In late 1985, the Foundation supported travel to Europe and the Middle East of California for political leaders, businessmen, scholars and students. The participants on this educational mission met with Americans serving abroad, including America’s Ambassadors to several countries, and with key political and business leaders in England, Switzerland, Italy, Egypt and Israel.
In 1986, the Foundation hosted the maiden visit to Southern California of the first Ambassador to the United States from the nation of Brunei following the independence of that small Pacific Rim nation. The Ambassador met with leaders of Southern California’s business and civic communities and exchanged views about Pacific Rim trade, investment and issues of economic development.
Focusing on another part of the world, the Foundation hosted a visit to Southern California by Pir Gailani, the religious leader of fourteen million Afghans, and the leader of the National lslamic Front of Afghanistan (NIF A), the principal organization resisting the Soviet invasion of that country. Besides speaking to several Southern California audiences, Pir Gailani was interviewed by Southern California media, appearing on shows with Bruce Herschensohn and Michael Jackson.
In September, 1986, the Foundation hosted the premiere American performance of Brunei’s National Dance Troupe in Pasadena, California.
In 1986, Khalid Wardak, one of the youngest commanders of the Afghan Freedom Fighters, appeared before Southern California audiences as the guest of the Foundation.
In July, 1987, the Foundation hosted a week-long visit to Southern California by the Ambassadors to the United States from the nations of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Meeting with key business and political leaders m the Inland Empire, Orange County and Los Angeles County, the ambassadors explored ways by which California could increase its exports to Southeast Asia and Southeast Asian nations could export products and capital to Southern California.
In September, 1987, the Foundation arranged meetings for members of the Bruneian Investment Agency with key leaders in New York, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles. These meetings were an educational mission teaching Bruneians about American business and political practices.
In October, 1987, the Foundation hosted a dinner meeting for the Minister of Trade and Industry of Malaysia with prominent California business leaders. Also in attendance was the Minister of Trade and Industry for the Malaysian state of Sarawak.
In 1987, the Foundation provided training in Southern California for representatives of the Afghan Freedom Fighters on computer skills.
In 1987, the Foundation supported a book length study of United States-Vatican relations in honor of the visit to Southern California this past September of His Holiness, Pope John Paul II.
In November, 1987, the Foundation sponsored a tour for students and businessmen to the countries of Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong, arranging meetings with key business and political officials.
From its first year of operation the Foundation has sponsored several educational missions to Israel for key leaders of the business and educational communities.
The Foundation sponsored a study of strategic relations between the United States and ASEAN 
(Association of Southeast Asian Nations), and between the United States and the Middle East by Dr. Harold Rood, a prominent scholar in the field. Both studies have since been published.
In March, 1988, the Foundation sponsored a lecture by Dr. Theodore Smith, financial advisor to the Bruneian Ministry of Finance at the Claremont Colleges.
In July and August, 1988, the Foundation enlarged its educational and cultural exchange program with the Pacific Rim by sending four college students to Brunei to work as interns in the Bruneian Investment Agency for several weeks. In addition, it arranged other educational programs for the students in Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong. It arranged meetings for the students with Mr. Robert Chua, a senior member of Singapore’s Foreign Ministry, and with Mr. James Lee, Director of the Land Reform Institute of Taiwan.
In September, 1988, the Foundation sponsored a series of lectures at the Claremont Colleges by the Malaysian Ambassador to the United States, the Honorable Albert S. Talalla. It also arranged visits for him with key Southern California business and political leaders.
In October, 1988, the Foundation sponsored a lecture at the Claremont Colleges by Simon Wiesenthal, the famous Nazi hunter who has tracked down and documented the location of many Nazi war criminals, helping to bring them to justice, including Adolph Eichman.
On November 14, the Foundation sponsored a lecture at the Claremont Colleges by Ambassador Ma, the Consul-General to Los Angeles from the People’s Republic of China.
On November 16, the Foundation sponsored a lecture at the Claremont Colleges by Dr. Robert Gallo, the co-discoverer of the AIDS virus.
On November 28, the Foundation sponsored a lecture at the Claremont Colleges by Datin Rafidah, Minister of Trade and Industry of Malaysia. The next evening, November 29, the Foundation sponsored a dinner in her honor to meet key leaders from the Southern California businesses and civic community in Beverly Hills.
Throughout 1989-1992, the Foundation has been sponsoring an exhibit on the Holocaust, providing it to school districts, libraries and civic centers in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County. The exhibit, entitled “The Courage to Remember,” was produced by the Simon Wiesenthal Center of Los Angeles. The Foundation purchased a copy of the exhibit after a particularly violent attack of anti-Semitism in the San Gabriel Valley.
