Our Mission

Inspired by the vision of Alan Lazowski and established by the families of Holocaust survivors across Connecticut, Voices of Hope’s bold mission is to promote a culture of courage to stand up against hatred through Holocaust and genocide education and remembrance. Voices of Hope is a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit organization.

What We Do

  • Hold commemorative events
  • Host Holocaust and genocide-themed education films, exhibits and book discussions for the community
  • Provide educator workshops and webinars
  • Run school field trips
  • Recognize exemplary educators
  • Create curriculum for educators
  • Purchase books for classrooms
  • Bring speakers to schools and community programs
  • Train and educate descendants of genocides to become the next generation of witnesses
  • Support bar and bat mitzvah projects

Why Now?

Today’s students are the last generation who will have the opportunity to meet a Holocaust survivor and experience firsthand testimony. Yet, even now, when we still have the survivors’ voices to speak, the world is forgetting. Results of the Holocaust Knowledge and Awareness Study commissioned by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany were released in September 2020. Some of the findings include:

  • 20% of millennials and Gen Z in New York feel the Jews caused the Holocaust.
  • 48% of millennials and Gen Z could not name a single of the 40,000 concentration camps or ghettos that existed during the Holocaust.
  • 56% of millennials and Gen Z were unable to identify Auschwitz-Birkenau.
  • 49% of millennials and Gen Z have witnessed Holocaust denial or distortion on social media.
  • 70% of Americans believe fewer people care as much about the Holocaust as they used to.
  • 58% of Americans believe that something like the Holocaust could happen again.

When these findings are examined in today’s context of growing antisemitism and societal divisiveness, the importance of our task is magnified.