6/23/26

JFO Celebrates 25 Years of the IHE

The Jewish Federation of Omaha recognized the 25th anniversary of the Institute for Holocaust Education at their Annual Meeting held on June 4th, 2026.

As an agency of the JFO, the Institute for Holocaust Education provides educational resources, workshops, survivor testimony, and integrated arts programming to students, educators, and the public. The IHE provides support to Holocaust survivor families in our community and remains Nebraska’s central location for disseminating accurate information about the Holocaust. Their philosophy embraces the idea that Holocaust education must incorporate not only statistics and descriptive information but also the stories of specific children, families, and individuals to reveal the human dimension of such pervasive inhumanity.

View the IHE’s 25th anniversary digital scrapbook here.

 

The History of the IHE

In 2000, Omaha native Beth Dotan returned to Omaha on a joint agreement with the Ghetto Fighters’ House* museum and the Omaha ADL/CRC’s office. She was to work for two years on the International Book Sharing project. At that time, Bob Wolfson, then Executive Director of the Great Plains Region of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), received numerous requests from local educators who wanted Holocaust materials and lessons.

Slowly, the ADL began integrating their Holocaust programming into the local educational system. They soon discovered this demand was part of a national trend, leading other communities and universities across the United States to develop Holocaust education centers. Beth and Bob, along with Larry Raful (then ADL Chair), and Debbi Zweiback (then ADL/CRC education staff) took a deeper look at these communities. They also spoke with community survivors. This research allowed them to clearly identify goals and intended direction.

Gloria and Howard Kaslow then joined the committee. Soon after, a Governance Council was developed and the IHE, an independent beneficiary entity under the Great Plains Region of the Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish Federation of Omaha, was formed. In 2023, the IHE became an official agency of the JFO.

Since its founding, the IHE has been dedicated to ensuring that the history and lessons of the Holocaust are taught with accuracy, depth, and humanity. What began as a local initiative has grown into a nationally respected agency serving educators, students, and communities across Nebraska and beyond. Over the last 25 years, the IHE has expanded how Holocaust education is experienced and understood.

Today, the IHE continues to reach new generations through innovative and interdisciplinary community programs, ensuring the history and lessons of the Holocaust are never forgotten. The IHE remains steadfast in their mission: to combat antisemitism, hate, and misinformation through education, remembrance, and dialogue. The impact of this work is measured in the lives changed, the stories preserved, and the responsibility passed on to future generations.

* Located in Kibbutz Lohamei HaGeta’ot in the Western Galilee