UNLOCKING THE ARCHIVES OF THE HUNGARIAN HOLOCAUST

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THE WORLD JEWISH RESITUTION  ORGANIZATION (WJRO) &

THE ZEKELMAN HOLOCAUST CENTER

Invite you to join us for a webinar about:

A New Window into the Lives & Cultural Heritage of Hungary’s Jews During the Holocaust

The World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO) and The Zekelman Holocaust Center would like to  invite you to a special webinar announcing the launch of a new digital archive showcasing 180 microfilm reels detailing the persecution, looting, and deportation of Jews during the Holocaust in Hungary.

This vast and newly accessible resource sheds light on stolen cultural property, including art collections and heirlooms, offering survivors and their families vital tools for restitution and reconnection.

Live virtual panel discussion

February 19

12 pm EST | 6 pm (CET) | 7 pm (Israel)

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

The panel will be moderated by Gideon Taylor, President of WJRO, and feature Rabbi Eli Mayerfeld, CEO of The Zekelman Holocaust Center, Andrea Dunai, Researcher, Genealogist and Author, Dr. Wesley Fisher, Director of Research at WJRO and the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, and Clara Garbon-Radnoti, Hungarian Holocaust survivor, archivist translator, and researcher. Q&A to follow.

To view the Hungarian microfilm site, visit hfilm.holocaustcenter.org

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Gideon Taylor serves as President of the World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO), a role he holds in a voluntary capacity, and has been actively involved with the organization since 2013. He is also the President of the Board of Directors of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference), Member of the Board of the Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland, and a Member of the Board of Directors for several organizations, including Friends of Jewish Heritage in Poland.

Rabbi Eli Mayerfeld serves as Chief Executive Officer of The Zekelman Holocaust Center, where he has led the organization since 2017. Under his leadership, The HC has become a leading hub for Holocaust education in Michigan, serving over 100,000 individuals annually. 

Previously, Mayerfeld served as Executive Director of Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, Michigan’s largest K-12 Jewish school system, overseeing significant growth in student enrollment and budget during his tenure. He is a founding member of the Learn to Lead training program for Holocaust professionals and serves on the North American Holocaust Museum Directors Working Group. Mayerfeld holds a B.S. in engineering from The Cooper Union and an Advanced Degree in Rabbinic Ordination.

Dr. Wesley A. Fisher is the Director of Research for the Claims Conference and WJRO, leading their efforts particularly in the restitution of movable property plundered in the Holocaust. He spearheads the Looted Art and Cultural Property Initiative, working globally to promote provenance research and claims processes in all countries. He was deputy director of the Washington Conference on Holocaust-Related Assets that resulted in the Washington Conference Principles on Nazi-Confiscated Art.  He has specialized in making the archival records of the cultural looting by the Nazis and their allies accessible. With extensive experience, he played key roles in establishing the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).  He holds degrees from Harvard and Columbia Universities.

Clara Garbon-Radnoti, a Detroit-area Holocaust survivor from Hungary, volunteered to create a finding aid that would make the documentation contained in this massive collection a usable reference. She has the language expertise, historical knowledge and personal experience to present the materials in a professional, succinct manner. In addition to their irrefutable historical importance, the reels contain an incredible amount of genealogical records. There are tens of thousands of names of victims, often with personal data. Clara Garbon-Radnoti spent 10 years creating this reference guide with purpose, passion and determination to document this very tragic chapter in European and Jewish history.

Andrea Dunai is a provenance researcher and genealogist with extensive experience working in German and Hungarian archives, as well as international online databases. She is an accomplished author of studies, articles, and books, with a particular focus on Hungarian-German history, the Holocaust, and provenance investigations. Dunai’s work has been featured in radio programs and publications, highlighting her expertise in uncovering historical narratives and addressing provenance issues.