The Mission of the Alliance for the Study of the Holocaust at Sonoma State

The Alliance for the Study of the Holocaust (ASH) was formed in 1982 on behalf of the victims and survivors of the Holocaust and the need to tell their stories and learn from their experiences.  Those who began this collaborative effort between the community and members of the Sonoma State University (SSU) faculty promised to let the world know of the atrocities that had occurred. The initial intention was primarily to learn the facts, act on them, and never forget. The name chosen was The Alliance for the Study of the Holocaust (ASH).  For those founding members, the acronym, ASH, "said it all."

As a result of these efforts, a highly successful Lecture Series on the Holocaust and Genocide was created at SSU.  As a University-community partnership, the Board includes members of the community, University faculty and administrators, and students who have participated in the Holocaust Lecture Series.

Its current mission is to co-sponsor the Lecture Series, to support SSU's Center for the Study of the Holocaust and Genocide in providing programming to the larger community (including K-12 teachers), and to collaborate with other community groups working with issues related to the Holocaust and Genocide.