(714) 484-7000

Holocaust Education Initiative

Home » Holocaust Education Initiative

A grid of nine portraits of elderly individuals with serious expressions above the text: "bringing light from darkness" and "Holocaust Education Initiative, Cypress College.

The Cypress College Holocaust Education Initiative (HEI) supports a variety of efforts to spread awareness of the Holocaust, and the lessons to be learned from it, among the students and faculty of the college and within the communities which the college serves.

Mission Statement

“Through the lens of the Holocaust, the Holocaust Education Initiative educates our community about the dangers of intolerance, while empowering its citizens to stand against antisemitism, bigotry, and hate by safeguarding the dignity of all people.” 

The Holocaust Education Initiative began in spring 2016 when Clifford Lester, Cypress College Photography Professor Emeritus and the son of two Holocaust survivors, donated a collection of his Holocaust survivors’ portraits to the college. This collection is now a permanent exhibition in the Ursula Lowenbach Foster Holocaust Survivor Portrait Gallery, with over 50 survivors’ portraits exhibited in two different locations on campus. The Gallery, with its survivors’ portraits and descriptions of their lives, is at the heart of the Holocaust Education Initiative.

Framed photos and biography of Ursula Löwenbach Foster displayed on a wall under a sign reading "Holocaust Survivor Portrait Gallery.

The Gallery is dedicated to the memory of Clifford’s mother, Ursula Lowenbach Foster, who was born in Hanover, Germany, but moved with her family to Amsterdam in 1938 to avoid Nazi persecution. In 1942 the Nazis invaded Amsterdam, and Ursula and her family were forced to go into hiding to survive the war. For nearly two years, they lived secretly in an overcrowded house with 14 other Jews, sleeping in the dirt basement to escape detection by the Nazis.

Ursula Lowenbach Foster, a Holocaust survivor, holds purple hydrangeas in her home, surrounded by historical family photos and documents.

After the war, Ursula emigrated to the United States and lived in Modesto, CA for many years. To honor the memory of her 19-year-old brother, Ernst, who was killed at Auschwitz Concentration Camp, Ursula began visiting schools, giving talks about the Holocaust and its horrific impact on her life. She wanted children to know how precious freedom is, that we can’t take it for granted, and that we must learn from the past to understand “what can happen if prejudice and hatred are allowed to run wild.” Sadly, Ursula passed away at the young age of 77.

Motivated by his mother’s example, and to keep her story alive, Clifford began interviewing and photographing Holocaust survivors to document their stories, capturing the faith and courage of those who survived while also honoring the memory of those loved ones lost, so that the lessons of the Holocaust will never be forgotten. The stories of these survivors continue to inspire students to learn more about the Holocaust, how to overcome adversity, and how to stand up to hatred and discrimination.

A promotional poster for the film "We Choose to Live," highlighting a girl's struggle during the Holocaust, featuring historical imagery and text.

Components of the Holocaust Education Initiative include the following:

  • Ursula Lowenbach Foster Holocaust Survivor Portrait Gallery
  • Docent Tours of the Gallery
  • An annual Yom HaShoah Holocaust Day of Remembrance welcomes students, faculty and staff, and community members to a program that honors Holocaust survivors and their families, as well as recalling the memories of those lost during the war.
  • “Bringing Light from Darkness”:  Teaching About the Holocaust Through Survivor Portraits:  A Resource Guide for Educators is available online and provides strategies for how educators can use the survivors’ portraits to engage students in learning about the Holocaust.  
  • Scholarships
    • Ursula Lowenbach Foster Holocaust Memorial Scholarship
    • Harry Lester Holocaust Memorial Scholarship
  • History 120, History of The Holocaust, is a transfer-level Cypress College course offered by the History Department.
  • “We Choose to Live” Documentary, a historical and personal film about the parents of Clifford Lester.
  • Holocaust Survivor Videos
  • School and Community Engagement: Schools and community groups can request on-site docent-led presentations of the Holocaust portrait gallery through the School and Community Engagement Program. Visits may include Holocaust survivors when available.

The Holocaust Education Initiative Advisory Council

In early 2022, a group of Cypress College retirees volunteered to work with Professor Lester to expand and institutionalize the Holocaust Education Initiative (HEI). The Holocaust Education Initiative Advisory Council (HEIAC) serves in an advisory role, providing funding recommendations and educational advocacy, as well as offering or seeking fundraising support of the Holocaust Education Initiative. With this charge and through its work in coordination with the college administration and the Cypress College Foundation, the advisory council seeks to increase the understanding of the HEI mission both within the college and in the surrounding community.

The Holocaust Education Initiative Advisory Council ensures that the Holocaust Education Initiative supports the educational mission of the college, providing instructional support services and community outreach to expand the exposure to Holocaust education that would not ordinarily be provided. At all times the HEIAC ensures that Holocaust education is at the forefront of all HEI activities.

For more information, please contact Clifford Lester, Chair, Holocaust Education Initiative Advisory Council

Email: clester@cypresscollege.edu
Phone: (714) 469-6764