November 5-6, 2025

On Wednesday November 5 and Thursday November 6, 2025, the Spungen Family Foundation will be bringing its Holocaust Postal Collection to the Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School located in Chicago.

We are working in conjunction with teacher Jeff Ellison, who approached us about using our artifacts collection for their 8th Grade Interdisciplinary Project, which is an in-depth Holocaust studies project the students participate in every year.

As our number of living Holocaust survivors is sadly dwindling, the goal of the project this year is to empower and encourage students to become the next generation of storytellers. During the day on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the students will get the opportunity to spend significant time with the Spungen Foundation’s collection of artifacts—literally getting to hold these witnesses in their hands. They will do an in-depth study on one piece they pick out at the end of our two days at Bernard Zell.

The students will get to hear presentations from expert researchers in the field in order to help them conduct their own research. Over the course of the school year, they will answer the questions of who, what, when, where, and why as they relate to the artifact they have selected. Their research will culminate in each student writing and illustrating a historical fiction story based on their chosen artifact. These stories will be compiled into a single, lasting volume for the Class of 2026—a permanent reminder of their work, Jewish identity, and legacy at the Day School.

Additionally, on the evening of Wednesday November 5th, the 8th grade students and their families will get to hear a local Holocaust survivor, Agnes Schwartz, tell her story. After Agnes speaks, the students will act as docents, showing family members around the Spungen Foundation Postal Collection.

Evening Event Details (INVITATION ONLY, not open to public):

DATE: Wednesday November 5 & Thursday November 6

TIME (for Wednesday evening presentation): 6:30 – 8:00 pm Central Time

ADDRESS: Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School | 3751 N. Broadway Street, Chicago, IL 60613

 

Left: Agnes Schwartz with ice cream cake (ice cream is her favorite!) during Survivors Week #6, July 22, 2022. 

 

[See the PDF below for survivor Agnes Schwartz’s bio.]