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The Upstander Ripple Effect — Science
The Upstander Ripple Effect

The Upstander Ripple Effect is a podcast featuring stories of how one act of standing up for justice can have an infinite impact. It’s where stories of courage and resilience during the Holocaust—one of the darkest chapters in human history— come alive to inspire a new generation of upstanders today. Come for a dose of motivation to activate your own unique character strengths to become an upstander right now, and stay for a fresh look at today’s headlines that will leave you feeling hopeful and empowered to start your own ripples of positive change.

The Upstander Ripple Effect – the first podcast from the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center.

Copyright: © 2024 The Upstander Ripple Effect

Latest Episodes:

Episode 12: "Empathy" featuring Conrad Weiner & Tulane Chartock May 09, 2025

In this episode of The Upstander Ripple Effect, hosts Jackie Congedo and Kevin Aldridge dive deep into the idea of empathy—what it really means, why some people are questioning its value, and how it plays a powerful role in standing up for others. Along the way, they reflect on how empathy is often misunderstood as agreement, when really, it’s about connection and understanding.

As Kevin puts it:

“Empathy is what helps bring us to a point of understanding, which then can dictate better our responses, our actions, and our words... What you are validating is their lived experience, which cannot be invalidated.”

The episode also features moving stories from the archive at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, including Holocaust survivor Conrad Weiner, who reminds us of the danger of indifference, and Tulane Chartock, a social worker who helped Holocaust survivors rebuild their lives in Cincinnati. Both stories show how empathy can shape our lives.

And in our Upstander Shoutout, we recognize Brandon Saho, a former Cincinnati sports reporter turned mental health advocate. Through his podcast The Mental Game, Brandon is creating space for honest conversations about mental health, especially in the often tough-it-out world of sports.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Email us podcast@cincyhhc.org

Find us on social media

https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/

https://x.com/cincyhhc

https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/

https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources

Visit the Center in person or online https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

Upstander month is coming up in June – learn about all the incredible events here

https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/events/upstander-month/

Watch Conrad’s full story https://youtu.be/HOolNTqKAo8

Watch Tulane’s story https://youtu.be/uBE4tsLmvPY

Articles on the subject of “toxic” empathy

https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/how-donald-trump-is-teaching-christians-to-abandon-empathy-albert-mohler

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/05/politics/elon-musk-rogan-interview-empathy-doge/index.html

The late Pope Francis' words about empathy https://catholicreview.org/pope-skill-performance-are-not-enough-empathy-heart-needed-at-work/

Upstander work by Brandon Saho, fighting the stigma around mental health https://www.facebook.com/BrandonSaho

Apply for a free suicide prevention “You’re Not Alone” sign

https://www.themental.game/signs

Episode 11: "Resilience" and Jackie hosts from Jerusalem Mar 28, 2025

Host Jackie Congedo, CEO at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, joined this episode from her hotel in Jerusalem, where she was with leaders from Holocaust education centers around the world, studying and collaborating.

“Their son had a knack for connecting with people, and for seeing the humanity in somebody else, and for caring enough about another human being with a different story to ask about that story, to want to know more about it.” -- Jackie, on meeting the parents of an Israeli soldier killed by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Now, they honor his memory by passing out packets of instant coffee, urging people to listen to people who are different than them.

Jackie and her co-host Kevin Aldridge, Opinion & Engagement Editor at Cincinnati.com talked about some of the people she met and the experiences she had during her time in Israel, including Holocaust survivors and their families. She was also very moved by her time meeting other leaders in Holocaust education, which faces multiple challenges right now – the loss of remaining survivors, rising antisemitism, and a growing gap in knowledge about the Holocaust itself.

During our taping, sirens went off in Jerusalem, indicating a safety threat, and Jackie had to quit recording and take shelter. She is fine, and we were able to continue the episode. This brief interruption left us all with a greater sense of empathy for the daily realities that people on both sides of this conflict are living with right now and the incredible resilience required to sustain life there.

This episode touches on the human toll of conflict, the importance of preserving and learaning from history, and how even small acts can create ripple effects of empathy and understanding.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Email us podcast@cincyhhc.org

Find us on social media

https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/

https://x.com/cincyhhc

https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/

https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources

Visit us in person or online https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

Removal of articles from government websites

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/19/politics/pentagon-website-purge/index.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/03/19/jackie-robinsons-pentagon-page-removed-then-restored-in-dei-purge/

https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-dei-diversity-social-media-purge-fb15996733408a8122a97acd3baa6820

Dr. Eyal Kaminka and his wife Elena, on the loss of their son, Yannai, at the hands of Hamas

https://time.com/6327936/israel-mother-son-death-hamas-war/

Authentic Resilience with Fatima Doman Mar 21, 2025

“How can we all stand up for each other? Help each other more? Help each other thrive?...I believe that we're more resilient when we're building resilience together.” - Fatima Doman on being upstanders and becoming more resilient

In this episode of The Upstander Ripple Effect, Fatima Doman joins the Center’s Director of External Strategic Engagement, Kara Driscoll, and explores the power of resilience and character strengths to shape how we respond to life's challenges and to be upstanders when it counts.

