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Lynne Youngstown
Debbie Stueber Mt. Lebanon
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Susan Hawkins OC
Lynne Penn Trafford[35]
Lee Jeannette City
Debbie Mt Lebo
Crowd Mt Lebo
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“The students were really invested in Lynne (Ravas)’s story and kept talking about it afterward. I can’t thank you enough for arranging this for us. I’m so appreciative of her coming out here to speak with our students. It was something new for a lot of them and a very heart-warming presentation for me, personally.”

Alisa Hasanagic, teacher, Chaney Middle School (Youngstown City School District) 

Generations Speakers Bureau

We are so proud of our robust Generations Speakers Bureau, and to offer these wonderful speakers to fulfill requests from schools, churches, synagogues, businesses, libraries, social groups, and any other organizations wanting to hear a personal account about a Holocaust survivor! 

Generations Speakers are the children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors. They have all been recruited, vetted, and coached by the Holocaust Center staff and veteran Generations Speakers to develop presentations about their survivor relative’s story. The Generations Speakers are all extremely passionate about what they do: preserving their family legacy; making sure that future generations hear a factual, well-researched, personal account of a Holocaust survivor; and most importantly, never forget what their parents and/ or grandparents experienced. They offer engaging presentations suitable for middle school students through adult audiences. 

With the loss of so many Holocaust survivors in recent years, we understand that engaging the next generations is the best and most effective way to keep the collective memory of the survivors alive. And while the Generations Speakers lack the first-hand experience of witnessing the horrors of the Holocaust themselves, we have found that students and adult audiences alike respond extremely positively to their presentations, finding them very moving and informative. We often hear from educators, as well as faith, business, or community leaders that Generations Speakers’ talks lead to dynamic discussions in their classrooms, houses of worship, workplaces, and communities, and that the lessons gained from these talks remained long after the Speaker’s presentation concluded.

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“The Generations Speakers program combines poignant recollections of individual Holocaust survivors, passed down to their relatives. Incorporating photographs, family histories, and personal research into presentations for young people makes it a fundamental resource for teachers and students of Holocaust Studies. My seventh-grade students are always riveted, and the speakers who have presented to my classes over the years thoughtfully engaged them in ways that they'll never forget.”

Rebecca Baverso, Middle School Language Arts Teacher, St. Bede School in Pittsburgh
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"When my mother came to the United States after being in two concentration camps and losing her parents and siblings in the Holocaust, she was strongly discouraged from speaking about her experiences. People told her, ‘You are in America now. You should just forget about that!’ I am speaking because she didn’t get to tell her story."

Susan Hawkins, Generations Speakers Bureau volunteer
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“I believe there is no better way to teach about the tragedy of the Holocaust than to bring survivors or Generations Speakers into the classroom. I have had the opportunity to introduce my students to survivor Oscar Singer and his daughter, Lee Fischbach, as well as Generations Speaker Lee Kikel. My students have been engaged and appreciative of the experiences and have also kept in touch with the speakers after our meetings. These experiences have been invaluable, and I am grateful to the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh for the opportunities and support.”

Hallie Leach, Middle School ELA Teacher, St. Therese School in Munhall

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Frequently Asked Questions

Request a Speaker

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