Friends,
The work of the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission is more important than ever, and we continue to support Holocaust and genocide education as we focus on eradicating antisemitism and all forms of hatred. We are wrapping up an eventful Spring season full of initiatives that targeted each of our educational mandates.
Addressing a disturbing rise in antisemitic incidents, we have been putting a generous state grant to use through our Campus Outreach Initiative. Partnering with organizations like Sharaka and Hate Ends Now, we convened hundreds of students, faculty, and community leaders at multiple state campuses to foster understanding and challenge prejudice.
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Governor Greg Abbott issued a proclamation officially recognizing May as Jewish American Heritage Month in Texas. Thanks to his leadership, May was filled with events celebrating the many contributions of Jewish Americans and Jewish Texans to our rich culture. State Senator Judith Zaffirini and I co-authored an article about the meaningful connections between Jewish heritage and our proud Texas history.
We marked Genocide Awareness Month in April with commemorations and remembrances occurring across the state. We also continued to further our initiative to expand access to quality Holocaust materials for Texas teachers and students.
The THGAAC held its Quarterly Meeting on June 3, 2026, in Austin. We were grateful to have heard from Mike Morath, Commissioner of Education for the Texas Education Agency; Dr. Luis Torres-Hostos, Founding Dean & Professor of the School of Social Work at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; and Texas Representative Matt Shaheen.
Finally, we are happy to have welcomed two new commissioners to our team, Larry Levine and LeElle Slifer. They join me and six other commissioners, as well as a committed staff under the strong leadership of Executive Director Joy Nathan, who work tirelessly to challenge prejudice and bring Holocaust, genocide, and antisemitism education to all Texans.
We look forward to the important work yet to be done and thank our supporters in the state legislature and in communities far and wide.
With gratitude,
Ken Goldberg
Chair, THGAAC
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We welcomed Governor Abbott’s new THGAAC Commissioner appointees, Larry Levine and LeElle Slifer, in March. We are also proud to share that Vice Chair Sandra Hagee Parker was reappointed to the Commission.
Larry Levine
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Larry Levine of Houston is the chairman of Levcor, Inc. He is a member of International Council of Shopping Centers, the Coronado Club, and Texas A&M University’s (TAMU) Association of Former Students. He was honorably discharged from the United States Army Military Police Corps. Levine received a Bachelor of Business Administration from TAMU. |
LeElle Slifer
LeElle Slifer is a litigation partner at King & Spalding in Dallas, Texas. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, she graduated from Paschal High School, received her undergraduate degrees magna cum laud in Developmental Neuropsychology and Political Science from Duke University while also obtaining a certificate in Judaic Studies, and graduated cum laud from Harvard Law School where she served as editor-in-chief of the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy. After law school, LeElle clerked for Judge Jerry E. Smith on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. LeElle has been a member of the Federalist Society since 2007 and currently sits on the board of Teneo.
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Sandra Hagee Parker
Sandra Hagee Parker is Chairwoman of the CUFI Action Fund. Prior to joining the Action Fund, Parker worked at RPSA, LLP, where she practiced corporate and non-profit law and was peer voted a “Top Lawyer” in San Antonio. Parker, who is also a Board Member for Aid the Silent and a member of the State Bar of Texas, earned a bachelor’s degree from Trinity University, an Executive Master of Public Service & Administration degree from The Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University, and a Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s School of Law.
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Thank You to Our Former Commissioners
We are grateful to former Commissioners Lucy Katz and Providence Nkurunziza for their outstanding and dedicated service, and we look forward to their continued involvement as volunteers on the THGAAC Speakers Bureau.
Pictured are Lucy Katz (left) and Providence Nkurunziza (right).
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At the direction of the 89th Texas Legislature, the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission developed a new Campus Outreach Initiative during the 2026-27 biennium. The educational programming, built on prior THGAAC efforts at Texas colleges and universities, is designed to support students, educators, and surrounding communities and is focused on antisemitism awareness, Holocaust education, dialogue, and cross-cultural engagement.