Hear how resilience isn't just something we're born with—it can be developed intentionally. Drawing from her background in positive psychology and coaching, she shares how mindset matters when building our resilience, with such approaches as shifting from an "inner critic" to an "inner coach."

Fatima highlights how bravery, kindness, and spirituality are closely linked to resilience and how these strengths can empower us to be upstanders. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to build resilience and activate their strengths to make a meaningful impact!

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here to make sure you don’t miss a thing https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation and the VIA Institute on Character for their support of this series

https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/

https://www.viacharacter.org/

Email us podcast@cincyhhc.org

Find us on social media

https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/

https://x.com/cincyhhc

https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/

https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources

Learn more about Fatima Doman and take the character strengths survey
https://authenticstrengths.com

Fatima’s YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Gf_4a8P4sKpQONBaNjKlA

Fatima’s Books on Amazon:

Authentic Resilience: Amazon Link
Authentic Strengths: Amazon Link

Find out more about the strengths linked to resilience

Bravery https://www.viacharacter.org/character-strengths/bravery
Kindness https://www.viacharacter.org/character-strengths/kindness
Spirituality https://www.viacharacter.org/character-strengths/spirituality

Episode 10: Special Episode - Nuance in the current political environment with Dr. Sarah Crane Mar 02, 2025

“If fear is what's driving us right now, let's find out what people are afraid of, and let's have a conversation. Let's have a talk. Let's talk about that first. Let's lean into that courageously and have some honest conversations about, what is it that we're really all scared about right now, and how do we push past that, overcome that fear, to get us to a place of productivity.” host Kevin Aldridge

Sometimes, episodes don’t go as planned. That happened with this shoot. Here’s why. It is early in the second Trump administration, and we have heard people express concerns about what they view as authoritarian actions. Some, including Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, have gone as far as to warn about parallels to Nazi Germany.

We wanted to address these issues with as much thought and careful consideration as possible. To do that, Jackie and Kevin invited Holocaust scholar and visiting professor at the University of Cincinnati, Dr. Sarah Crane to join them. Dr. Crane has perspective to offer on the comparisons between the current moment and 1930’s Germany. We thought we would get to our regularly planned content – a story from the archives and an upstander to highlight – but the conversation with Sarah went long, and we felt it was important enough that we didn’t want to cut it off.

We’ll have the stories we planned in the next episode.

We hope in the meantime, that this conversation will be helpful as we all engage in the important work of listening and questioning what it means to be an American, and members of a democracy in this moment.

Episode Resources

As always, we invite you to visit us in person in historic Union Terminal or online

https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

Learn more about Holocaust history

https://www.ushmm.org/

https://www.yadvashem.org/

https://www.auschwitz.org/en/

Jackie’s op-ed

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/contributors/2025/02/12/when-hate-appeared-cincinnati-chose-to-rise-against-it-opinion/78426099007/

News stories mentioned

https://www.nprillinois.org/government-politics/2025-02-19/read-gov-pritzkers-budget-address

https://www.cookrepublicanparty.com/chairman-sean-morrisons-response-to-governor-jb-pritzkers-budget-address/

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2025/02/07/group-carrying-swastika-flags-seen-demonstrating-in-cincinnati-suburb/78342108007/

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2025/02/14/ohio-congressman-greg-landsman-warren-davidson-racist-demonstrators/78464867007/

Learning and Perspective on the Holocaust with Dr. Sarah Crane Feb 12, 2025

This episode explores the evolving landscape of Holocaust remembrance with Dr. Sarah Crane, Visiting Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at the University of Cincinnati and Scholar in Residence at the Holocaust & Humanity Center.

"The Holocaust gives us ways to answer deep questions about what it means to be human—but it’s going to keep evolving, and that’s why these conversations remain relevant." — Dr. Sarah Crane

Lauren Karas, Chief Learning Officer at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, and Dr. Crane are guided by their character strengths of love of learning and perspective. They discuss how memorials, survivor testimonies, and historical trials shape our collective memory and challenge us to confront modern injustices. They emphasize that Holocaust remembrance is an ongoing, dynamic conversation—one that continues to evolve as we ask deeper questions about history, humanity, and responsibility.

