CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Chambana Today) – A powerful new exhibit dedicated to Holocaust education opened this week at the Market Place Shopping Center in Champaign, providing local residents with an opportunity to learn from one of the darkest chapters in history. The “Courage to Remember” exhibit, a collaboration between the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation, and the Holocaust Education Center, features more than 40 panels showcasing the horrors of the Holocaust, from 1933 to 1945.

The exhibit’s purpose is not only to educate but also to spark reflection. Alex Lyon, a board member for the Jewish Federation and a member of the Holocaust Education Center Committee, emphasized the importance of teaching students about the Holocaust in greater depth, noting a concerning gap in educational coverage.

The exhibit contains difficult images and themes of death camps, invasions, and the atrocities of war, making it both a challenging and essential experience for viewers. Alison Pure-Slovin, Director of Social Action and Partnerships at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, noted that bringing the exhibit to the mall ensures that the public can access this important history, regardless of their ability to visit traditional museums.

The Courage to Remember exhibit will be open at the Market Place Shopping Center until November 1.