Eighty-One Years After Liberation: Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt Speaks about Why Remembering Still Matters in the Fight Against Antisemitism
PORTLAND, OR (December 8, 2025) – On January 27, 2026, Congregation Beth Israel and the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education (OJMCHE) present a timely and deeply resonant public lecture by Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, the United States Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism. The program, Eighty-One Years After Liberation: Why Remembering Still Matters in the Fight Against Antisemitism, is the 2026 Oseran Family Lecture and will take place in commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
As one of the world’s foremost historians of the Holocaust and a leading voice in confronting contemporary antisemitism, Ambassador Lipstadt brings unmatched expertise to this moment. Her remarks will explore why remembering the Holocaust remains essential, not only as a matter of historical responsibility, but as a vital tool in combating denial, distortion, and the alarming rise of antisemitism around the world.
At a time of profound social and political turbulence, Lipstadt will address the urgent relevance of Holocaust education; the responsibilities of individuals and institutions in safeguarding truth; and the ways communities can rebuild trust, resilience, and connection across political and ideological divides. Speaking to a Portland audience that reflects a wide range of Jewish experiences and perspectives, she will consider the state of antisemitism and authoritarianism in America today, and how shared memory can help strengthen democratic values and civil society.
Congregation Beth Israel’s Senior Rabbi Designate Rachel Joseph shares:
“Remembering the Holocaust is not only a Jewish obligation; it is a democratic responsibility. Welcoming Ambassador Lipstadt to Portland creates space for Jews and for the broader community to learn and to recommit ourselves to confronting antisemitism with clarity, courage, and compassion. Our hope is that this evening strengthens our community’s resolve to defend human dignity and the fragile work of democracy.”
OJMCHE Executive Director Rebekah Sobel adds these reflections:
“International Holocaust Remembrance Day calls us not only to honor the victims and survivors, but to confront forces that threaten Jewish communities worldwide. Ambassador Lipstadt’s leadership and clarity are indispensable as we navigate this complex moment.”
The Oseran Family Lecture, an annual highlight of Congregation Beth Israel’s public programming, brings distinguished scholars, diplomats, and thought leaders to Oregon to examine issues of contemporary significance through the lens of history. This event takes place with additional support from Richard and Shirley Plotzker; Ruth and Gerald Cohen, in memory of Sarah Cohen-Doherty and her passion for Holocaust Education; and Sheldon Klapper and Sue Hickey.
WHAT
Public Lecture with Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt
Eighty-One Years After Liberation: Why Remembering Still Matters in the Fight Against Antisemitism
WHEN
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 ⼁6:30 – 8pm; Doors open at 6pm
WHERE
Main Sanctuary, Congregation Beth Israel, 1972 NW Flanders, Portland, OR 97209
And LIVESTREAMED by RSVP
TICKETS
Free and open to the public with registration: bethisraelpdx.shulcloud.com/form/Lipstadt
ABOUT DEBORAH LIPSTADT
Deborah E. Lipstadt was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 30, 2022, as the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, with the rank of Ambassador. In that position, from 2022-2025, Ambassador Lipstadt led efforts to advance U.S. foreign policy to counter antisemitism throughout the world. During her tenure at the state department, she spearheaded the effort to create the Global Guidelines to Combat Antisemitism. As of January 2025, those Guidelines have been endorsed by 39 nations and 4 multilateral organizations, including European Union and the Organization for American States. Ambassador Lipstadt has had a storied career as a historian, academic, and author. At Emory University, where she has taught for 30 years, she currently holds the position of Distinguished University Professor. Prior to joining the State Department, she served as the Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies at Emory University’s Tam Institute for Jewish Studies, which she helped to found. She has written seven books including: Golda Meir: Israel’s Matriarch; The Eichmann Trial; Denial: Holocaust History on Trial; Denying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory; Beyond Belief: The American Press and the Coming of the Holocaust, 1933-1945. She received the National Jewish Book Award three times, most recently in 2019 for Antisemitism: Here and Now. She was named as one of TIME 100’s “Most Influential People” of 2023. In April 2024, Ambassador Lipstadt was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is known for having been sued for libel by David Irving, one of the world’s leading Holocaust deniers. The case, which lasted for six years and was heard in court in a twelve-week trial, resulted in Irving being declared by the court to be “a right-wing polemicist,” who engages in antisemitism, racism, and misogyny. That trial was depicted in the 2016 film Denial, which was based on her book Denial: Holocaust History on Trial. Ambassador Lipstadt was a historical consultant to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and has held two Presidential appointments to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. She holds a BA from the City College of New York and an MA and PhD from Brandeis University.
ABOUT CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL
Beneath Congregation Beth Israel’s dome is a spiritual home, a place of community and friendship, a place to be inspired through prayer, a place for lifelong learning, and a place where every person makes a difference.
Congregation Beth Israel is proud to be a part of the Portland community since its founding in 1858. It is affiliated with the Reform Movement through the Union for Reform Judaism, and is the leading voice of Reform Judaism in Oregon. CBI is dedicated to:
- Improving our World through Education, Leadership and Inspiration
- Promoting Traditional Jewish Values of Respect, Justice and Compassion
- Providing an Environment that Inspires Worship, Spirituality and Celebration across the Generations
- Fostering a relationship to God and deepening our connection to Judaism Learn more at bethisrael-pdx.org
ABOUT OJMCHE
The Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education explores the legacy of the Jewish experience in Oregon, teaches the enduring and universal relevance of the Holocaust, and provides opportunities for intercultural conversations. The main and east galleries, on the first floor, feature rotating exhibitions of national and international stature, while four core exhibits anchor programming:
- Discrimination and Resistance, An Oregon Primer
- The Holocaust, An Oregon Perspective
- Oregon Jewish Stories
- Human Rights After the Holocaust
The museum also features a robust series of public programming, including film screenings, lectures, and exhibition-related education, in addition to a beautiful museum shop, all in downtown Portland. OJMCHE is free to all on the first Sunday of every month. Free Admission for: Blue Star Families (active military and their families); Members of the Press; Card-holding members of American Alliance of Museums; Council of American Jewish Museums (CAJM) members; Recipients of SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program); Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); and Caregivers. Learn more at ojmche.org
For additional information, media materials and interview inquiries, please contact:
Amelia Lukas, Principal, Aligned Artistry; 415-516-4851; amelia@alignedartistry.com