In 1990, the Foundation for California developed a non-digital exhibit of the
The Foundation also provides speakers to these various civic agencies to explain the exhibit. Among the dozens of institutions, schools, libraries and public community buildings that hosted the exhibit included:
Bonita High School, Claremont Public Library, Rowland Heights Public Library, Baldwin Park Public Library, West Covina Library, Alhambra City Public Library, Chaparral High School, Pomona Public Library, Duarte Public library, La Mirada Public Library, Palm Springs Library, Coachella Library, Norwalk Public Library and Whittier Public Library.
The Courage to Remember exhibit was seen by over 200,000 people during the tour of southern California.
The Foundation’s Board believes that education is the best means of defeating intolerance and bigotry.
Since its inception, the Foundation has sponsored or conducted several studies on conditions for economic growth in California. The Foundation’s studies range from a discussion of the issues pertaining to land use and development to identifying those opinion leaders whose ideas about economic growth, including issues of land use and development, have been instrumental in framing the public debate.
The Foundation completed an exhaustive study of proposed no-growth legislation in Orange County. Through a public opinion survey and network analysis of 33,000 key Orange County opinion leaders and their attitudes towards the no-growth issue.
The Foundation completed a study of computer driven financial management systems in Guam and in America’s other Pacific trusts and territories. This study was made available to the United States Department of the Interior.
March 2008, the Foundation sponsored and hosted a conference in Washington DC on Tribal Sovereignty, Legal Trends & Directions.
Conference Schedule
9:00-9:05am: Conference Convenes at the Walter A. Slowinski Courtroom
The Hon. Loren Smith, Conference Co-Chairman; Senior Judge, U.S. Court of Federal Claims
9:05-9:15am: Opening Remarks
George E. Garvey, JD, Vice Provost & Dean of Graduate Studies, The Catholic University of America
Deron Marquez, Conference Co-Chairman; Assoc. Dir., Tribal Admin. Certificate Program, Claremont Graduate University
9:15-10:30am: Morning Panel #1
Are We Changing The Rules?: Reflections on Tribal Sovereignty & The Implications of San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino v. N.L.R.B. (D.C. Cir., 2007)
Moderator:
The Hon..Loren Smith, Conference Co-Chairman; Senior Judge, U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Panelists:
Ralph Rossum, Salvatori Professor of American Constitutionalism, Claremont McKenna College
The Hon.Susan A. Ehrlich, Judge, Arizona Court of Appeals
Reid Peyton Chambers, Partner, Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Endreson & Perry, LLP
10:30-10:45am: Break
10:45am-12:00pm: Morning Panel #2
Sovereignty Precedents in American Jurisprudence
Moderator:
Dr. Alfred Balitzer, Senior Fellow, Claremont Graduate University
Panelists:
The Hon. Rebecca Irving, Chief Judge, Passamaquoddy Tribal CourtThe Hon.
Walter Edmonds, Judge, Oregon Court of Appeals
Christopher Wolfe, Professor of Political Science, Marquette University
12:00-12:15pm: Break for lunch at the Columbus School of Law Atrium
12:15-1:15pm: Luncheon Address
The Hon. Randall R. Rader, Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals For The Federal Circuit
1:15-1:30pm: Reconvene at the Walter A. Slowinski Courtroom
1:30-2:45pm: Afternoon Panel
Sovereignty Revisited: Where Do We Go From Here?
Moderator:
Deron Marquez, Conference Co-Chairman; Assoc. Dir., Tribal Admin. Certificate Program, Claremont Graduate University
Panelists:
David E. Wilkins, Professor of American Indian Studies, Univ. of Minnesota
Kathryn Rand, Co-Director, Institute for the Study of Tribal Gaming Law and Policy
Jonathan Taylor, President, Taylor Policy Group, Inc.
2:45-4:45pm: Roundtable Discussion
Moderator:
Michael Uhlmann, Professor of American Government, Claremont Graduate University
Participants:
Ralph Rossum, Salvatori Professor of American Constitutionalism, Claremont McKenna College
The Hon.Susan A. Ehrlich, Judge, Arizona Court of Appeals
Christopher Wolfe, Professor of Political Science, Marquette University
The Hon.Rebecca Irving, Chief Judge, Passamaquoddy Tribal Court
The Hon.Walter Edmonds, Judge, Oregon Court of Appeals
David E. Wilkins, Professor of American Indian Studies, Univ. of Minnesota
Kathyrn Rand, Co-Director, Institute for the Study of Tribal Gaming Law and Policy
Reid Peyton Chambers, Partner, Sonosky, Chambers, Sachse, Endreson & Perry, LLP
Jonathan Taylor, President, Taylor Policy Group, Inc.
