The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights (TOLI) Empowering teachers to make Holocaust and Human Rights education relevant for today’s students.
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Best Practices in Holocaust Education
TOLI is recognized for its transformative professional development programs in Holocaust studies and human rights education, offering in-person seminars at no charge to educators. Participants learn how to teach the complex subject of the Holocaust through inquiry and writing and become a part of TOLI’s international network of Holocaust educators.
The Danger of Holocaust Distortion:
AN ASSAULT ON TRUTH, A THREAT TO JEWS AND DEMOCRACY
The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27 – the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau – as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a time to remember the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and the millions of other victims of Nazi persecution. As this article by Dr. Kathrin Meyer so powerfully reminds us, 81 years after this anniversary, education is the most important tool we have to confront Holocaust denial, distortion and antisemitism.
International Seminars
Seminars for Teachers in their Own Countries: This year, our international seminars will take place in Albania, Greece, Lithuania, Poland, Serbia, Hungary, Romania, Mexico, Georgia, Slovakia, Italy, Croatia, Moldova, Czech Republic, and Ukraine.
TOLI’s Impact
Click Here to learn more about TOLI and hear from educators who have experienced the power of a TOLI seminar.
TOLI in Action
APPLY TO ATTEND US SEMINARS
Our 2026 US Seminars will take place in Idaho, New Mexico, Kentucky, Virginia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, California, Minnesota, Washington, and Florida. Applications are now being accepted! Read More and Apply.
International Seminars to Commence in March
Our 2026 International Seminars will take place in Albania, Greece, Lithuania, Poland, Serbia, Hungary, Romania, Mexico, Georgia, Slovakia, Italy, Croatia, Moldova, Czech Republic, and Ukraine. Read More.
TOLI Publishes Guidelines for Visiting Sites & Museums
Based on work with over 2,000 teachers in over 15 countries, TOLI has published Guidelines for Visiting Holocaust Historical/Memorial Sites and Museums through the Lens of Human Rights and Human Dignity. This resource offers guidance for preparing, conducting, and reflecting on site and museum visits, along with adaptable activities that support meaningful student engagement. Read More.
TOLI Catholic Educators Seminar Featured in National Catholic Reporter
We were pleased to welcome Berlin resident, Dr. Kathrin Meyer, TOLI Board member and past Secretary General of the IHRA, to the US in January for a number of events commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day. We urge you to read her essay, listen to her discussion with Park Avenue Synagogue Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, and/or watch her lecture at Florida International University in which she conveys the importance of education to confront Holocaust denial, distortion and antisemitism.
Why I Became a TOLI Teacher
I didn’t just learn content and teaching methods – this conference encouraged us to grapple with the “why” of teaching what we do, and learn from each other. This was an emotionally challenging but deeply valuable week. TOLI is an outstanding resource, and I am grateful for all of the support this organization has given me through the years.
Jennifer Reeder
Michigan Seminar Participant
Blue Springs, Missouri
Recorded Programs
TOLI presents live and virtual programs, featuring scholars, writers, journalists, and other professionals on topics relating to our mission of Holocaust education, human rights education, countering antisemitism and racism, and strengthening democracy and pluralism. They’re free and open to the public. View all Recorded Programs here.
Welcoming New Board Members to TOLI
This year, we welcomed two new influential members to our Board of Directors.
Alex Bruner
Alex Bruner is a child of Holocaust survivors from Yugoslavia who remained in Europe after World War II. He is a former principal gifts fundraiser and management consultant. He was the North American director for an agency that assisted early-stage Israeli companies. Alex lectures on various topics relating to Israel, the Middle East, and antisemitism. Alex was instrumental in publishing the English version of his uncle’s memoir, “Cold Crematorium” (National Jewish Book Award finalist and one of New York Times Book Review’s “10 Best Books of 2024”), originally written in Hungarian in 1950, and now available in 19 languages.
Kathrin Meyer
Kathrin Meyer served as the Secretary General of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) for seventeen years. During her tenure, IHRA grew to thirty-five members and seven observer countries, and is now the world’s leading inter-governmental organization in Holocaust education, remembrance, research, and fighting antisemitism. As a result of her leadership, governments now recognize antisemitism and Holocaust distortion as security issues — influencing how these concerns are understood in policy and in practice.
We were pleased to welcome Berlin resident, Dr. Kathrin Meyer, TOLI Board member and past Secretary General of the IHRA, to the US in January for a number of events commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day. We urge you to read her essay, listen to her discussion with Park Avenue Synagogue Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, and/or watch her lecture at Florida International University in which she conveys the importance of education to confront Holocaust denial, distortion and antisemitism.
Impact Grants put TOLI seminar graduates’ new learning into action by funding innovative projects with their students Impact Grants
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Your Donation Makes A Difference
Donations to TOLI allow teachers to attend our seminars at no cost and provide them with impact grants to support their classroom projects. To date, these grants have reached over 47,000 students, with nearly 10,000 in eight countries last year.
Grants support research, field trips, and multimedia projects that help students learn about the Holocaust and human rights.