There is no “other.” The “other” is us.
The Mitzvah Project is a Holocaust-themed, theatrical-educational program presented at high schools, colleges and community organizations across America.
There is no “other.” The “other” is us.
The Mitzvah Project is a Holocaust-themed, theatrical-educational program presented at high schools, colleges and community organizations across America.
The Mitzvah Project is a 70-minute, Holocaust/social justice-themed, theatrical-educational program that is presented at educational institutions and community organizations across America.
Comprised of a short play, lecture and talkback, the program poses critical socio-historical questions:
Who decides the meaning of culture, race and ethnicity?
How is one’s identity determined?
Why do we demonize ‘the other?’
The Mitzvah Project was conceived and created by Roger Grunwald
A classically trained actor and proud son of an Auschwitz survivor, Grunwald’s goal is to make sure that the world does not forget and that young people, in particular, learn these critical lessons of history.
● ABOUT THE PRESENTATION
Professional actors with “lived experience” of the Holocaust in their families and trained as Teaching Artists, immerse students in an historically accurate and deeply personal on-stage journey.
During the program’s Q&A, students openly ask questions, make connections with today’s issues of prejudice and marginalization, and consider how to be more compassionate and create more equality in their lives and in our world.
“Roger Grunwald’s Mitzvah Project is extraordinary. From their comments after Mr. Grunwald’s presentation, it’s clear that my students were able to make the critical connection between the racism, antisemitism and white supremacy of today’s world and the roots of prejudice and hatred that gave rise to the Holocaust. Bravo!”
— Jack Chan, Assistant Principal, New Utrecht High School, Brooklyn, NY
Student Comments
60% of Americans under 40 have never heard the word “Holocaust.”
The majority of states do not mandate in-school Holocaust education.
Schools need new and effective ways to educate and engage students on issues of prejudice and hate.
500+ schools & educators reached annually
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18,000+ People Reached
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500+ schools & educators reached annually » 18,000+ People Reached »
How We Work With Your Organization
Schools invite The Mitzvah Project to teach and engage hundreds — sometimes thousands — of their students.
Thanks to the support from the program’s generous donors, The Mitzvah Project is offered ‘free’ to all public high schools.
We also provide a powerful study guide, developed with a Museum of Jewish Heritage educator, that teachers use in the classroom *before* we show up.
Ongoing and extensive outreach to school district leaders, principals and teachers across urban, suburban and rural areas in all 50 states.
Our Teaching Artists
Elijah Alexander, Victor Talmadge, and Rolf Saxon are working stage and screen actors. Each has extensive teaching experience at the high school and college level, and each has a story to tell about a family member’s Holocaust survival.
ELIJAH ALEXANDER
“I am thrilled to share the story of my Uncle Julius who survived capture by the Gestapo and was responsible for single-handedly bringing my family to the states after the war.”
VICTOR TALMADGE
“My mother was one of only eight relatives, amongst hundreds in my extended family living in Poland prior to WWII, to have survived or escaped the Holocaust.”
ROLF SAXON
“It was then that my grandfather’s family chose to leave behind the only world he knew. For that reason, I count myself today as one of the lucky ones.”
Educator Comments
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“The Holocaust can feel like a distant memory that could never happen today, but we need to remember that hatred of other groups is really all that’s needed for an event like this to happen again.”
— Lauren, Northgate High School, CA
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“In my opinion, The Mitzvah Project is one of the most unique and impactful Holocaust education programs in the country.”
— Dr. Michael Berenbaum, renowned Holocaust scholar and historian
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"The Mitzvah Project was moving and inspirational, reminding us of our shared humanity. The influence of the show continues on even after it is over and one finds oneself speaking softer and kinder to others the next day. This show is more than educational, it is transformative.”
— Kristin Connor, North Carolina School of Science & Mathematics
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Recommended Reading
Articles
The New Yorker: How American Racism Influenced Hitler
The German Law Journal Book Review: Hitler’s American Model: The United States and the Making of Nazi Race Law
Books
Hitler's Jewish Soldiers:
The Untold Story of Nazi Racial Laws and Men of Jewish Descent in the German Military
Lives of Hitler’s Jewish Soldiers:
Untold Tales of Men of Jewish Descent Who Fought for the Third Reich