4:45-4:55pm: Summary of the Day’s Proceedings
Michael Uhlmann, Professor of American Government, Claremont Graduate University
4:55-5:05pm: Closing Remarks
Deron Marquez, Conference Co-Chairman; Assoc. Dir., Tribal Admin. Certificate Program, Claremont Graduate University
From May 12-15, 2011, the Foundation For California coordinated an educational visit to the Holy Land, hosting a delegation from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
This trip was part of a larger project of the Foundation of bringing leaders of different faiths to the Holy Land to conduct important dialogues and reach out across boundaries that divide people. Past Foundation For California delegations to Israel have included key leaders from the civic, political and religious communities of Indonesia, India and Japan.
Highlights of the trip included meeting with local political and government leaders, an academic address at Hebrew University, meetings with religious leaders and visits to sites of Jewish history and culture.
1.Meetings With Political & Government Leaders
Guests were hosted by President Shimon Peres at the President’s official residence. While the specifics of their conversation remain off the record, issues relating to building trust and relationships between the Muslim and Jewish worlds were discussed. Additionally, throughout the stay in Israel, the group was received by a number of officials from the Foreign Ministry, the Prime Minister’s Office and other entities of the Israeli government.
2.Academic Address at Hebrew University
A well-received address at Hebrew University entitled “ASEAN, China and America: The Future of Southeast Asia” was given at the University. Attending were students, faculty, university staff and interested members of the community. The talk addressed ASEAN’s efforts to engage the United States, the rising powers of China and India in addition to broadening outreach to the Middle East.
3.Meetings With Religious Leaders
Meetings with various religious leaders were arranged during the visit, the highlight of which was a Shabbat stay with a noted Israeli Rabbi where the delegation were treated to a night of excellent food, singing, prayers and fellowship.
4.Visits To Sites of Jewish History and Culture
Prior to the trip, the group expressed a desire to learn about Jewish religious practices and the Jewish people. The FFC trip organizers delivered on this front by taking the delegation to sites of Jewish history and culture, namely, the Mount of Olives, the Old City of David, the Wailing Wall, the Kotel Tunnels, southern excavation sites in the Old City, Yad Vashem and Ein Gedi, among other locations.
“The Courage to Remember” traveling Holocaust exhibit made its debut in Sacramento, Calif. and was viewed more than 30,000 people in 8 locations in 2011. Interest in the 2011 tour was notable, including coverage by the LA Daily News, Sacramento Examiner, Capitol Public Radio and numerous other outlets.
Emboldened by that early success, the exhibit was requested in Florida and made its Southeast debut at Tallahassee Community College on January 16, 2012. In 2012, the Foundation added 32 new venues to the schedule and ramped up its efforts to invite and promote VIP attendees to the media, as well as to promote the exhibit in conjunction with presentations by local authors, historians and professors.
Both media coverage and attendance for the exhibit exploded in 2012. An event in Modesto garnered 500-plus people and coverage from major media outlets. Events in Broward County and Santa Ana garnered 300 attendees, with students Tweeting their experience. Attendees that year included members of Congress, mayors, city councilmembers, top officials from the Red Cross, leaders in education and veterans affairs, law enforcement members, multiple liberators and survivors, authors, Holocaust historians, students, and families. At the end of 2012, the exhibit had been viewed by more than 800,000 people.
As of early 2013, 35 venues are already scheduled, including San Diego, Miami, Jacksonville, Boca Raton, India and Thailand.
The Foundation for California continues to receive weekly letters and social media messages from individuals from past tour stops expressing their gratitude for the exhibit and requesting it return annually.
Foundation for California – 2013 Update
Celebrating its 27th Anniversary in 2013, this was another busy and very productive year for the Foundation for California. Public education continues to be the focus of its efforts. In 2013, the Foundation continued to partner with the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Museum of Tolerance and work to continue to make holocaust education and remembrance available to the general public free of charge.
The Foundation also participated in four conferences on education including participation with the Claremont Graduate University, Pomona College, the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Yeshiva University. More than 2,000 people attended the conferences on education where Foundation Board Chairman Dr. Alfred Balitzer led five panel discussions with top academics from around the country on the importance of a liberal arts education and its contributions to society today. The Foundation entered discussions with the Royal Princess of Thailand in preparation for her 2014 trip to the United States on a mission to meet with educators in the United States to discuss the value of a liberal arts education in an effort to bring U.S. educational opportunities to help improve the educational system in Thailand. Meetings with the Princess and her delegation are scheduled for February 2014.
In 2013, Foundation Executive Director Ted Gover and volunteers, reached to more than 300 cities across California and Florida to coordinate educational opportunities in both states. Each educational opportunity was established, set up, prepared and made available to the general public free of charge.
In 2013, the Foundation for California was able to host and honor more than 30 survivors of the Holocaust and document their stories about the Holocaust so that others may never forget. The Foundation took more than 100 hours of video from events and survivor testimony which has been made available to the public at www.CourageToRemember.com and www.FoundationforCalifornia.com.
