Simon Wiesenthal Center Deepens Commitment to the Midwest with Three Major New Initiatives to Combat Antisemitism

Organization brings its most advanced Mobile Museum of Tolerance to Illinois, launches inaugural Chicago NextGen Leaders cohort, and announces first-ever Chicago Convening on Antisemitism

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (June 11, 2026) – The Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC), a leading global Jewish human rights organization, announced at last night’s 2026 Midwest Humanitarian Dinner three initiatives that it is bringing throughout Illinois and the broader Midwest region. SWC revealed its most advanced Mobile Museum, that it will be launching a program to support a new generation of Chicago Jewish leaders, and that it will be convening the city's first major summit on antisemitism, a summit focused on confronting and dismantling antisemitism across the region.

The announcements signal the Center's deepening commitment to the Jewish community throughout Illinois and the broader Midwest. The event also honored Chicago philanthropic and civic leader Sara Crown Star with the Simon Wiesenthal Center Humanitarian Award and renowned historian, scholar, and former U.S. Ambassador Dr. Deborah Lipstadt with the Simon Wiesenthal Center Medal of Valor.

“Hate has been re-industrialized. Not in gas chambers. Not in nail bombs. In code," Crown Star said. "A lie about Jews travels faster than the truth because the platforms have learned that outrage is profitable, and outrage about Jews has become one of the most profitable products on earth."

She concluded with a challenge to attendees: "Don't be neutral. Not even once.”

"While the challenges facing the Jewish community are global, our commitment is local, and we are all-in for the Midwest Jewish community,” said Jim Berk, CEO of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. “All the funds raised from the Gala to fund our advocacy and education programs will stay in the region. All of it. Every penny.”

A centerpiece of the evening was the arrival of Illinois' second Mobile Museum of Tolerance (MMOT), the most technologically advanced MMOT in the country. With two Mobile Museums now serving Illinois, SWC can reach more than 30,000 middle and high school students annually though immersive educational experiences focused on antisemtisim, bias, discrimination, media literacy, and civic responsibility.

Nationally, SWC's fleet now includes 12 Mobile Museums across North America with the capacity to reach more than 250,000 students over the next year. Illinois was the first state in the nation to launch a Mobile Museum of Tolerance, and the program has since served more than 400 schools statewide.

The Center also announced the expansion of its nationally recognized NextGen Leaders Program to Chicago. Launching next week thought the country, the Chicago cohort includes 18 college students who will serve in government internships throughout the city while receiving weekly leadership training focused on confronting hate and advancing civic engagement.

“For more then a decade, SWC’s NextGen Leaders program has helped shape some of the Jewish community’s boldest young leaders, advocates, and public servants,: said program supporter, Steve Lavin. “After tremendeous success in New York, I am thrilled to announce that the frist-ever Chicago cohort launches next week.”

SWC also announced the inaugural Chicago Convening on Antisemitism, scheduled to take place this fall. The summit will bring together leaders from government, business, education, media, philanthropy, faith communities, and advocacy organizations to confront and dismantle rising antisemitism across the region.

"Not another meeting. Not another statement," said SWC Trustee Sandy Teplitzky, who along with his wife Karen provided the seed funding for the convening. "A real convening of leaders all focused on one urgent question: How can we join together to dismantle antisemitism in our community?"

Sara Crown Star received the Simon Wiesenthal Center Humanitarian Award in recognition of her decades of civic and philanthropic leadership, spanning early childhood education, disability rights, women's healthcare innovation, and the Jewish community of Chicago and beyond.

Dr. Deborah Lipstadt received the Simon Wiesenthal Center Medal of Valor for her lifelong work confronting antisemitism and defending Holocaust history. A distinguished professor at Emory University, she successfully defended a landmark London libel suit brought by a prominent Holocaust denier, a case later depicted in the 2016 film Denial, and was subsequently appointed by President Biden as Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, a role later elevated to Ambassador.

The dinner raised funds to support SWC's expanding Midwest initiatives, including the Mobile Museums of Tolerance, NextGen Leaders Program, ongoing advocacy efforts, and the newly announced Convening on Antisemitism.

For further information, please email Aram Goldberg at agoldberg@wiesenthal.com. Join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your X feed.

About the Simon Wiesenthal Center

The Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) is a globally recognized human rights organization dedicated to combating antisemitism and all forms of hate, promoting tolerance, and advancing justice through a strategic combination of education, advocacy, and storytelling. Headquartered in Los Angeles with offices worldwide, SWC translates the enduring lessons of the Holocaust into contemporary frameworks that equip individuals and institutions to identify and confront prejudice, misinformation, and extremism. A global leader in addressing online disinformation, SWC empowers people of all ages with the media literacy tools and guidance needed to navigate today's digital landscape. Its education arm, the Museum of Tolerance and its fleet of Mobile Museums of Tolerance, delivers immersive, technology-driven experiences that foster empathy and critical thinking among diverse audiences. Through advocacy, SWC partners with governments, policymakers, and civic leaders to advance meaningful reforms and keep local and global Jewish communities safe. Its Academy Award-winning storytelling arm, Moriah Media, extends this impact through film, television, and digital content that elevate critical Jewish issues and human interest narratives.