Illinois Holocaust Museum Raises Millions At 2023 Humanitarian Awards

SKOKIE, IL — The Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center held its annual Humanitarian Awards dinner last week in Chicago, raising more than $2 million in support of the mission of the Skokie-based institution, museum officials announced.

More than 1,500 business, civic and community leaders attended the March 7 event at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, which was hosted by CNN Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash. Michael Oren, the former Israeli ambassador to the U.S., was the keynote speaker.

The museum's 2023 Humanitarian Awards were presented to the bank Northern Trust and Glencoe entrepreneur and philanthropist Pete Kadens.

The awards recognize organizations and individuals who demonstrate a commitment to educate people about the Holocaust, as well as the dangers of hate, prejudice and indifference, according to a statement from museum representatives.

Cardinal Blase Cupich was honored with the Survivor Legacy Award for his commitment to helping the museum preserve the legacy of Holocaust survivors and combat antisemitism.

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Bernard Cherkasov was introduced at the event as the museum's new CEO, succeeding Susan Abrams, who resigned last year after spending eight years in the role.

“Our work at the Illinois Holocaust Museum is more critical than ever as antisemitism and hate rages, and Holocaust denial and distortion become a growing and troubling phenomenon,” Cherkasov said.

The museum was originally founded in 1981 by a group of Holocaust survivors and their families. Its current Stanley Tigerman-designed 65,000-square-foot building at 9603 Woods Drive, Skokie, opened to the public in 2009.

It now offers a variety of exhibits, programs and resources to promote tolerance and understanding. They include a Holography exhibit that allows visitors to interact with holographs of recordings of survivors, a Warsaw Ghetto virtual reality experience and a speakers bureau of local survivors, liberators and others.

Last week's awards dinner included the first-ever in-person meeting between Stuart Lesorgen and Noel March. Lesorgen's father was imprisoned in Langenstein camp, which March's father helped liberate in April 1945.

Though they live across the world from one another, the two men connected through a rare photo and social media and have meet remotely for over two years to share stories before appearing on stage together at the event.

“We call each other brothers and for all intents and purposes, we are," Lesorgen said. "History brought us together whereas otherwise we never would obviously know about one another's existence."