In 2013, The Courage to Remember traveling Holocaust exhibit was viewed by more than 2.5 million people in California and Florida in more than 25 locations. In addition, the exhibit received more than 250 certificates and proclamations of recognition from local, state and federal officials (visit couragetoremember.com). The exhibit also debuted in Thailand and the Philippines this year. With continued success in 2013, the 2014 exhibit schedule is already booking up. 2013 marks more than 25 years since the Foundation for California has been transporting and making available the Courage to Remember in more than 30 different countries and hundreds of cities in the U.S.
A summary of some of the openings in 2013:
January 3-17, 2013: San Diego County Library (Rancho San Diego Library Branch), San Diego, CA
The Courage to Remember debuted with a reception that included talks by Kathi Anderson of Survivors of Torture International and Jackie Gmach, speaking about her family’s experience of the Holocaust. The program concluded with a performance of klezmer music by violinist Yale Strom.
January 17-February 1, 2013: San Diego County Library (Vista Library Branch), Vista, CA
The Vista Library hosted the exhibit at the end of January 2013, after a strong turnout at neighboring Rancho San Diego Branch. Media in San Diego County covered the exhibit extensively during its stay.
January 31-February 15, 2013: Santa Ana Police Department, Santa Ana, CA
More than 300 guests attended the opening of the exhibit at the Santa Ana Police Department. The crowd included local elected and international officials, veterans, law enforcement, members of the religious and educational communities, and high school students. Carlos Rojas, the acting police chief, and Holocaust survivor Elaine Geller spoke to the crowd, and several young people from local schools Tweeted about their experience at the opening. In addition, media from across Orange County were in attendance.
February 4-8, 2013: United Nations Building, Bangkok, Thailand
In conjunction with the Embassy of Israel in Thailand, and in cooperation with the United Nations, the exhibit came to Thailand for the first time, opening at United Nations Hall in Bangkok, in commemoration of International Holocaust Memorial Day. Five hundred community and religious leaders were joined by Ambassadors of Israel, Germany and France, as well as diplomats from Turkey, Bhutan and Ukraine. Also addressing the gathering, which attracted scores of Thai students, was the grandson of the late Japanese Ambassador Chinue Sugihara, who against his government’s orders, provided visas to 2,000 Jewish refugees desperate to escape the Nazis.
February 5-15, 2013: American School of Bangkok Library, Bangkok, Thailand
On February 5, 2013, a very special presentation of The Courage to Remember was held for the high school students, sponsored by the Simon Wiesenthal Center. Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and its Museum of Tolerance, delivered a moving address to the students, which was followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the event. There was then time for the students to ask questions about the Wiesenthal Center, and the Holocaust, and view the exhibit’s photo panels.
February 15-March 4, 2013: Pollak Library, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, CA
The Courage to Remember opened at Cal State Fullerton on Feb 19, including a tribute to the late Leon Leyson, the youngest person on Schindler’s List and a long-time Fullerton resident. Leyson’s widow, Lis, is a member of the Patrons of the Library board, which helped bring the traveling exhibition to Pollak Library. Following the opening, locals, educators and students viewed the exhibit during library hours.
March 4-18, 2013: Santiago Canyon College Library, Orange, CA
The exhibit opened at Santiago Canyon College in Orange, CA on March 4, 2013. During the exhibition’s stay, Jack Pariser, an 84-year-old Laguna Beach resident and Holocaust survivor who has devoted much of his life to educating others about the Holocaust, spoke to a room of more than 150 people about his experiences during WWII.
March 18-March 29, 2013: Mission Viejo High School, Mission Viejo, CA
Mission Viejo High School worked for almost a year to get an opportunity to host the Courage to Remember exhibit, and finally found an opening in March 2013. Students, faculty and locals were able to enjoy the exhibit during its stay.
April 1-30, 2013: Biola University, La Mirada, CA
The Courage to Remember came to Biola University as part of “Forgiveness Awareness Week” in which students had a variety of opportunities to explore the many facets of forgiveness and see guest speakers from across the country. The first evening of the week, The Courage to Remember opened with a reception in the library courtyard attended by many Biola educators, Holocaust education supporters, and young people.
April 9-26, 2013: Florida State College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL
Hundreds of faculty, Holocaust education supporters, students and media attended the opening ceremony at the Nathan H. Wilson Center for the Arts at Florida State College at Jacksonville’s South Campus on April 9, 2013. The turnout for the exhibit during its stay Jacksonville was one of the strongest of 2012, with thousands of people viewing it in a matter of weeks.