Tune in to discover how engaging with history can empower us all to be upstanders in today’s world.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity  

Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for their support of this series 

https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/   

 

Email us podcast@cincyhhc.org 

Find us on social media 

https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/  

https://x.com/cincyhhc  

https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/  

https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity 

 

Episode Resources

Read Dr. Sarah Crane’s blog post

https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/scholar-in-residence-spotlight-december-2024/

Learn More About the Holocaust & Humanity Center

https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

Take the VIA Character Strengths Survey

https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/

Read Annette Wieviorka’s book, The Era of the Witness

https://www.amazon.com/Era-Witness-Annette-Wieviorka/dp/0801473160

Learn more about the trial of Adolf Eichmann

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/eichmann-trial

Learn more about positive psychology with our partner, the VIA Institute on Character

https://www.viacharacter.org/  

Episode 9: "Keeping Memory Alive" feat Bob Mermelstein & Joyce Kamen Jan 30, 2025

What do we choose to remember and why? What memories should we work to keep alive? Jackie and Kevin explore that in this episode.

“I think it's important for us to understand, too, why it's important to keep these stories, these legacies, alive... we all stand on the shoulders of the accomplishments and sacrifices of these individuals who've made our country, our world, a better place.”
- Host Kevin Aldridge on the importance of honoring the upstanders who came before us

January marks two important occasions of memory for the nation and the world – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Jackie and Kevin explore the character strengths that made Dr. King a transformative leader and how the Holocaust & Humanity Center is expanding its efforts to keep the memory of the survivors who founded its predecessor organizations alive.

Joan Mermelstein survived Auschwitz and two other concentration camps. Her son Bob shares how he's keeping her memory alive. Joyce Kamen did meticulous work in preserving Holocaust testimonies in the 90's and demonstrated how stories must be handled with care and reverence.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Email us podcast@cincyhhc.org
Find us on social media
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/
https://x.com/cincyhhc
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/ https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources

Read the article Making Heroes is Community Work
https://news.chapman.edu/2025/01/14/making-heroes-is-community-work-lessons-from-the-early-life-of-dr-martin-luther-king-jr/

Visit the exhibit on Emmett Till at the Underground Railroad Freedom Center
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2025/01/07/emmett-till-exhibit-coming-cincinnati-national-underground-railroad-freedom-center/77436062007/

Read more on the lives of Dr. King and Anne Frank, born just months apart in 1929
https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/videos/martin-anne-kindred-spirits-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-and-anne-frank

How the world is marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/beyond-abyss-80th-anniversary-liberation-auschwitz-birkenau
https://www.auschwitz.org/en/home-page-80/
https://www.claimscon.org/rememberthis/

Watch the episode of Hear My Story featuring Bob Mermelstein
https://youtu.be/aF-o3mpgC0w

Watch the episode of Hear My Story with Joyce Kamen
https://youtu.be/kUn2LhdYUBw

Leadership with Dr. Gail Fairhurst Jan 16, 2025

One way we can be upstanders is to embrace our ability to be leaders. Dr. Gail Fairhurst has studied communication and leadership extensively, and joins us to share her best insights on how we can lean into leadership in our everyday lives.

" A communication approach is going to look at how we together negotiate meaning about whatever is the task before us, whatever our identities are, or what our relationship is like together." – Dr. Fairhurst on approaching leadership with a communication lens

Dr. Fairhurst is a Distinguished Research Professor in the University of Cincinnati’s School of Communication, Film and Media Studies. In this episode, she shares her expertise on how language shapes meaning and influences leadership.

In this conversation with Kara Driscoll, Director of Marketing & Events at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, Dr. Fairhurst encourages us to reflect on our communication styles and habits and become more sensitive to the power of words.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for their support of this series
https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/

Email us podcast@cincyhhc.org

Find us on social media

https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/

https://x.com/cincyhhc

https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/

https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources

Investigate your own character strengths for free

https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/

Dive deep on character strengths and positive psychology with our partner, the VIA Institute on Character https://www.viacharacter.org/

Read more about Dr. Fairhurst and her work

https://canopy.uc.edu/default/news/detail?feed=uc_news&id=edf7d1fb-ca3d-5135-9e8b-49b2d68f56a0

