In Atlanta, staff at the Breman Holocaust Museum have adjusted their tours following the onset of the Israel-Hamas war. Previously, tours concluded with a note that many Holocaust survivors immigrated to Palestine. Now, guides specify that survivors found refuge in "the British Mandate of Palestine" or "the area that would become Israel," reflecting recent events and questions from students.
Annually, roughly two dozen Holocaust museums in the U.S. educate millions about the Nazi genocide of six million Jews. This mission has gained urgency since the October 7 Hamas attacks, coinciding with a rise in antisemitic incidents. The war has pushed museums to navigate the emotionally charged topic of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Holocaust museums often include the founding of Israel in 1948 as a refuge for survivors but rarely address the Nakba, the Palestinian term for their displacement. Deborah Dwork, a Holocaust historian, notes that the Nakba is typically not part of the context presented by these museums, which focus on the mass murder of Jews in Europe.
Many museums also raise awareness about other atrocities and human rights issues. For instance, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington explores genocides such as the Armenian genocide and the Rohingya crisis. The Illinois Holocaust Museum recently opened an exhibition highlighting mass killings in Armenia, Bosnia, Rwanda, and Guatemala.
As the Israel-Hamas war unfolds, Holocaust museums are confronting the use of Holocaust imagery by both sides. Supporters of Israel’s war effort draw parallels between the antisemitism behind the Holocaust and Hamas's ideology. Conversely, some antiwar protesters equate Israel’s military actions with genocide, influenced by social media images of Palestinian suffering.
Omer Bartov, a genocide scholar, suggests that visitors will question how museums interpret the war in Gaza and Israel. Rabbi Joseph Prass of the Breman Museum emphasizes that while the Gaza crisis is tragic, it does not meet the definition of genocide.
The Illinois Holocaust Museum has developed a guide on the Israel-Hamas war, stressing that while supporting Palestinian statehood is not antisemitic, supporting Hamas or chanting certain slogans can be. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum focuses on educating the public about the Holocaust and the unchecked antisemitism that enabled it.
Ruth Wisse from Harvard advocates for Holocaust museums to address contemporary antisemitism and celebrate Israel’s founding, framing it as a pivotal moment in Jewish self-determination. However, the museums also contend with antisemitic elements in antiwar protests and the spread of antisemitic tropes.
The debate extends to the phrase “never again,” used to remember the Holocaust. Some groups use it to highlight the horrors of October 7 and perceived global indifference, while others use it to advocate for Palestinian rights.
Holocaust survivor Marion Deichmann, speaking at the Illinois Holocaust Museum, emphasizes the unique tragedy of the Holocaust compared to other conflicts. She states unequivocally, "There is no comparison with the six million Jews that were murdered in camps."