June 8-July 4, 2013: San Diego County Fair, Del Mar, CA
The Courage to Remember became the first Holocaust exhibit to be shown at a State Fair. On May 31, the exhibit debuted at the 2nd largest fair in the nation – the San Diego County Fair in Del Mar — with an hour-long ceremony that introduced the exhibit to members of San Diego’s media. Numerous elected officials, Holocaust survivors, and WWII veterans were in attendance at the event and ribbon cutting ceremony.
The exhibit was so popular with visitors that the Fair immediately requested it back for 2014. Fair officials estimated that nearly 1.4 million people were able to view The Courage to Remember at the fairgrounds.
July 8-29, 2013: Newport Beach Public Library, Newport Beach, CA 92660
In July 2013, Mayor Keith Curry helped bring The Courage to Remember to the Central Library in Newport Beach, CA, which has struggled with a rise in anti-Semitic incidents in recent years. As part of the opening ceremony on July 8, there was a special presentation by Jack Pariser, an 84-year-old Laguna Beach resident and Holocaust survivor. Pariser escaped from a Polish jail at age 13 and hid with his parents and older sister to survive the Nazi slaughter of his village in 1942.
August 28-September 19, 2013: Bienes Center For The Arts at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
The Courage to Remember exhibit opened on August 28, 2013 at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, FL with special remarks from various public officials and figures, with nearly 200 people in attendance. The school arranged to host the exhibit through the Archdiocese in Miami. Alfred Balitzer, chairman of the Foundation for California, said a teacher at St. Thomas Aquinas attended the opening of the exhibit at the David Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie in May 2012 and told the Archdiocese about it. Catholics must “make a contribution to the awareness of the extremes the Jewish people suffered at that time,” the school’s principal said. He said the photo exhibit was chosen because “a verbal story or a written story is inadequate.” St. Thomas Aquinas was only the second Catholic high school to show the exhibit, and the first in Florida.
September 3-22, 2013: La Habra Library, La Habra, CA
Nearly 300 locals, officials and notables from La Habra, Irvine, Stanton, Cerritos and other neighboring communities turned out for the opening of the exhibit at La Habra Library. Following the successful event, The Foundation for California’s Ted Gover was interviewed on KCAL 9 News about the success of the traveling exhibit.
September 27-October 11, 2013: Army & Navy Academy Davis Hall, Carlsbad, CA
The exhibit traveled back to North County San Diego, to Carlsbad, CA, to debut at the Army & Navy Academy. The Academy strives to support Holocaust education, including talks by Gerhard Maschkowski, an Auschwitz survivor, who speaks to cadets about his experience during the Holocaust and transition to life afterward, encouraging religious tolerance. The Courage to Remember was just another portion of the Academy’s efforts to teach the community about the Holocaust.
October 3-28, 2013: Port St. Lucie Civic Center Art Gallery, Port St. Lucie, FL
Port St. Lucie, FL enjoyed a strong turnout at the October 3 opening of the traveling exhibit. Guests included law enforcement, Parks and Rec, Jewish War Veterans of Florida, the Port St. Lucie Historical Society, and more. The room was full for the opening remarks, and afterwards, guests enjoyed catered food, mingling, and the first chance to see the exhibit’s panels in the city.
October 7-16, 2013: Pomona College, Bridges Auditorium, Claremont, CA
It was a beautiful day for the opening ceremony for The Courage to Remember, and it was standing room only at outdoor Bridges Auditorium. Visitors young and old enjoyed opening remarks by Dr. Alfred Balitzer of the Foundation for California and Holocaust survivor Elane Geller, who urged the crowd to speak out against Holocaust deniers. More than 150 attendees included CA Sen. Norma Torres, San Bernardino County Supervisor Josie Gonzales, Claremont Mayor Opanyi Nasiali, and Rabbi Jonathan Kupetz of Temple Beth Israel in Pomona.
October 20-27, 2013: Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, Boca Raton, FL
On October 21, 2013, Jewish Community Relations Council Jill Rose; Matthew Levin, President & CEO of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County; Dr. Alfred Balitzer, Chairman of the Foundation for California; Holocaust Survivor Helen Jonas; and Liberators Goerge Sherman and Alex Zafran hosted a moving opening ceremony for the exhibition in Palm Beach County, once a hotbed for anti-Semitism. Stuart Silver, Vice President of Community Planning & Director for the Jewish Community Relations Council, reported that over the course of seven days, 1,558 people in the community attended the exhibition, and nearly half of those who attended were students, ages 11-18, who came from eight schools and synagogues in Palm Beach and Broward Counties.
