ELIZABETH, New Jersey โ The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous (JFR) has selected 24 middle and high school educators and Holocaust center staff from nine U.S. states and Poland as 2026 Alfred Lerner Fellows, bringing together a diverse group of teachers and museum professionals for an intensive program dedicated to Holocaust education and the fight against contemporary antisemitism.
The educators participated in the JFR’s Summer Institute for Teachers, a five-day academic seminar held at the Hilton Newark Airport from June 20 through June 24. According to the organization, the program examined the historical roots of anti-Judaism and antisemitism, explored the complexities of Holocaust history, and introduced new teaching methodologies designed to strengthen Holocaust education in classrooms and educational institutions.
The institute opened with a lecture on the history of anti-Judaism and antisemitism and concluded with a presentation examining contemporary manifestations of antisemitism.
The JFR said the Summer Institute is designed as a graduate-level academic experience that exposes educators to leading scholars in Holocaust studies while fostering collaboration among teachers from different regions and educational settings.
Participants attended lectures delivered by internationally recognized Holocaust scholars and educators, including Avinoam Patt of New York University, Benjamin Carter Hett of Hunter College and the CUNY Graduate Center, Edward B. Westermann of Texas A&M University, and John Q. Barrett of St. John’s University.
Additional faculty included Lawrence R. Douglas of Amherst College, British Holocaust historian and exhibition curator Paul Salmons, Rebecca Erbelding of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Richards Plavnieks of Florida Southern College, Robert Jan van Pelt of the University of Waterloo, Sheryl Silver Ochayon of Yad Vashem, Steven Field of New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, and American Jewish Committee U.S. Director for Combatting Antisemitism Holly Huffnagle.
Following each lecture, participants met in small discussion groups to analyze the material presented, exchange teaching strategies, and develop classroom approaches for introducing Holocaust education to students.
According to the JFR, educators selected for the program must be English or social studies teachers at the middle or high school level, have taught for at least five years, currently teach the Holocaust in their classrooms, and be at least five years from retirement.
“The three primary goals for the JFR’s Summer Institute are to provide teachers with a graduate-level course on antisemitism and the Holocaust; to empower educators to develop pedagogical connections with other teachers; and to equip these teachers with additional resources to bring back to their classrooms,” JFR Executive Vice President Stanlee Stahl said in a statement released by the organization.
The 2026 Alfred Lerner Fellows represent schools and institutions in Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Poland.
Among the fellows are educators from public schools, private schools, Holocaust museums, and specialized educational organizations. Participants include Monique Tait of Birmingham, Alabama; Zachary Graulich of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County in New York; Helen Turner of the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum; Adriana Castro of Holocaust Museum Houston; and Agnieszka Kus of POLIN Museum in Warsaw, Poland.
The fellowship program is named in memory of Alfred Lerner, the founding chairman and chief executive officer of MBNA Corporation, who died in 2002. The JFR said Lerner was a longtime supporter of the organization’s mission and maintained a deep commitment to Holocaust education.
Founded to provide support to Righteous Gentiles who risked their lives to rescue Jews during the Holocaust, the JFR continues to provide monthly financial assistance to elderly rescuers living in 10 countries.
According to the organization, it has distributed more than $46.5 million in aid to aged and needy rescuers since its inception.
The JFR said its Holocaust teacher education initiatives have become a recognized model for Holocaust instruction, emphasizing not only historical understanding but also the moral lessons embodied by the Righteous Among the Nations.
As antisemitic incidents continue to rise in many countries, Jewish organizations and educators have increasingly emphasized the importance of rigorous Holocaust education as a means of combating hatred, preserving historical memory, and strengthening democratic values for future generations.
Additional information about the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous and its educational programs is available at www.jfr.org.