At a moment of heightened antisemitism and widespread tensions at US colleges, this initiative reflects THGAAC’s broader mission to combat hatred, prejudice, and indifference through education and public engagement. Across Texas, programming combined immersive exhibits, dialogue-based engagement, public lectures, and community partnerships. It encouraged critical reflection, while also nurturing historical understanding and fostering constructive conversations that might not otherwise happen.
Sharaka
THGAAC partnered with the international educational group Sharaka to host a cross-cultural dialogue featuring firsthand perspectives from Middle Eastern participants and speakers.
At Texas A&M International University in Laredo, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Brownsville and Edinburg, and at Trinity University in San Antonio, the Sharaka Dialogue Series brought together students, educators, civic leaders, faith communities, and cultural organizations from across the region. Conversations focused on understanding, cooperation, and shared learning were facilitated while creating opportunities to address misconceptions, strengthen relationships, and identify common ground across differences.
Hate Ends Now Cattle Car Exhibit
With support from Friends of the THGAAC, we partnered with the national educational group Hate Ends Now to bring an immersive Holocaust cattle car exhibit to campuses across the state, accompanied by historical Nazi-era archives. The exhibit provided students and community members with an experiential educational opportunity centered on Holocaust history, survivor testimony, and the consequences of hatred and indifference.
Across six campuses, the Hate Ends Now immersive cattle car exhibit and historical archives reached more than 1200 students, educators, administrators, and community members, through campus and public engagements focused on Holocaust education, historical awareness, and confronting antisemitism and hatred through experiential learning.
 A special thanks goes to State Senators Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, Brent Hagenbuch, and Judith Zaffirini, as well as Commissioner Lilia Garcia of theTexas Historical Commission, for touring the exhibit and voicing support for bringing this history to college campuses.
Bondi Beach Survivor Story
Together with UT Austin Chabad, the THGAAC hosted survivor Leibel Lazaroff, who shared testimony connected to the Bondi Beach Hannukah attack and discussed the importance of confronting antisemitism and violence through education and public awareness. The program featuring the College Station native created opportunities for students to engage directly with lived experience and contemporary perspectives on antisemitism.
Genocide Awareness Month
April was Genocide Awareness Month. Many commemorations were held across the state, including those to remember the Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda, the Holocaust, the Cambodian Genocide, and the Armenian Genocide. Thank you to all who organized and participated in genocide education during the month of April.
Jewish American Heritage Month
May was Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM). In the THGAAC’s Study of Antisemitism in Texas issued to the Texas Legislature, we noted that promoting JAHM provides an opportunity to counter antisemitism by sharing the rich culture, history, and contributions of Jewish Americans and Jewish Texans.
In our second year of organizing JAHM efforts, we saw great strides made in multiple arenas across the state. On May 7, Governor Greg Abbott officially recognized May as Jewish American Heritage Month, encouraging all Texans to learn about the rich and indelible marks Jewish Texans have made on our society. Adding to this statewide effort, the Texas Education Agency promoted JAHM and the THGAAC's JAHM resources in a newsletter to Texas Social Studies teachers.
Thanks to the efforts of dedicated community leaders, local celebrations occurred in schools, museums, and city halls. The THGAAC helped drive JAHM branding across organizations, resulting in a cohesive and unified campaign. We are grateful to the governor and our many statewide partners for contributing to the most successful Jewish American Heritage Month in Texas to date, and we look forward to growing our efforts in the years to come.
Spring 2026 Grant Cycle
Congratulations to the recipients of the Spring 2026 THGAAC Education Grant:
- El Paso Holocaust Museum: “Educators’ Workshop Series” | $25,000.00
- Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum: “Courage to Act: The Danish Rescue Special Exhibition” | $50,000.00
- Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas: “Educational Seminars on Antisemitism in Schools for North Texas Education Leaders” | $6,250.00
- Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum: “American Comics and the Holocaust Exhibition Creation” | $50,000.00
- Brite Divinity School: “2027 Holocaust Remembrance Event” | $5,000.00
- Opera Leggera, Inc.: “Janusz and Stefa Educational Guide for Teachers, Students, and Groups” | $4,000.00
- The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley: “Living Tikkun Olam in the Rio Grande Valley 2.0: Expanding the Circle” | $50,000.00
Summer 2026 Grant Cycle
At our June Quarterly Meeting, THGAAC Commissioners voted on grant funding recommendations for the Summer 2026 THGAAC Education Grant. These recommendations will be presented to the Texas Historical Commission for final approval. Recipients will be announced in August.
