The Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, the Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center (HERC), and the Jewish Museum Milwaukee are proud to partner each year on a contest that encourages middle and high school aged students to draw lessons from the Holocaust. This contest is generously sponsored by the Habush Family Foundation.
2019 Topic: Base your submission on the testimony of a local, Wisconsin Holocaust survivor. Students who have had the opportunity to hear from or interview a Holocaust survivor in person may respond to that experience instead.
Photo: 2019 Holocaust Writing & Art Contest Award Winners
View 2019 Holocaust Writing & Art Contest Winning Submissions
2017 Topic: Choose an example of survival, resistance or rescue from the Holocaust that has an impact on you. Explain how it influences the way you behave in the world today. Be sure to give historical details of your examples in your essay.
Photo: 2017 Holocaust Essay Contest Award Winners
2016 Topic: How has learning about the Holocaust influenced the way you act, the way you look at the world, and/or the way that you treat others? In your answer use specific examples about events, groups, people, and/or survivors from the Holocaust.
Photo: 2016 Holocaust Essay Contest Award Winners
2015 Topic: Hate is rampant in the world today. Describe two lessons you have learned from studying the Holocaust that can help fight hate. Use specific examples about events, groups, people or survivors from the Holocaust that inspire each of these lessons.
Photo: 2015 Holocaust Essay Contest Award Winners
Some of the materials for the Writing and Art contest have been adapted from Chapman University’s Holocaust Art and Writing Contest, presented by the Rodgers Center for Holocaust Education, in partnership with The 1939 Society. We are grateful for their support and collaboration.