leadership initiative designed to educate and empower public school students across New York City with the tools to recognize, confront, and prevent antisemitism, racism, and all forms of hate. Through a compelling mix of Holocaust and civil rights education, civic engagement, and student-led projects, the program empowers young leaders to create real change in their schools and communities.
The initiative, largely funded by the New York City Council, aims to cultivate the next generation of leaders – students grounded in historical knowledge and understanding, and driven by a strong moral compass. Participants will engage directly with educators, community leaders, and Holocaust survivors, gaining firsthand insight into the consequences of hatred and indifference. The fellowship will culminate in a series of student-authored policy recommendations, presented to the New York City Schools Chancellor, aimed at tackling antisemitism, hate, and bias within the city’s public schools.
As part of this week’s program, students met Holocaust survivor Leo Ullman, who recounted his harrowing experience of surviving the Holocaust as a hidden child in Amsterdam, just blocks from Anne Frank’s secret annex. His testimony offered a powerful, personal lens into history, underscoring the urgency of remembrance and the dangers of indifference.
“Carry this history forward because the survivors will not always be here to do it themselves,” Ullman told students. “Live your lives with resilience, empathy, and compassion for others and have the courage to confidently confront hate wherever you find it.”
Following the visit to the Anne Frank Exhibit and Ullman’s testimony, AJCF educators facilitated a reflection session, encouraging students to channel their emotional responses into a deeper sense of civic responsibility. The session emphasized the importance of peer leadership and challenged students to consider how they can confront hate and bias within their own schools and communities.
“The AJCF Combat Hate Fellowship is an investment in the moral and civic leadership of New York City’s youth,” said Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation Director General Jack Simony. “By grounding students in the lessons of the Holocaust and connecting them directly with survivors and educators, we are equipping them to confront the complex realities of antisemitism and hate today. This initiative creates a pipeline of informed, engaged young leaders who are not only capable of recognizing injustice, but ready to act on it in their schools, communities, and beyond.”
“Our students are growing up in a time when hate and division too often fill their social feeds and their communities,” said New Visions Public School District Superintendent Noah Angelos, who oversees New York’s largest high school network representing 60 schools and 37,000 students across the five boroughs. “Programs like this show them something different, the power of empathy, history, and truth. Hearing from a survivor like Leo Ullman changes not only how they see the Holocaust, but how they see their own role as leaders.”
“At a time when antisemitism is resurging both globally and in our own communities, we believe education is the strongest antidote to hate. Through the AJCF Combat Hate Fellowship, students are not only learning the facts of history, they are being empowered to become the moral leaders our society urgently needs,” added Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation Executive Vice President Michael Cohen.