Fall 2026 Grant Cycle - Now Open
We are accepting applications for the Fall 2026 THGAAC Education Grant, which is open to all nonprofit organizations headquartered in the state of Texas for projects that align with our mission and legislative mandates. Details, including instructions on applying for the grant, are available on our website. Applications are being accepted through July 12.
Lone Star Student Task Force on Antisemitism
The Lone Star Student Task Force on Antisemitism works to ensure that the State of Texas has an accurate and up-to-date understanding of antisemitism on high school and college campuses. By centering student experiences and firsthand observation, the Task Force creates a direct channel through which what students see, hear, and experience in everyday campus spaces can inform awareness, decision-making, and potential policy responses.
Students participating in the Task Force contribute by observing and describing the climate on their campuses, including patterns, incidents, conversations, and broader trends related to antisemitism. Their role is not to propose policy, but to provide grounded, experience-based insight that helps the State of Texas understand what is actually happening on campuses across the state.
For more information, or to apply, click here.
The ATPE Podcast: Holocaust Education and the Power of Student Connection
Commission Educator Elizabeth SoRelle was featured on the Association of Texas Professional Educators' podcast to discuss the importance of Holocaust education and the lasting effects of meaningful learning. Listen to the full podcast by clicking here.
Friends of the THGAAC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2023, continues to expand its efforts to support the educational mission of the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission. By raising private philanthropic support, Friends helps fund programs and initiatives that strengthen Holocaust, genocide, and antisemitism education across the state.
Friends supports the Commission’s educational outreach to communities that often have limited access to Holocaust and genocide education. By supporting teacher trainings, classroom resources, and speaker programs in these areas, Friends helps ensure that students and educators across Texas have opportunities to learn the enduring lessons of the Holocaust and the dangers of antisemitism and hatred.
Support for Friends strengthens the THGAAC’s mission to educate all Texans about the Holocaust, genocide, and antisemitism. To support Friends of the THGAAC and help expand this important educational outreach, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution by donating at the website linked below.
On April 10, second-generation Holocaust survivor and THGAAC Volunteer Speaker Claudia Loewenstein gave remarks at Congregation Beth Israel in Corpus Christi to mark Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Former THGAAC Commissioner Providence Nkurunziza provided testimony in remembrance of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda in Abilene, Texas on April 12.
In collaboration with partner organizations across Dallas, the THGAAC, along with Congregation Tiferet Israel, brought together 150 high school and college students to hear from Leibel Lazaroff about surviving the antisemitic attack at Bondi Beach in December 2025. Pictured below are THGAAC Chair Kenneth E. Goldberg (left) and Leibel Lazaroff (right).
THGAAC Volunteer Speaker Joel Schwitzer presented on contemporary trends in antisemitism for the OLLI community at UNT on April 17.
THGAAC Campus Outreach Coordinator Alexander Suster attended SMU's annual March of Remembrance event on April 19.
THGAAC Commission Educator Elizabeth SoRelle spoke about the Holocaust at Rockwall County Library in Rockwall, Texas on April 30.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson (below, second from left) and Austin City Council Members (below, left to right) Krista Laine, Marc Duchen, Zohaib "Zo" Qadri, José "Chito" Vela, and Ryan Alter recognized Jewish American Heritage Month with a kickoff event at city hall on May 8. THGAAC Executive Director Joy Nathan (below right) spoke at the event about the importance of highlighting Jewish culture and contributions against a backdrop of rising antisemitism.
 Second-generation Holocaust survivor and THGAAC Volunteer Speaker Anna Salton Eisen presented at the Watauga Public Library on May 21.
The THGAAC will hold its next Quarterly Meeting in Dallas, Texas on September 3, 2026. The THGAAC Quarterly Meetings are open to the public.
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