November 12-December 2, 2013: Rockwell Center, Makati City, Philippines
The Israel Embassy invited The Courage to Remember exhibit to Makati City for a two-week stay. Foundation Executive Director Ted Gover joined Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center who delivered a lecture and conducted an open forum at the educational event held to debut the exhibit on November 12. The Foundation led exhibit opened in the Philippines just two days after the terrible typhoons ravaged many cities. The Philippine government requested that the Foundation bring the exhibit to the Philippines and continue with the exhibition even though the typhoon had just hit.
Foundation for California
Annual Report FYE 7-31-15
Celebrating its 29th Anniversary in 2015, this was another busy and very productive year for the Foundation for California. Public education continues to be the focus of its efforts. In 2014-2015, the Foundation continued to partner with the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Museum of Tolerance and work to continue to make holocaust education and remembrance available to the general public free of charge. The Foundation took the responsibility to make the exhibit available, schedule it, transport it and schedule local exhibit opening celebrations throughout the year.
The Foundation also participated in three conferences on education including participation with the Claremont Graduate University, Pomona College, the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Yeshiva University. More than 1,500 people attended the conferences on education where Foundation Board Chairman Dr. Alfred Balitzer led five panel discussions with top academics from around the country on the importance of a liberal arts education and its contributions to society today.
During the year, Foundation Executive Director Ted Gover and volunteers, reached to more than 275 cities across California and Florida to coordinate educational opportunities in both states. Each educational opportunity was established, set up, prepared and made available to the general public free of charge.
During the year, the Foundation for California was able to host and honor more than 20 survivors of the Holocaust and document their stories about the Holocaust so that others may never forget. The Foundation took more than 100 hours of video from events and survivor testimony which has been made available to the public at www.CourageToRemember.com and www.FoundationforCalifornia.com.
The Courage to Remember Traveling Holocaust exhibit was viewed by more than one million people in California and Florida in more than 25 locations. In addition, the exhibit received more than 75 certificates and proclamations of recognition from local, state and federal officials (visit couragetoremember.com). The exhibit also debuted in Thailand and the Philippines this year. With continued success in 2015, the 2016 exhibit schedule is already booking up. 2016 marks the 28th year the Foundation for California has been transporting and making available the Courage to Remember in more than 35 different countries and hundreds of cities in the U.S.
A summary of some of the openings:
San Diego County Library (Rancho San Diego Library Branch), San Diego, CA
The Courage to Remember debuted with a reception that included talks by Kathi Anderson of Survivors of Torture International and Jackie Gmach, speaking about her family’s experience of the Holocaust. The program concluded with a performance of klezmer music by violinist Yale Strom.
San Diego County Library (Vista Library Branch), Vista, CA
The Vista Library hosted the exhibit at the end of January 2013, after a strong turnout at neighboring Rancho San Diego Branch. Media in San Diego County covered the exhibit extensively during its stay.
Santa Ana Police Department, Santa Ana, CA
More than 300 guests attended the opening of the exhibit at the Santa Ana Police Department. The crowd included local elected and international officials, veterans, law enforcement, members of the religious and educational communities, and high school students. Carlos Rojas, the acting police chief, and Holocaust survivor Elaine Geller spoke to the crowd, and several young people from local schools Tweeted about their experience at the opening. In addition, media from across Orange County were in attendance.
United Nations Building, Bangkok, Thailand
In conjunction with the Embassy of Israel in Thailand, and in cooperation with the United Nations, the exhibit came to Thailand for the first time, opening at United Nations Hall in Bangkok, in commemoration of International Holocaust Memorial Day. Five hundred community and religious leaders were joined by Ambassadors of Israel, Germany and France, as well as diplomats from Turkey, Bhutan and Ukraine. Also addressing the gathering, which attracted scores of Thai students, was the grandson of the late Japanese Ambassador Chinue Sugihara, who against his government’s orders, provided visas to 2,000 Jewish refugees desperate to escape the Nazis.
American School of Bangkok Library, Bangkok, Thailand
A very special presentation of The Courage to Remember was held for the high school students, sponsored by the Simon Wiesenthal Center. Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and its Museum of Tolerance, delivered a moving address to the students, which was followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the event. There was then time for the students to ask questions about the Wiesenthal Center, and the Holocaust, and view the exhibit’s photo panels.
Pollak Library, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, CA
The Courage to Remember opened at Cal State Fullerton including a tribute to the late Leon Leyson, the youngest person on Schindler’s List and a long-time Fullerton resident. Leyson’s widow, Lis, is a member of the Patrons of the Library board, which helped bring the traveling exhibition to Pollak Library. Following the opening, locals, educators and students viewed the exhibit during library hours.
Santiago Canyon College Library, Orange, CA
The exhibit opened at Santiago Canyon College in Orange, CA. During the exhibition’s stay, Jack Pariser, an 84-year-old Laguna Beach resident and Holocaust survivor who has devoted much of his life to educating others about the Holocaust, spoke to a room of more than 150 people about his experiences during WWII.
