Fighting Antisemitism and Celebrating Community: An Introduction to the Shoah Memorial
Sunday, April 12 @ 2pm
Westport Library
Event Details
In an era of rising division, how do we transform the lessons of the past into a shield for the future? Join us for an exclusive first look at the Shoah Memorial, a landmark project coming to Fairfield that seeks to honor history while actively stemming the tide of hate. Discover how this local initiative aims to make a global impact.
Why You Should Come
To take part in what promises to be a powerful afternoon that will feature addresses from a number of honored speakers and guests.
The two key components of the afternoon will be a conversation with Interfaith leaders Rabbi Jeremy Wiederhorn and Pastor Carl McCluster, followed by a moderated panel discussion featuring Shelly Krieger, the founding educator of the Holocaust Research Center; Holocaust survivor Michael Schell; and Philip Eliasoph, Special Assistant to the President for Arts and Culture, Fairfield University.
About the Shoah Memorial Fairfield Project
The Shoah Memorial Fairfield University project began when Paul Burger, chair of Shoah Memorial Fairfield, Connecticut (SMFC), attended the unveiling of the original She Wouldn’t Take Off Her Boots sculpture at LeBauer Park in Greensboro, North Carolina. Deeply moved by its powerful message, Burger felt compelled to bring the memorial to his community to ensure its broader impact.
Fairfield University, located in Fairfield County, emerged as the ideal site. A prestigious Jesuit Catholic institution, the university is home to the nationally respected Carl and Dorothy Bennett Center for Judaic Studies. It houses its Judaic Studies program within the Meditz College of Arts and Sciences. The university embraced the vision wholeheartedly, recognizing the sculpture’s potential to inspire education, reflection, and dialogue among students and throughout the greater Connecticut community.
About the Speakers
Paul Burger, Founder and Chairman of the Board, Shoah Memorial Fairfield University Project
Paul F. Burger is the chairman and primary sponsor of the Shoah Memorial Fairfield University project, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to Holocaust remembrance, education, and moral reflection. As the driving force behind Shoah Memorial at Fairfield, Inc., he has led the effort to bring the internationally recognized sculpture She Wouldn’t Take Off Her Boots by artist Victoria Milstein to Fairfield University’s campus, combining personal philanthropy with community-wide outreach. Burger has worked closely with university leadership, interfaith and civic partners, educators, and donors to position the memorial as a permanent educational resource — one that honors Holocaust victims and survivors while fostering dialogue about human dignity, moral courage, and the consequences of hatred for future generations.
Bill Harmer, Executive Director, The Westport Library
Bill Harmer is the longtime executive director of The Westport Library, where he has served since 2013 and overseen its transformation into a nationally recognized, innovative community hub. Under his leadership, the Library completed a major renovation and re-envisioning that emphasized openness, technology, cultural programming, and civic engagement, positioning the institution as a leader in modern library services. Harmer is known for championing intellectual freedom, community dialogue, and inclusive programming, and he frequently speaks and writes about the evolving role of libraries as essential democratic and cultural spaces.
Philip Eliasoph, Professor of Art History and Special Assistant to the President for Arts and Culture, Fairfield University
Philip Eliasoph is an esteemed American art historian, educator, and public arts advocate. A cornerstone of the Fairfield University faculty since 1975, he currently serves as Professor of Art History and Special Assistant to the President for Arts and Culture.
Since 2005, Dr. Eliasoph has held the Sam & Bettie Roberts Endowed Lectureship in Judaic Studies at the Bennett Center. Beyond the classroom, he is the founder and moderator of the “Open Visions Forum,” a premier public affairs series at the Quick Center for the Arts. His influence extends globally through his previous tenure as a faculty consultant for The New York Times inEducation digital platform.
Serving as curator, he negotiated with the University of California- Berkeley, the installation in 2023 a major exhibition at the Fairfield University Art Museum celebrating the Polish born, anti-Nazi satirist Arthur Szyk.
