Philadelphia 2026 Conference Program

11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Meeting (By Invitation Only) Internal WFJHS&D

WFJHS&D Executive Committee Meeting

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Meeting (By Invitation Only) Internal WFJHS&D

WFJHS&D Governing Board Meeting

12:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Registration Open to All

Registration

4:45 PM - 5:45 PM

Orientation Open To All

Orientation for New Conference Attendees

Moderator / Facilitator: Isabel Alcoff - Facilitator

5:50 PM - 6:50 PM

Orthodox Religious Services Open To All

Orthodox Religious Services

5:50 PM - 6:50 PM

Conservative/Reform Religious Services Open To All

Conservative/Reform Religious Services

5:45 PM - 6:45 PM

Happy Hour 3G (Private Event)

Happy Hour

6:15 PM - 6:45 PM

Candle Lighting Open To All

Candle Lighting

Moderator / Facilitator: Anat Bar-Cohen - Facilitator

7:00 PM - 9:15 PM

Shabbat Dinner - Conference Opening Open To All

Welcome Remarks: Special Guest, Philadelphia Mayor, Cherelle L. Parker

9:30 PM - 10:45 PM

Getting to Know Each Other Open to All

Small Group Gatherings

Moderator / Facilitator: Jacqueline Shelton, Jenni Frumer, Rita Benn - Coordinators

7:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Exhibit Space Exhibitors Only

Exhibit Space Set-Up

8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Registration Open to All

Registration

10:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Exhibit Space Open to All

Exhibit Space Open

7:30 AM - 8:45 AM

Breakfast Not specified

Breakfast

7:00 AM - 8:45 AM

Orthodox Religious Services Open To All

Orthodox Religious Services

9:00 AM - 10:20 AM

Plenary 1 Open to All

The Impact of October 7 on the Generations of the Shoah

Speakers / Presenters: Max Arpels Lezer, Survivor, Netherlands; Irene Gruber, 2G, Israel; Amy Spitalnick, 3G, USA; Alexa Chronister, 4G, USA.

Moderator / Facilitator: Anat Bar-Cohen - Moderator

10:40 AM - 12:20 PM

Workshop 1G

What Are Our Concerns Today?

Moderator / Facilitator: Alfred Garwood - Facilitator

10:40 AM - 12:20 PM

Workshop 2G (First time at the conference)

How Has Being a Child of Survivors Influenced Who I Am Today?

Moderator / Facilitator: Charles Silow - Facilitator

10:40 AM - 12:20 PM

Workshop 2G (First time at the conference)

How Has Being a Child of Survivors Influenced Who I Am Today?

Moderator / Facilitator: Ira Brenner - Facilitator

10:40 AM - 12:20 PM

Workshop 2G

What Are Our Concerns Today?

Moderator / Facilitator: Simone Gorko - Facilitator

10:40 AM - 12:20 PM

Workshop 2G

For Those Who Don’t Fully Know Their Parents’ Holocaust Histories: Challenges and Solutions

Speakers / Presenters: Jude Richter, Samantha Seligman

Moderator / Facilitator: Dan Schwarz - Facilitator

10:40 AM - 12:20 PM

Workshop/Panel Open to All

Reclaiming Our European Citizenship

Speakers / Presenters: Emily Loeb , Meghan Stevenson-Krausz

Moderator / Facilitator: Jason Kikel - Facilitator

10:40 AM - 12:20 PM

Seminar Open to All

How Is the State of Pennsylvania Fighting Antisemitism?

Speakers / Presenters: Rep. Kristin Marcell; Rep. Jared Solomon; Rep. Ben Waxman

Moderator / Facilitator: Jason Holtzman - Moderator

10:40 AM - 12:20 PM

Workshop Spouses and Partners

What Have We Gained, and What Challenges Have We Faced as Part of a Survivor Family?

Moderator / Facilitator: Carol Kornreich - Facilitator

10:40 AM - 12:20 PM

Seminar 2G & 3G

Speaker Training

Moderator / Facilitator: Esther Finder and Ken Engel - Facilitators

12:40 PM - 1:40 PM

Lunch Not specified

Lunch

1:45 PM - 3:15 PM

Plenary 2 Open to All

Trauma, Resilience, and Growth

Speakers / Presenters: Alfred Garwood, Irit Felsen, Ira Brenner, Robert Krell

Moderator / Facilitator: Jenni Frumer - Moderator

3:30 PM - 5:15 PM

Workshop 2G

How Do We Feel About Our Changing Role in Carrying Forward the Legacy of the Holocaust?