Mission Viejo High School, Mission Viejo, CA
Mission Viejo High School worked for almost a year to get an opportunity to host the Courage to Remember exhibit. Students, faculty and locals were able to enjoy the exhibit during its stay.
Biola University, La Mirada, CA
The Courage to Remember came to Biola University as part of “Forgiveness Awareness Week” in which students had a variety of opportunities to explore the many facets of forgiveness and see guest speakers from across the country. The first evening of the week, The Courage to Remember opened with a reception in the library courtyard attended by many Biola educators, Holocaust education supporters, and young people.
Florida State College at Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL
Hundreds of faculty, Holocaust education supporters, students and media attended the opening ceremony at the Nathan H. Wilson Center for the Arts at Florida State College at Jacksonville’s South Campus.
San Diego County Fair, Del Mar, CA
The Courage to Remember became the first Holocaust exhibit to be shown at a State Fair. The exhibit debuted at the 2nd largest fair in the nation – the San Diego County Fair in Del Mar — with an hour-long ceremony that introduced the exhibit to members of San Diego’s media. Numerous elected officials, Holocaust survivors, and WWII veterans were in attendance at the event and ribbon cutting ceremony.
The exhibit was so popular with visitors that the Fair immediately requested it back for 2016. Fair officials estimated that nearly 1.4 million people were able to view The Courage to Remember at the fairgrounds.
Newport Beach Public Library, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Mayor Keith Curry helped bring The Courage to Remember to the Central Library in Newport Beach, CA, which has struggled with a rise in anti-Semitic incidents in recent years. As part of the opening ceremony, there was a special presentation by Jack Pariser, an 84-year-old Laguna Beach resident and Holocaust survivor. Pariser escaped from a Polish jail at age 13 and hid with his parents and older sister to survive the Nazi slaughter of his village in 1942.
Bienes Center For The Arts at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
The Courage to Remember exhibit opened at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, FL with special remarks from various public officials and figures, with nearly 200 people in attendance. The school arranged to host the exhibit through the Archdiocese in Miami. Alfred Balitzer, chairman of the Foundation for California, said a teacher at St. Thomas Aquinas attended the opening of the exhibit at the David Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie and told the Archdiocese about it. Catholics must “make a contribution to the awareness of the extremes the Jewish people suffered at that time,” the school’s principal said. He said the photo exhibit was chosen because “a verbal story or a written story is inadequate.” St. Thomas Aquinas was only the second Catholic high school to show the exhibit, and the first in Florida.
La Habra Library, La Habra, CA
Nearly 300 locals, officials and notables from La Habra, Irvine, Stanton, Cerritos and other neighboring communities turned out for the opening of the exhibit at La Habra Library. Following the successful event, The Foundation for California’s Ted Gover was interviewed on KCAL 9 News about the success of the traveling exhibit.
Army & Navy Academy Davis Hall, Carlsbad, CA
The exhibit traveled back to North County San Diego, to Carlsbad, CA, to debut at the Army & Navy Academy. The Academy strives to support Holocaust education, including talks by Gerhard Maschkowski, an Auschwitz survivor, who speaks to cadets about his experience during the Holocaust and transition to life afterward, encouraging religious tolerance. The Courage to Remember was just another portion of the Academy’s efforts to teach the community about the Holocaust.
Port St. Lucie Civic Center Art Gallery, Port St. Lucie, FL
Port St. Lucie, FL enjoyed a strong turnout at the opening of the traveling exhibit. Guests included law enforcement, Parks and Rec, Jewish War Veterans of Florida, the Port St. Lucie Historical Society, and more. The room was full for the opening remarks, and afterwards, guests enjoyed catered food, mingling, and the first chance to see the exhibit’s panels in the city.
Pomona College, Bridges Auditorium, Claremont, CA
It was a beautiful day for the opening ceremony for The Courage to Remember, and it was standing room only at outdoor Bridges Auditorium. Visitors young and old enjoyed opening remarks by Dr. Alfred Balitzer of the Foundation for California and Holocaust survivor Elane Geller, who urged the crowd to speak out against Holocaust deniers. More than 150 attendees included CA Sen. Norma Torres, San Bernardino County Supervisor Josie Gonzales, Claremont Mayor Opanyi Nasiali, and Rabbi Jonathan Kupetz of Temple Beth Israel in Pomona.
Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, Boca Raton, FL
Jewish Community Relations Council Jill Rose; Matthew Levin, President & CEO of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County; Dr. Alfred Balitzer, Chairman of the Foundation for California; Holocaust Survivor Helen Jonas; and Liberators Goerge Sherman and Alex Zafran hosted a moving opening ceremony for the exhibition in Palm Beach County, once a hotbed for anti-Semitism. Stuart Silver, Vice President of Community Planning & Director for the Jewish Community Relations Council, reported that over the course of seven days, 1,558 people in the community attended the exhibition, and nearly half of those who attended were students, ages 11-18, who came from eight schools and synagogues in Palm Beach and Broward Counties.