Buy The Power of Framing: Creating the Language of Leadership

https://a.co/d/gNEI1pL

The Positivity Project with Jeff Bryan Jan 03, 2025

In this episode of The Upstander Ripple Effect, Jeff Bryan, co-founder of the Positivity Project, shares how his military background and studies in positive psychology inspired a nationwide initiative to teach character strengths in schools.
“What do we need to do to be successful here? You’re looking at their character—are they honest, do they have integrity, are they humble?"
-- Jeff Bryan, co-founder of the Positivity Project
Guided by the principle “other people matter,” the project helps students understand themselves and others, fostering confidence, empathy, and positive relationships. Now active in hundreds of schools across the U.S. and internationally, the program has shown significant results, including improved behavior and reduced disciplinary incidents. Jeff shares stories of students applying lessons like bravery and resilience in real-world situations
Host Jackie Congedo, CEO of the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, connects the work of the Positivity Project to the center’s own mission – to ensure the lessons of the Holocaust inspire action today. Character strength education, as Jeff and his partner know, can help bring about a culture of upstanding, where students are empowered to act with integrity and support others.
This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here to make sure you don’t miss a thing https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity
Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for their support of this series
https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/
Email us podcast@cincyhhc.org
Find us on social media
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/
https://x.com/cincyhhc
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/
https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity
Episode Resources
Follow the Positivity Project
https://posproject.org/
Read more about the late Dr. Chris Peterson, who believed character strengths were important because, “Other people matter.”
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-beauty-in-the-beast/201210/other-people-matter
Investigate your own character strengths for free
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/
Dive deep on character strengths and positive psychology with our partner, the VIA Institute on Character https://www.viacharacter.org/

Episode 8: "Gratitude" featuring Henry Fenichel and Emily Kendall Dec 19, 2024

This episode brings a heartfelt exploration of gratitude, fittingly marking the final episode of 2024.

"Gratitude is the kinetic energy behind the ripple effect." – Jackie Congedo, host and CEO of the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center

Hosts Jackie Congedo and Kevin Aldridge reflect on the year gone by, using the theme of gratitude as both a lens for reflection and a springboard for action. By closing the year on a note of thankfulness, they encourage listeners to pause and recognize the transformative power of gratitude, especially as it ties to hope, resilience, and the ripple effect of positivity in the world.

They share part of a conversation with Holocaust survivor Henry Fenichel, where Henry and Director of Collections & Exhibitions, Cori Silbernagel, each express their gratitude to the other for the ways Henry’s story is shared and curated at the center. The episode also celebrates modern upstanders, such as Emily Kendall, whose work was inspired by her son Luke's ability to live in the present and approach life with inherent gratitude.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Email us podcast@cincyhhc.org

Find us on social media
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/
https://x.com/cincyhhc
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/
https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources

Read what the VIA Institute on Character says about the strength of gratitude

USC study mapping gratitude in the brain

Previous episode with Dr. Dan Tomasulo on cultivating hope and practicing gratitude
Watch Holocaust survivor Henry Fenichel's episode of Hear My Story
Find out about the USC Shoah Foundation's Dimensions in Testimony exhibit that enables museum visitors to interact with Holocaust survivors

Watch upstander Emily Kendall's episode of Hear My Story

Find details here on free admission to the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center throughout January

Mindfulness with Stacy Sims Dec 05, 2024

Being the best version of ourselves, so we can be upstanders for the world around us, takes time and intention. Stacy Sims, Executive Director and Founder of The Well, joins us in this episode to help us understand the importance of mindfulness in an age of distraction.

“If we don't have practices that allow us to be sort of old school - out in nature, walking around, reading books, playing games - we're just going to keep buying the narrative that the technology is selling us.” -- Stacy Sims, on the need for people to unplug in order to foster mindfulness

Stacy is a Cincinnati-based wellness expert who walks the talk. She explains how mindfulness practices including movement, breath work, and meditation can help counterbalance the effects of the technology we consume and the disconnection from our inner selves that is so prevalent. The conversation explores the role of character strengths in mindfulness practices, and how celebrating strengths can promote harmony in our lives. Download this episode for help integrating mindfulness into your everyday life to improve mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here to make sure you don’t miss a thing https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for their support of this series https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/

Email us podcast@cincyhhc.org

Find us on social media
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/
https://x.com/cincyhhc
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/ https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources

Learn more from Stacy and her team
https://www.thewell.world/

Investigate your own character strengths for free
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/

Dive deep into character strengths and positive psychology with our partner, the VIA Institute on Character https://www.viacharacter.org/

Learn what it means to “tow” a character strength
https://medium.com/@admin_3133/boosting-your-character-the-benefits-of-strengths-towing-f2ab2d16b8a6

The book Stacy mentioned, The Anxious Generation
https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036

The Surgeon General’s announcement on youth and social media use
https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/05/23/surgeon-general-issues-new-advisory-about-effects-social-media-use-has-youth-mental-health.html

Visit us anytime
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

Episode 7: "Building Community" featuring Rob Herman, Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland Nov 21, 2024

This episode tackles the daunting task of building community in a deeply divided post-election landscape head-on.

"I think it is the essential project of this moment and it’s something I
think is going to be very hard for both sides to do.” - Jackie, on community building

Hosts Kevin Aldridge and Jackie Congedo acknowledge the challenges inherent in that task, but insist it's essential work. They explore historical models of community, from the exclusionary Volksgemeinschaft put forward by Nazi Germany to Dr. Martin Luther King's inclusive Beloved Community, to illuminate the path forward. The conversation delves into the evolution of American identity, from melting pot to salad, and the dangers of ideological bubbles.

