The Power of Place

2025 JCRC European Summer Institute for Holocaust Educators
June 13 – June 24, 2025 

“Space stands as a witness to what happened.”
– Yitskhok Rudashevski, diary excerpt, Salvaged Pages

Join us as we travel to historical sites to better understand the events of the Holocaust, WWII, antisemitism, as well as Jewish life today. Research has shown that traveling to authentic sites is an effective tool in moving people from empathy to action. In addition to gaining personal insight and knowledge, your students and community will benefit as you bring the lessons and experience home.

Power of Place educators institute in Europe is an experiential professional development for teachers where learning unfolds as we tour historical sites across Europe in order to transform our understanding of the Holocaust, WWII, antisemitism, and Jewish life today. Power of Place is planned and co-led by Humanus Network on behalf of JCRC and generously supported by the Minnesota Vikings, the Tankenoff Families Foundation, and Allianz of America Corporation.

Professional/Continuing Education credits for K-12 educators available through Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Applications for summer 2025 due by Friday, November 15, 2024 (application below)

2025 DAILY ITINERARY – Power of Place

Full payment for double occupancy $2775

Full payment for single occupancy $3775

$500 scholarships are available

Included in trip costs:

• Accommodations each night 
• Breakfast daily at the hotel and any other meals listed on itinerary
• Transportation between each European country (includes coach bus and airfare while in Europe)
• Tours and local guides as listed on the itinerary
• Site entry costs

Excluded:

• Roundtrip Transcontinental Airfare (From U.S. to Europe; We can help you with options and purchasing.)
• If you are flying from a city other than Minneapolis where the group will depart, and if your flight time is not coordinated with the group, you will be responsible for arranging and paying for your transportation between airport/hotel on arrival and departure.
• Most lunches and dinners (see itinerary for meals included and those on your own)
• Items of any personal nature
• Optional (highly recommended) Trip Insurance

2025 trip leaders:

Susie Greenberg
Director of Holocaust Education and Programming, Jewish Community Relations Council of MN and the Dakotas (JCRC)

Susie Greenberg, Director of Holocaust Education, has spent the last 15 years working at the JCRC, devoting much of her time planning, facilitating, and implementing programming around Holocaust education and remembrance. Susie focuses on the Twin Cities community and beyond  via an active speakers’ bureau, community trainings, charter trips to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the annual Yom HaShoah Commemoration (Holocaust Remembrance Day), and more. Additionally, she co-curated Transfer of Memory, a traveling photography exhibit about Minnesota Holocaust survivors, and coordinated and supervised the exhibition, Kindertransport – Rescuing Children on the Brink of War in Minneapolis and curated the accompanying local component, The Story is Here. 

Kristin Thompson  
Founding Director,  Humanus Network, Holocaust and Human Rights Education Consulting

Kristin is contracted by the JCRC to plan the trip itinerary and co-lead the experience in Europe.  She is currently the founding director of Humanus Network, a consulting firm  dedicated to professional development training and creating Holocaust and human rights educational resources.   Prior to this work, she was a classroom history teacher in MN for 19-years and Education Program Coordinator at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.  for 5 1/2 yrs where her primary task was training teachers in Holocaust education. 

Laura Zelle
Director of Content, Emissary | Former Director of Holocaust Education, Jewish Community Relations Council of MN and the Dakotas (JCRC)

Laura Zelle is the former Director of Holocaust education at the JCRC. Currently, she is the Director of Content at Emissary, a mobile app platform designed to address the dramatic rise in antisemitism and combat hate speech.  Laura oversees content management, curation, influencer initiatives and the content advisory council. 

Questions? Contact: Susie Greenberg at susie@minndakjcrc.org

Planned and co-led by the following on behalf of JCRC