Shelly Kreiger, Founding Educator, the Holocaust Resource Center of Greater Fairfield County
Shelley Krieger is a founding educator of the Holocaust Resource Center of Greater Fairfield County and a pioneering leader within the local Jewish Federation, widely respected for her decades-long commitment to Holocaust education, survivor testimony, and community engagement. Through her work, she helped build one of the region’s most enduring educational institutions dedicated to preserving the memory of the Shoah, developing curricula, teacher trainings, public programs, and survivor-led initiatives that have reached thousands of students and adults. Krieger’s leadership bridged education and communal responsibility, ensuring that Holocaust remembrance remained a living, relevant force within Federation life and the broader Fairfield County community, grounded in historical truth, moral reflection, and the imperative to confront hatred and indifference.
Victoria Carlin Milstein, Artist, She Wouldn’t Take Off Her Boots
Originally from New York, Victoria Milstein has lived and traveled around the world and now resides in Greensboro, NC. Victoria studied at The School of Visual Arts in New York City and The Bezalel Academy of Art in Jerusalem. Her portraits hang in private and public collections globally. Victoria’s practice includes socially engaged public art and programming, as well as sculpture and painting. In 2021, she was featured in “Pieces of Now,” the award- winning exhibit at the Greensboro History Museum documenting her community’s response to the social justice protests in 2020.
Her sculpture, “She Wouldn’t Take off Her Boots,” was erected in Greensboro’s LeBauer Park in April of 2023. Victoria is the co-founder of Women of the Shoah, the non-profit associated with the project, which will sponsor art and educational programs as part of the North Carolina Holocaust curriculum for public schools. She is the Executive Producer of “She Wouldn’t Take Off Her Boots,” a documentary on the project that aired nationally in early 2024. Victoria currently serves on numerous community boards and organizations, including the North Carolina Council on the Holocaust and the Visitors Board of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She also serves as a Commissioner for the Arts for the City of Greensboro.
Victoria was a 2018 TedX Greensboro Speaker and operates VCM Art Studio, a place of mentoring and fellowship, with model drawings, workshops, and community events for all demographics.
James Naughton, Actor and Advocate
James Naughton is an American actor and singer known for his polished, versatile career spanning Broadway, television, and film. Born in 1945, he first gained major recognition on the Broadway stage, winning two Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Musical for City of Angels and Chicago, where his suave presence and strong vocal ability stood out. On television, he is widely remembered for his role as the affable Dr. Bob Wheeler on Gossip Girl and for earlier dramatic work on One Life to Live. In film, he appeared in titles such as The Paper Chase, Cat People, and The First Monday in October. Naughton is often admired for his classic leading-man style, effortless charm, and ability to move seamlessly between musical theater, drama, and light comedy.
Michael "Mike" Schell, Holocaust Survivor
Mike Schell is a Holocaust survivor whose life story reflects both the brutality of Nazi persecution and the resilience of the human spirit. Born in Europe on the eve of World War II, he endured the dislocation, fear, and loss that marked Jewish childhoods during the Holocaust, surviving through a combination of family courage, concealment, and extraordinary luck. Separated at times from loved ones and forced to grow up far too quickly, he witnessed the destruction of his community and the constant threat to life simply for being Jewish. After the war, Schell rebuilt his life in the United States, carrying with him the memory of those who did not survive, and has since dedicated himself to Holocaust education — sharing his testimony so future generations understand both the horrors of antisemitism and the moral responsibility to confront hatred.
Lauretta Webb, Executive Director, Shoah Memorial Fairfield University Project
Lauretta Webb serves as the executive director of the Shoah Memorial Fairfield project, where she leads and oversees the initiative’s operations, strategic planning, and implementation to advance Holocaust education, remembrance, and community engagement in Fairfield County; in this role she acts as the primary executive responsible for coordinating activities, outreach, and administrative functions to support the mission of Shoah Memorial Fairfield, Inc.
Rabbi Jeremy Wiederhorn, The Community Synagogue
Rabbi Jeremy Wiederhorn is a respected conservative rabbi and community leader and an Interfaith advocate. He has been recognized for his inclusive, thoughtful approach to Jewish life, education, and social justice. Widely admired for his ability to connect Jewish tradition to contemporary moral and civic issues, he is an active participant in interfaith dialogue and communal initiatives, often lending his voice to efforts that promote understanding, tolerance, and shared responsibility across faith communities. Rabbi Wiederhorn’s leadership is marked by a strong commitment to remembrance, and ethical action — values that align closely with Holocaust education.
Pastor Carl McCluster