From the archive, we bring you the story of Rob Herman, the son of Holocaust survivors who relied on upstanders and community to make it out alive. Then, Jackie and Kevin share more with the upstanders at the Pantsuit Politics podcast. Ultimately, this episode is a call to action - a challenge to listeners to reflect on their role in being a "light" and contributing to community-building.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Watch Rob Herman’s episode of Hear My Story
https://youtu.be/sZ9BDF5ZvEI

Find out more about Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland on Pantsuit Politics and watch their episode of Hear My Story
https://www.pantsuitpoliticsshow.com/
https://youtu.be/df9g-GpWxHs?si=b0K6AQtmvBVfROUd

Read Kevin’s article with Rep. Greg Landsman
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/columnists/2024/11/08/landsman-hopeful-pragmatic-democrats-republicans-can-get-work-done-under-trump-administration/76114830007/

Read the Op-Ed by Ari Jun https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/contributors/2024/11/04/opinion-we-must-hold-empathy-for-those-who-lose-tuesdays-election/75928117007/

What the Nazis envisioned when they spoke of community https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/volksgemeinschaft-peoples-or-national-community

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Beloved Community”
https://thekingcenter.org/about-tkc/the-king-philosophy/

Opinion: Americans have to try to understand each other https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/11/12/election-aftermath-understanding-political-opponents/

Eric Ward on the “radical” center
https://momentmag.com/hold-our-communities-together-with-eric-k-ward-and-nadine-epstein/
Bonnie Jean Feldkamp's column
https://www.creators.com/read/bonnie-jean-feldkamp/11/24/be-the-light-that-trumps-hate-is-forced-to-face

Removing labels with Lea Lachey Nov 07, 2024

Lea and Drew Lachey have been reaching audiences for decades as singers, choreographers, and performers on screens big and small. Now they’re turning their sights from just entertaining people, to encouraging them to be the best of humanity. We were so pleased to welcome Lea to the podcast studio to talk about their project – a musical called label-less.

“It's really just about human stories” - Lea Lachey on the show label-less

As Lea and Drew describe the show, “You’re invited to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. Using contemporary music, powerful choreography and personal stories to spread a message of Heart, Humanity and Hope.” Lea joined Jackie in the podcast studio to talk about how the show came about, how she’s handling criticism of some of the monologues in the show, and her visit with the cast to the Holocaust & Humanity Center that left them feeling, “so empowered.”

Download this episode today, and then share it with a friend.
This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here to make sure you don’t miss a thing https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity 

Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for their support of this series https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/

Email us podcast@cincyhhc.org

Find us on social media
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/
https://x.com/cincyhhc
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/ https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources

Find out more about label-less
https://www.labellessmusical.com/
https://www.lacheyarts.com/labelless

Assess your own character strengths for free https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/

Visit the VIA Institute on Character to learn more about all 24 character strengths
https://www.viacharacter.org/character-strengths

Episode 6: "Lightness and Dark" featuring Zahava Rendler Oct 31, 2024

In the face of darkness, every small act of courage and empathy can ignite a beacon of hope. That lens of dark versus light is how we’re examining stories in this episode.

“As I'm sitting there having this conversation with her, it's just chilling to think this person in front of me had this experience. This was not generations ago. I'm talking to the human being who spent the first two years of her life in darkness, or the first chunk of her life, right? It's just remarkable.”
- Jackie on her conversation with Holocaust survivor Zahava Rendler, who was hidden in a bunker as a baby with her parents.

Zahava Rendler has spent her adult life sharing her experience of the darkness of her childhood – being born in 1941 in Poland to a Jewish family. Her family was forced to make incredibly hard decisions to survive Nazi persecution. Even through that darkness, Zahava is able to see the light that upstanders brought to her story, hiding her and her family. Jackie and Kevin also share the way light has shown up in their lives and in the news lately, and are here to remind you that whatever light you have to bring to the table is needed because we all have times when darkness seems like it’s going to win.

Download this episode today, and then share it with a friend.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here
https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity
Email us podcast@cincyhhc.org

Episode Resources

Admission to the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center will be free every January!
https://youtu.be/GGITEqa7C9s?si=p2OEVKW9sEZgNG9r

Read John Trautmann’s op-ed about his experience in Western North Carolina
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/contributors/2024/10/21/opinion-how-my-family-survived-the-nightmare-of-hurricane-helene/75597735007/

Experience Rutka at Playhouse in the Park
https://www.cincyplay.com/productions/RUTKA

General John Kelly’s words about Donald Trump and Hitler
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-said-hitler-did-some-good-things-and-wanted-generals-like-the-nazis-former-chief-of-staff-kelly-claims

Read about the generals in the Nazi regime
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/german-armed-forces-high-command

Historians are wrestling with whether Donald Trump meets the definition of a fascist. https://theconversation.com/is-donald-trump-a-fascist-heres-what-an-expert-thinks-242243
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/fascism-1

Follow Eric Ward at Race Forward https://www.raceforward.org/

Meet our Scholar in Residence
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/stories-that-shape-us-educational-updates/
Zahava Rendler's story
https://youtu.be/RXp

Growing the strength of courage with Dr. Cynthia Pury Oct 10, 2024

When was the last time you acted courageously? Maybe you don’t think of yourself as a courageous person. This episode can help change that. Dr. Cynthia Pury is an expert on courage, and researches the topic at Clemson University. She joined Jackie Congedo to talk about what it actually means to be courageous and how we can grow it.

