Please join us on Sunday, October 11th from 2:00 - 4:00 pm for Stories That Shape Us.

I'm honored to share a deeply personal afternoon with you as I premier my interview for If You Heard What I Heard, a nonprofit preserving Holocaust survivors' stories through the voices of the last generation to hear them firsthand - their grandchildren. Growing up, these stories shaped my understanding of resilience, family, and the importance of standing against hatred. I hope you'll join me in helping ensure they are never forgotten.

Why this event matters: Holocaust survivors are leaving us. Soon, there will no longer be living eyewitnesses able to share their stories firsthand. As grandchildren of survivors, we are the last generation to have heard these stories directly from those who lived them. We now have the privilege - and the responsibility - to carry their memories forward.

That responsibility is especially urgent today. Antisemitism in the United States has reached record levels. In 2024, the Anti-Defimation League documented 9,354 antisemitic incidents - the highest number since it began tracking them in 1979, and a 344% increase over the past five years. Jewish comprise just 2% of the U.S. population, yet anti-Jewish hate crimes accounted for nearly 70% of all religion-based hate crimes reported by the FBI in 2024.

At the same time, Holocaust knowledge is fading. A 2025 Pew Research Study survey found that that 48% of Americans could not name a single Nazi concentration camp or ghetto, 16% of Americans believe the Holocaust has been exaggerated or inaccurately described, and 44% believe Holocaust denial is common in the United States. Yet, there is hope: 96% of Americans believe it is important to continue teaching about the Holocaust.

Education is one of our most powerful tools against hatred. If You Heard What I Heard ensures these testimonies continue to inspire empathy, confront antisemitism, and remind future generations not only what happened, but why it must never happen again. Every story shared is an opportunity to preserve memory, strengthen understanding, and help ensure that "Never Again" remains more than a promise - it becomes a responsibility we all share.

We look forward to seeing you on October 11th for a meaningful afternoon of storytelling, community, and living up to the promise to Holocaust survivors everywhere that the world will never forget.

If You Heard What Melissa Heard

You would never forget