Moderator / Facilitator: Ira Brenner -Facilitator

3:30 PM - 5:15 PM

Workshop 3G

3G Networking Session

Moderator / Facilitator: Jane Pashman - Facilitator

3:30 PM - 5:15 PM

Workshop Open to All

A Dialogue Among the Generations

Moderator / Facilitator: Charley Silow - Facilitator

3:30 PM - 5:15 PM

Workshop Open to All

What Has It Been Like to Be in an Interfaith Marriage Within a Survivor Family?

Moderator / Facilitator: Carol Kornreich - Facilitator

3:30 PM - 5:15 PM

Workshop Open to All

What Has It Been Like Being LGBTQ+ in a Survivor Family?

Moderator / Facilitator: Jenni Frumer - Facilitator

3:30 PM - 5:15 PM

Seminar Open to All

The Holocaust’s Legacy in America: Ashes and Inspiration

Speakers / Presenters: Eric Lichtblau

Moderator / Facilitator: Esther Finder - Moderator

5:30 PM - 6:45 PM

Special Session Open to All

Survivor Tells Her Story

Speakers / Presenters: Jadwiga Galazka, Poland

5:30 PM - 6:45 PM

Special Session Open To All

Survivor Tells His Story

Speakers / Presenters: Alfred Garwood, United Kingdom

5:30 PM - 6:45 PM

Special Session Open To All

Survivor Tells Her Story

Speakers / Presenters: Barbara Cohn, United States

5:30 PM - 6:45 PM

Special Session Open To All

KTA Survivor Tells His Story

Speakers / Presenters: Ralph Samuel, United States

6:45 PM - 7:00 PM

Mincha/Maariv Open To All

Mincha/Maariv

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Seminar Open to All

Fighting Hate on Social Media

Speakers / Presenters: Miriam Mattova

Moderator / Facilitator: Dana Pauly - Moderator

8:30 PM - 9:30 PM

Dinner Not specified

Dinner

9:30 PM - 10:30 PM

Music and Singalong with Avi Wisnia Open To All

Music and Singalong with Avi Wisnia

10:45 PM - 11:45 PM

Dancing to DJ Jazzy Gold Open To All

Dancing to DJ Jazzy Gold

10:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Exhibit Space Open to All

Exhibit Space Open

8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Registration Open to All

Registration

7:30 AM - 8:45 AM

Breakfast Not specified

Breakfast

9:00 AM - 10:20 AM

Plenary 3 Open to All

A 3G Perspective: How Has Holocaust Education and Remembrance Changed in Recent History?

Speakers / Presenters: Introduction: Bari Rogoff (CEO, Living Links), Rachel Greenberg, Sophie Don, Talia Mastai , Sharon Buenos

Moderator / Facilitator: Jane Pashman - Moderator

10:40 AM - 12:20 PM

Workshop Open to All

Are We Allowed to Be Happy?

Speakers / Presenters: Charles Silow and Alfred Garwood

10:40 AM - 12:20 PM

Workshop 3G

How Can We, as 3Gs, Work Together to Make the Greatest Impact?

Speakers / Presenters: Informal brainstorming session

Moderator / Facilitator: Jane Pashman - Facilitator

10:40 AM - 12:20 PM

Workshop 3G

How Can We, as 3Gs, Work Together to Make the Greatest Impact?

Speakers / Presenters: Informal brainstorming session

Moderator / Facilitator: Michael Mantell - Facilitator

10:40 AM - 12:20 PM

Workshop 2G

Writing Workshop

Moderator / Facilitator: Rita Benn - Facilitator

10:40 AM - 12:20 PM

Panel Open to All

How Are Countries Around the World Responding to Rising Antisemitism?