“I now define courage as... taking a worthwhile risk.” - Dr. Cynthia Pury

Courage is one of the six virtues defined by VIA. These virtues are a way to classify the 24 character strengths that lie in all of us. VIA says “Courage describes strengths that help you exercise your will and face adversity.” The unique strengths VIA classifies as part of the virtue of courage are bravery, honesty, perseverance, and zest.

In this episode, Dr. Pury shared that one way to shift your thinking about courage is to link it to your values. For instance, if you value inclusivity, it may be easier to take the risk to stand up when someone is being excluded, when you remember your personal value. She also introduced us to the notion of personal courage – acts that might not seem courageous to others, but are meaningful and risky for the individual. We learned so much from Dr. Pury in this episode, and we hope you do, too!

Download this episode and start to grow your courage today.

Thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for supporting this series https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here for updates and new episodes https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Email us podcast@cincyhhc.org
Find us on social media
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/
https://x.com/cincyhhc
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/ https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources:

Learn more about The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

Take the character strengths survey for free https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/

Visit the VIA Institute on Character: https://viacharacter.org/

Find out more about Dr. Pury
https://www.clemson.edu/cbshs/about/profiles/index.html?userid=CPURY

Episode 5: "New Beginnings" featuring Helen Kaltman and Whitney Austin Sep 29, 2024

Throughout our lives, there are times and seasons when it’s required, or desired, to start something new. New beginnings can take many forms but there are some common elements to them – uncertainty, the need for bravery and resilience, and parts of oneself or one’s story that get left behind to make room for the new.
“They made their way to Cincinnati, and they started their life - another new beginning” - Jackie Congedo, on the story of Holocaust survivor Helen Kaltman

In this episode, Jackie and Kevin explore the idea of new beginnings by examining a story in the headlines from Springfield, Ohio, where Haitian immigrants became the focus of national debate and concern.

From our archive, you will hear the story of Holocaust survivor Helen Kaltman. Helen was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1937. As the threat against European Jews grew, her family fled to Russia, but was deported to Siberia. Two generations of her family joined Helen to share their reflections on what it meant for Helen to survive, and how she subsequently started her life over, not once, but twice…first in Israel and then in the United States.

Then we bring you part of Jackie’s conversation with mass shooting survivor and upstander Whitney Austin. Whitney defied the odds when she was shot 12 times and lived. That was 2018. Now she is the force behind Whitney/Strong, the organization that she founded to find common ground solutions to gun violence.

Download this episode today, and please share this with a friend you think might enjoy it. Thanks for being part of the Upstander Ripple Effect community!

Email us podcast@cincyhhc.org

Find us on social media

https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/

https://x.com/cincyhhc

https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/

https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here to make sure you don’t miss a thing https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources:

Learn more about the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/
Watch Helen Kaltman's episode of Hear My Story
https://youtu.be/q-iqW5Ivajg

Follow Whitney Austin’s work
https://www.whitneystrong.org/

Watch Whitney’s episode of Hear My Story
https://youtu.be/f8H3DbE9My8?si=mrzq6nRWsG9eAabF

Find a Stop the Bleed training
https://www.stopthebleed.org/training/
Washington Post Op-Ed on Springfield
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/09/18/springfield-migrants-pets-trump-haiti/

Background on Haitian stereotypes
https://nacla.org/anti-haitianism-springfield-scapegoating

The Upstander Ripple Effect with Julie Dellecave and students from Winton Hills Academy Sep 05, 2024

Thousands of students come through our doors every year here at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center. One special class wrote books about being upstanders.

“You have to know not to judge the book by his cover, you have to actually go in depth to their into their character, into their heart.” - McKenzie Williams, Winton Hills Academy student

Julie Dellecave brought her class of 6th graders to visit us, and learn more about upstanders. Upstanders are people who stand up for themselves and others against injustice. After their visit, the class took the lesson a step further and formed small groups to write books based on their experiences.