Rockwell Center, Makati City, Philippines
The Israel Embassy invited The Courage to Remember exhibit to Makati City for a two-week stay. Foundation Executive Director Ted Gover joined Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center who delivered a lecture and conducted an open forum at the educational event held to debut the exhibit. The Foundation led exhibit opened in the Philippines just two days after the terrible typhoons ravaged many cities. The Philippine government requested that the Foundation bring the exhibit to the Philippines and continue with the exhibition even though the typhoon had just hit.
The Foundation continued to host the Courage to Remember traveling exhibit in more than 30 different locations in 2015.
2016 the exhibit will continue on its international tour as well with stops in:
• Japan
• India
• Thailand
• Singapore
More information can be found at:
www.CourageToRemember.com
www.FoundationForCalifornia.com
Foundation for California – FYE 7-31-16 Update
Celebrating its 30th Anniversary in 2016, this was another busy and very productive year for the Foundation for California. Public education continues to be the focus of its efforts. The Foundation continued to partner with the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Museum of Tolerance and work to continue to make holocaust education and remembrance available to the general public free of charge.
The Foundation also participated in four conferences on education including participation with the Claremont Graduate University, Pomona College, the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Yeshiva University. More than 2,000 people attended the conferences on education where Foundation Board Chairman Dr. Alfred Balitzer led five panel discussions with top academics from around the country on the importance of a liberal arts education and its contributions to society today.
In 2016, Foundation Executive Director Ted Gover and volunteers, reached to more than 100 cities across California and Florida to coordinate educational opportunities in both states. Each educational opportunity was established, set up, prepared and made available to the general public free of charge.
The Foundation for California continues to host and honor more than 30 survivors of the Holocaust and document their stories about the Holocaust so that others may never forget. The Foundation took more than 100 hours of video from events and survivor testimony.
In 2016, The Courage to Remember Traveling Holocaust exhibit was viewed by more than 1 million people in California and Florida in more than 15 locations. In addition, the exhibit continues to receive certificates and proclamations of recognition from local, state and federal officials.
During 2016 the Foundation began to make significant changes to the Courage to Remember Traveling Exhibit, working with designers, architects and experts to bring the exhibit into the 21st Century utilizing the latest technology to encourage the next generations to be interested in learning more about the holocaust. 2016 was a big year in educational advancements in helping to invite and encourage the next generation to learn more.
UPDATE:
Foundation for California – FYE 7-31-17
In preparation for the unveiling of the brand new, revitalized and upgraded Courage to Remember Traveling Exhibit in 2018, 2017 was spent rebuilding and rebranding the exhibit. Utilizing Augmented Reality, the new exhibit on the Holocaust will come alive.
The Foundation team including its Executive Director Ted Gover and Rod Wilson went on the road to work with Holocaust Survivors Sol Teichman and Ruth Gainor in capturing more than 200 hours of video conversations, remembering and bringing past stories alive. This footage was properly prepared to make it available to the public free of charge to view to see more about the Holocaust and have the courage to remember so such atrocities never happen again.
Working closely with the leadership and development team at Meridian Graphics, the premiere Augmented Reality company in the U.S., the team spent more than 400 hours designing and developing the new traveling exhibit. Everything about the exhibit was upgraded including the travel cases to allow the exhibit to travel safely on airplanes and arrive in good shape to show it in new cities across the country.
Initial thoughts about openings to the public free of charge for 2018 include openings in:
• Philadelphia
• Chicago
• Houston
• Dallas
• Miami
• Boston
• Alabama
The Foundation team spent hundreds of hours beginning coordination and outreach to these identified cities looking for community partners in helping to display and promote this brand-new exhibit coming to their communities. Finding the right partner and location to display the exhibit takes a lot of time and research to identify who will work with the Foundation on these educational efforts.
The Foundation continued to partner with the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Museum of Tolerance and work to continue to make holocaust education and remembrance available to the general public free of charge.
Foundation Board Chairman Dr. Alfred Balitzer continued to lecture and give updates around the country on the Holocaust and educational opportunities for today’s youth to educate themselves and be leaders in their communities. Discussions included ways to identify hate and bigotry and rise above and make a difference today using social media and other venues available.
In 2017, Foundation Executive Director Ted Gover and volunteers, reached to more than 35 cities. Each educational opportunity was established, set up, prepared and made available to the general public free of charge.
The Foundation for California continues to host and honor survivors of the Holocaust and document their stories about the Holocaust so that others may never forget.
