photo: Ethan Roberts Photography

By staff and participants of the JCRC Annual One Day Trip to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum 
Washington D.C., April 8, 2025

A chartered plane of over 180 middle, high school and college students, teachers, clergy, Jewish community professionals and lay leaders, law enforcement, National Guard members, as well as many additional community members, join us each year to visit the museum, spending an immersive day learning about the Holocaust and the dangers of unchecked hatred.

See the photos and read the testimonials from our 2025 trip to grasp the immense impact of this experience:

Photos:

Ethan Roberts Photography

Testimonials:

“When people are invested in like this, they value the experience in a different way. This was a huge investment in people who may never have had the ability to do this. You gave me time to sit and bear witness – as I sat in the hall of remembrance I thought of the generosity of what had brought me to this place and the juxtaposition of that generosity in the face of the horrors of the Holocaust. It was quite a clear contrast of humanity.”
– Teacher, Orono Public Schools

“Thank you for this incredible honor. For the past 14 years, it has been my mission to not only remember the past, but to honor those who lived through it, while remaining vigilant so that nothing like the Holocaust ever happens again. Bringing service members here to the USHMM has been one of the most humbling and impactful experiences of my life. Many arrived not knowing much about the Holocaust but they left changed, with a deeper understanding of the consequences of silence and the importance of moral courage. History has shown us the danger of standing by. We must have the courage to stand up for what is right, even when it’s difficult, especially when it’s difficult. That is a lesson I have tried to instill and I hope stays with every service member who has walked through these doors. I am grateful for the partnership with JCRC, and more importantly the friendships that have been made through not only this trip but all of our engagements. Let us continue to remember to educate and to act so that ‘never again’ is not just a phrase but a promise.” 
– Major Nathan Burr, MN National Guard

“I’m a 7th grade social studies teacher…I think the biggest reason why I’m here right now is to remind myself of the humanity and the stories behind the individuals that were lost and the perpetrators behind it. The lessons learned through how it started and how it began from what seemed like maybe innocent propaganda to the ultimate final solution of the execution of the Jews…I hope to be able to bring back some of these messages to the classroom to remind us of the signs. 12 and 13 year olds are more receptive than we probably give them credit for sometimes and they can continue to pass that message out and learn from the lessons of the past to make sure that this doesn’t happen again. It’s an honor to receive the award but it’s also somewhat sad because the award shouldn’t exist.”
– Jared Shogren, 2025 recipient of the Leo Weiss Courage to Teach Award

“As we have tragically seen on October 7th 2023 in Israel and protests on the streets and campuses of America, antisemitism is still a dangerous threat. Museums such as the US Holocaust Memorial Museum are an important reminder of our past – a memorable and challenging experience. Thank you.”
– Trip participant, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office

“I cannot thank you enough for including me to visit the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and the recognition you gave to me and my father, a liberator of the Buchenwald concentration camp. It was an educational and humbling experience that I shall never forget. Upon reflecting and reviewing the pictures I took at the museum and the pictures my dad took, I realized that he was there when General Eisenhower toured the camp. The people that escorted the General and the people in my dad’s photographs are the same.” 
– Scott Stallman, trip participant

“As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, it was heartening to hear from our participants how impactful our trip to the USHMM and DC was for them. It is so meaningful to assist Susie Greenberg, our Director of Holocaust Education, in bringing together Jews and non-Jews from three states, plus several countries, on this full day of remembrance and bearing witness to the horrors of the Holocaust. Thank you to our donors for making these kinds of experiences possible. I can’t think of a better way to honor my family’s legacy.”
– Meira Besikoff, JCRC

Questions and answers:

What was your motive to visit the US Holocaust Memorial Museum today?

• To see the museum with my teenage daughter and to refresh my memory of the Holocaust given the current political climate. (SCSU Student)
• It is my goal in life to ensure that the Holocaust never happens again. Going to the museum helps me learn more and further this goal. (Orono Teacher)
• To learn more about the horrendous events that drastically impacted our world and to be aware so I can do what I can to ensure it won’t happen again. (MPLS Police)
• I wanted to learn more about hardships faced throughout history and especially more about the Holocaust / major aspects of historic events. I believed it was something that would assist in my service as a police officer. (MPLS Police)
• To learn more about the Holocaust and to better serve our Jewish community (MTKA Police)
• To see first hand the damage done by Antisemitism (SCSU Student)
• Ensure that our local Jewish community members feel supported and safe (Fargo Police)

How did this experience impact you?

• I want to share this with others. The progression of the exhibit runs the gamut of humanity at its worst to human perseverance and triumph. Restores the commitment of this type of horror from ever happening again. (MPLS Police)
• It terrifies me to think about something even minutely similar happening again. Being intentional about teaching my children and the men and women I supervise. (Fargo Police)
• I’m grateful for this opportunity. I am inspired to keep working. (Orono Teacher)
• It’s helped me know how important it is to stand up and speak up. (Middle School Student)
• It’s hard history but necessary history and it makes me even more committed to telling the stories so students today learn the truth. (Benilde St. Margaret Teacher)
• This visit has greatly impacted me in many ways, for example it showed me that it wasn’t just 6 million killed, and that they were each individual people. (Middle School Student)

Learn more about JCRC’s annual one day trip to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum or contact Susie Greenberg, Director of Holocaust Education at susie@minndakjcrc.org.

This blog post was the featured staff column for the April 2025 Gesher (‘Bridge’ in Hebrew) – JCRC’s monthly email newsletter.
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