In the book My Kind a boy travels the world to find people like him. He realizes everyone can be "his kind" if he accepts them. Watch the students narrate My Kind https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RIOVTwSecaMrMi3ihv-qRGz0YhiuMiNt/view In the book Human the main character is a nameless human who reflects on how people often harm each other. The authors remind us to lift each other up. Watch the students narrate Human https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UfH5CSjnmv2dkz-tyeIvDOFzy31h5Zh_/view

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation and the VIA Institute on Character for their support of this series.
https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/
https://www.viacharacter.org/

We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@cincyhhc.org, or connect with us here:
https://x.com/cincyhhc
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/ https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Learn more about us https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

Find out more about what it means to be an upstander https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/

Episode 4: "Bearing Witness" with Ed Kruszynski and Patrice O'Neill Aug 22, 2024

Jackie and Kevin start this conversation by remembering the life of a Cincinnati Holocaust survivor, Dr. Renate Neeman, z”l. As a young girl, she was hidden by the Dutch resistance - upstanders whom she credited with her survival. She shared her story for many years with students and others as part of our Coppel Speakers Bureau.

Jackie and Kevin discussed a recent Wall Street Journal article, “Holocaust Museums at a crossroads” and the challenges facing organizations like the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center.

We also introduce Cincinnati author, Ed Kruszynski. Ed's father, Sgt. Edmund Kruszynski, led dozens of medics on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day and for days afterwards, and later treated people at multiple concentration camps after liberation. Ed discovered documents that told his parents’ story, and began writing about them. The result is his book, The Medic’s Wife. Jackie and Kevin shared their reaction to Ed’s work bearing witness to all his parents went through during and after the war.

The upstander featured in this episode is Patrice O’Neill. Her film, Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life tells the story of the community response to the deadly attack on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2018. 11 people were murdered by a gunman motivated by antisemitic hate, and the area was left reeling, but as Patrice’s moving film shows, vowed not to let hate have the last word.

Share your thoughts on this episode with us:
Email: podcast@cincyhhc.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com /CincyHHC/
X: https://x.com/cincyhhc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com /@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources:

Learn more about the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

We remember the life of Dr. Renate Neeman, z”l https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/remembering-dr-renate-berg-neeman-zl/

Book a speaker through our Coppel Speakers Bureau
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/programs-and-events/book-a-speaker-coppel-speakers-bureau/

HHC staff members' trip to Auschwitz
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/press-releases/hhc-staff-members-to-attend-international-summer-academy-on-auschwitz-and-the-holocaust/

Catch the full episode of Hear My Story with Ed Kruszynski https://youtu.be/e6SZrhgFwPU?si=czfId5NPIoE_UHn0

Buy your copy of The Medic’s Wife https://www.amazon.com/Medics-Wife-Love-War-Secrets/dp/B0CHG8T2WG
Watch Hear My Story: Patrice O'Neill https://youtu.be/nEoDIynHYAo?si=NnDURpido5yFv1b3
This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Cultivating Hope with Dan Tomasulo Aug 05, 2024

If you’re in need of a healthy dose of hope, this episode is for you. Even if you don’t feel hopeful, we’re going to introduce you to an expert who can help you grow the character strength of hope that lies within all of us.

“What emerged was a new science of hope. And that really got me excited, because instead of it being something that you either had, or didn't have, or it came to you, there were clearly ways that you could manifest it (if you use that language) or cultivate it.” – Dr. Dan Tomasulo

Hope isn’t just a feeling. According to the VIA Institute on Character, hope is a character strength, and Dr. Dan Tomasulo says it’s a strength we can grow if we’re mindful. Dan has studied positive psychology for many years and was inspired to research hope when a colleague, Dr. Martin Seligman (one of the founders of the field of positive psychology) wrote a book called Learned Helplessness. It got Dan thinking – if people can learn to feel helpless, maybe they could also learn how to exercise hope. He’s written his own book, Learned Hopefulness, and joined host Jackie Congedo to help us understand more about the topic. He explained to Jackie that feeling like you’re in a negative spot can actually be the trigger that you can use to lean into hope, “Hope is the only positive emotion that requires negativity or uncertainty to be activated, that's what makes it so powerful and unique.”

Download this episode and find out the small, simple ways you can start to activate more hope today.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to make sure you don’t miss an episode. https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation and the VIA Institute on Character for their support of this series.

We want to hear from you! Email your thoughts to podcast@cincyhhc.org or connect with us on social media.
https://x.com/cincyhhc
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/
https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

EPISODE RESOURCES:

Learn more about the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

Find out more about character strengths from the VIA Institute on Character https://www.viacharacter.org/

Our thanks to the Mayerson Foundation for their support of this series https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/

Find out more about Dr. Dan Tomasulo https://www.dantomasulo.com/

Read more from some of the authors Dan mentioned:

Dr. Martin Seligman https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu/people/martin-ep-seligman
Dr. Barbara Frederickson https://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/faculty-profile/barbara-l-fredrickson-phd
Viktor Frankl https://viktorfranklamerica.com/viktor-frankl-bio/

Episode 3: "The American Ideal" featuring Al Miller and Eric K. Ward Jul 25, 2024

What is the American ideal? In this episode of the Upstander Ripple Effect, we dive into some of the characteristics that are often thought of when we talk about being an American – belonging and welcoming and also uniqueness and differences of perspective.

