Women of the Shoah – Jewish Placemaking
combines art as social practice to allow our communities to reflect upon, honor and learn from the plight of the women and children who perished in the Holocaust (Shoah).
The WSJP organizes and catalyzes the community, business leaders and holocaust survivors and their families to build a monument and create special public space, to educate and transform the viewers’ perspective on the Holocaust, antisemitism, racism and all genocide of women and children.
What We Do
Work with Holocaust survivors, community leaders and corporations to build public memorials that will honor the women and children who died in the Holocaust
Create public art that requires social engagement and the participation of diverse communities for its completion
Use art to transform the viewers’ perspective on antisemitism, racism and all genocide of women and children
Recognize the timely need to memorialize the history of the holocaust for the next generation
Play a leadership role in interactive education that uses the arts and Jewish place-making in Holocaust Education
Holocaust Education
It is important that the history of the Holocaust is taught, experienced, and remembered for generations who will not be able to meet survivors first-hand, and our initiative may be used to support compliance with North Carolina’s Federal and State Holocaust Education Acts. The actual photo of the murder of these women was used as the basis of the sculpture. The Monument will include a camera aimed at the women, enabling the public to peer through it as the Nazi photographer did as a form of “execution tourism,” however, now we can defy evil and death by becoming witnesses to the atrocity of antisemitism, and showing that we all have a way to stand up and resist that which is insufferable, intolerable and inhumane.
For information on Jewish placemaking and Holocaust Education Workshops built around the Liepāja Massacre and North Carolina’s First Women’s Monument contact Elizabeth Alberti at 631-897-8300 or e-mail her info@womenoftheshoahjp.org.
The Story of our First Monument
Is This For Us?
Would your community welcome a monument to women and children victims of genocide? Contact us to bring Jewish placemaking and Holocaust education to your community.
News & Events
Women of the Shoah Blog
City of Greensboro unveils new memorial to honor victims of genocide
This article was originally published on WXII12.com GREENSBORO, N.C. —The city of Greensboro unveiled a new memorial to honor the victims of genocide Tuesday at Lebauer Park. The statue titled "She wouldn't take off her boots" is based on a photo of a Jewish woman who...
“She wouldn’t take off her boots” is North Carolina’s first Holocaust memorial
The article was originally published in YES Weekly and was written by Ian McDowell. The four adult Jewish women face the Nazi camera, their arms linked. They know they are going to be murdered. The young girl huddled against her mother possibly does not. In the center...
Holocaust memorial dedicated to women erected in Greensboro
This article was originally published on Fox8 and was written by Dolan Reynolds and Bob Buckley. GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — There are some parts of history that are very difficult for most people to truly understand. The Holocaust is one of them. Artist Victoria...
North Carolina’s first Women’s Holocaust Monument unveiled in Greensboro
Originally published on WFMYnews2.com GREENSBORO, N.C. — North Carolina's first and only women's Holocaust memorial now resides in Greensboro. The monument entitled "She Wouldn't Take Off Her Boots" was unveiled in LeBauer Park Tuesday. It was inspired by the Liepāja...
16-inch in-process maquette (study) of what will be in bronze
“She Wouldn’t Take Off Her Boots”
In Honor of Brave Mothers EVA WEINER and SOFIA GURAKNIK
Building upon the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and the end of the Holocaust, “She Wouldn’t Take Off Her Boots” will be North Carolina’s First Women’s Holocaust Monument. This original sculpture by artist Victoria Milstein will honor the strength and resilience of all women. It will be beautifully situated in Greensboro’s LeBauer Park, becoming a “place-making” community experience for all. A portion of the Monument will be made from EConcrete, an Israeli based technology, that serves to tie the Holocaust to the land of Israel.
Arm in Arm
COLLABORATIVE WEBINAR
In Liepāja, Latvia, on December 15, 1941, thousands of Jewish women and children were taken to the women’s prison where they were forced to strip to their underclothes and shot dead in groups of 10. Many of the victims were photographed in their final moments by a Nazi photographer. One such photograph serves as the basis for our first Monument, “She Wouldn’t Take Off Her Boots”.
Join us for a social justice practice memorial of the Liepāja Massacre.
Photo of Jews at the Liepāja massacre. On December 15-17, 1941, Nazis apprehended 2,750 victims in Liepāja. After a selection process they brought the victims to the dunes of the fishing village of Šķēde, north of Liepāja where the women and children were systematically murdered.
16-inch maquettes (studies) of what will be in bronze
“She Wouldn’t Take Off Her Boots”
In Honor of Brave Mothers EVA WEINER and SOFIA GURAKNIK
Building upon the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and the end of the Holocaust, “She Wouldn’t Take Off Her Boots” will be North Carolina’s First Women’s Holocaust Monument. This original sculpture by artist Victoria Milstein will honor the strength and resilience of all women. It will be beautifully situated in Greensboro’s LeBauer Park, becoming a “place-making” community experience for all. A portion of the Monument will be made from EConcrete, an Israeli based technology, that serves to tie the Holocaust to the land of Israel.
Photo of Jews at the Liepāja massacre. On December 15-17, 1941, Nazis apprehended 2,750 victims in Liepāja. After a selection process they brought the victims to the dunes of the fishing village of Šķēde, north of Liepāja where the women and children were systematically murdered.
Arm in Arm
COLLABORATIVE WEBINAR
In Liepāja, Latvia, on December 15, 1941, thousands of Jewish women and children were taken to the women’s prison where they were forced to strip to their underclothes and shot dead in groups of 10. Many of the victims were photographed in their final moments by a Nazi photographer. One such photograph serves as the basis for our first Monument, “She Wouldn’t Take Off Her Boots”.
Join us for a social justice practice memorial of the Liepāja Massacre.
Letters of Support
We have tremendous community support from state, federal and community leadership.
Who We Are
Meet our team
Shelly Weiner
Holocaust Survivor, Chair Holocaust Education
Sue Simmons
Founder/Board President, Development Professional, Community Volunteer
Elizabeth Alberti
Founder/Executive Director, Advancement Professional, Jewish Educator
Join a Committee
David M. Crowe, PhD
Holocaust Scholar/Co-Chair Holocaust Education, Presidential Fellow at Chapman University, Professor Emeritus of History & Law at Elon University
Victoria Carlin Milstein
Founder & Monument Artist, Painter, Teacher, Social Practice Artist
Marilyn Forman Chandler
Chair of Community Outreach, Executive Director of the Greensboro Jewish Federation
Get Involved
Call 631-897-8300 or Contact Us to get involved
Donate
Want to support the Monument or our mission of Holocaust education? Your donation is tax deductible. This link will take you to the Community Foundation of Greensboro’s website to make a secure donation to Women of the Shoah – Jewish Placemaking.
Events
We will be hosting Holocaust education webinars and workshops to engage audiences on the subject of the Holocaust and genocide of women and children. Find out what is coming up next.
Volunteer
Join a committee to help spread our mission of Holocaust education and Jewish placemaking.
Contact Us
Thank you for your interest in Women of the Shoah – Jewish Placemaking. Use this form to inquire about how you can get involved or to ask a question.
Address
517 S Elm St.
Greensboro, NC 27406
Call Us
631-897-8300