Speakers / Presenters: Jenni Frumer, USA; Marilyn Sinclair, Canada; Debra Barnes, United Kingdom Max Arpels Lezer, Netherlands; Gabriella Meros, Germany; Jadwiga Galazka, Poland; Lior Lalieu, France

Moderator / Facilitator: Sharon Buenos - Moderator

10:40 AM - 12:20 PM

Panel Open to All

Three Lesser-Known Cases of Jewish Rescue and Resistance During the Shoah

Speakers / Presenters: Jacqueline Shelton, Katrin Schultheiss, Sylvia Sklar

Moderator / Facilitator: Nan Lefenfeld - Moderator

11:00 AM - 12:20 PM

Seminar Open to All

Through the Eyes of Jewish Child Survivors from Poland and the Enduring Significance of Their Testimonies

Speakers / Presenters: Joanna Michlic

11:00 AM - 12:20 PM

Seminar 2G

For Those Born in DP Camps After the Shoah

Speakers / Presenters: Serafima Velkovich, via Zoom from Yad Vashem

Moderator / Facilitator: Charles Silow and Steve Weiner - Moderators

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Lunch Not specified

Lunch

1:45 PM - 3:00 PM

Plenary 4 Open To All

Contributions of the Second Generation

Speakers / Presenters: Annette Insdorf, Marilyn Sinclair, Esther Toporek Finder, Charley Silow

Moderator / Facilitator: Stephen D. Smith - Moderator

3:30 PM - 5:15 PM

Seminar Open to All

Genealogy Seminar

Speakers / Presenters: Jude Richter , Jenny Rappaport

Moderator / Facilitator: Steve Weiner - Moderator

3:30 PM - 5:15 PM

Panel Open to All

What Has It Been Like for Jews on Campuses Today?

Speakers / Presenters: Isabelle Waksman, Lehigh; Alek Golubchick, UPenn; Maya Leyzarovich, UPenn.; Prof. Henry Israeli, Drexel University

Moderator / Facilitator: Cindi Silverman Chronister - Moderator

3:30 PM - 5:15 PM

Workshop 3G

Heritage Trips to Our Ancestral Homes

Moderator / Facilitator: Pamela Finder - Facilitator

3:30 PM - 5:15 PM

Special Session Open to All

Present and Connect: Three-Minute Presentations and Networking

Speakers / Presenters: Esther Finder and Ken Engel

3:30 PM - 5:15 PM

Panel Open to All

Kindertransport Generations: Making a Difference and New Discoveries

Speakers / Presenters: Kindertransport Survivor Manfred Lindenbaum, Toni Kalem, 2G, Danny Kalman, Kindertransport 2G and Dany Bahar, 3G

Moderator / Facilitator: Melissa Hacker - Moderator

3:30 PM - 5:15 PM

Panel Open to All

The Weight of the Intergenerational Legacy

Speakers / Presenters: Willie Handler, Dori Eckstein, Bernie Fuhrspan

Moderator / Facilitator: Marilyn Sinclair - Moderator

5:30 PM - 6:45 PM

Special Session Open to all

Survivor Tells Her Story

Speakers / Presenters: Frieda Seidner, United States

5:30 PM - 6:45 PM

Special Session Open to all

Survivor Tells His Story

Speakers / Presenters: Robert Krell, Canada

5:30 PM - 6:45 PM

Special Session Open to All

Survivor Tells His Story

Speakers / Presenters: Max Arpels Lezer, Netherlands

5:30 PM - 6:45 PM

Special Session Open to All

Survivors Tell Their Stories

Speakers / Presenters: Rose Gelbart and Erika Gold, United States

7:00 PM - 7:15 PM

Candle Lighting Open to All

Candle Lighting

Moderator / Facilitator: Esther Finder - Facilitator

7:15 PM - 8:15 PM

Dinner Not specified

Dinner

8:15 PM - 9:00 PM

Special Session Open to All

American Jewry and the Holocaust: A Reevaluation

Speakers / Presenters: Jonathan Sarna

9:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Musical Hidden Performance Open to All

Musical Hidden Performance

Speakers / Presenters: Ruth Hartz and the Cast

10:00 PM - 10:45 PM

Dancing Open to All

Dancing to DJ Jazzy Gold

7:30 AM - 8:45 AM

Breakfast Not specified

Breakfast

9:00 AM - 10:20 AM

Plenary 5 Open to All

Why Do We Continue to Care: Intergenerational Perspectives on the Future?

Speakers / Presenters: Max Arpels Lezer, Survivor; Jenni Frumer, 2G/3G; Sharon Buenos, 3G.

Moderator / Facilitator: David Reckess - Moderator

10:30 AM - 11:00 AM

Closing Ceremonies Open to All

Closing Ceremonies

12:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Tour Sold Out

Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History