“The reality is that history doesn’t repeat itself. It echoes.” - Jackie Congedo

To best think through our current times, we rely on our understanding of history and our character strengths. We recall the lessons of the past while realizing that this moment is unique. In this episode, Jackie and Kevin bring their individual perspectives to the table to help everyone think a little more deeply about this moment in America. We share the inspiring story of Dr. Al Miller’s first encounter with an American – an immigration officer who welcomed him and extended him grace when Al realized he had temporarily misplaced his documents allowing him into the country. We also share part of our conversation with Eric K. Ward, noted expert on civil rights. Eric has done extensive work to illuminate the places where racism and antisemitism intersect, and we know you’ll find his expertise helpful to broaden your own understanding of the way hate is at work in our country now.

Download this episode today, and don’t forget to leave us a review and a rating.
Thanks for being part of the Upstander Ripple Effect community!
Episode Resources:

Learn more about the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

Catch the episode of Hear My Story on the life of Dr. Al Miller here https://youtu.be/mNoOIsFpGJY

Watch our whole conversation with Eric Ward here https://youtu.be/KqclFr1bOq0?si=39vDxmUoev5U-nG7

Learn more about the Reichstag Fire and its place in pre-WWII history https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/the-reichstag-fire

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here to make sure you don’t miss a thing https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

The Upstander Ripple Effect: Standing Up Strong with Roger Bretherton Jul 11, 2024

Standing Up Strong with Dr. Roger Bretherton
A special series of the Upstander Ripple Effect podcast

“Sometimes there's a critique of sort of positive psychology that says, this is very individualistic, it's just about making people feel better. And I would stand with you guys really in the sense of saying, ‘No, I actually think this is an issue that is for society. It's for a culture, it's much wider.’”

-Dr. Roger Bretherton on how the intentional use of character strengths ripples out to make positive change

Discover the transformative power of character strengths with insights from Dr. Roger Bretherton, renowned for his expertise in clinical psychology and the cultivation of virtues. In this compelling discussion, Dr. Bretherton reveals strategies to shift from focusing solely on deficits to embracing and enhancing personal strengths. Explore practical tips for developing and utilizing character strengths effectively in everyday life, including innovative techniques like strength priming and positive discussions of others' strengths. Join us to uncover how these approaches not only impact us as individuals but also foster positive change within our communities.

The Upstander Ripple Effect is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Immerse yourself in stories that speak to the resilience of the human spirit here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for supporting this series.

How have you used your character strengths? Email us at podcast@cincyhhc.org

EPISODE RESOURCES:

Learn more about The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

Take the character strengths survey for free https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/

Find out about upstander trainings and professional development with character strengths https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/trainings-and-offerings/

Visit the VIA Institute on Character https://viacharacter.org/

Thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for supporting this series https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/

This episode made possible with generous support from the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family. Find all the content in the Guttman Family Center for Storytelling here https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/storytelling/

Find out more about Dr. Bretherton
https://staff.lincoln.ac.uk/rbretherton https://www.viacharacter.org/topics/articles/roger-bretherton-and-authentic-insight

Episode 2: "Turning Points: Moments of Upstanding" featuring Werner Coppel and Debra Messing Jun 27, 2024

It’s time to celebrate the remarkable impact of upstanders. From commemorating Juneteenth to addressing the aftermath of an antisemitism controversy at Pride this year, local upstanders are making a pivotal difference. Hosts Jackie Congedo and Kevin Aldridge take you into the archives at the Holocaust & Humanity Center, unveiling artifacts from a notable upstander in Cincinnati's Holocaust survivor community whose moment of upstanding started a movement. We're also thrilled to have Debra Messing as our special guest, who shared her powerful insights on combating antisemitism during her recent visit to Cincinnati to celebrate this year's Upstander Award winners.
EPISODE RESOURCES:
Learn more about The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

This episode made possible with generous support from the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family. Learn more about the Guttman Family Center for Storytelling here https://youtu.be/oP6VUOjuK5A?si=WvC_B0tZnK8Yq8_d

Visit our YouTube channel to catch all our stories, including
Debra Messing https://youtu.be/GJnNuDf0XaE?si=XF-z-2vhMPOD-xOx
Werner Coppel https://youtu.be/bUKLrd3XsXs?si=sX-ThNO6fBIFSWii
Take the character strengths survey
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/

HHC statement on Israel and antisemitism https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/never-again-is-now/

Book a speaker for your school or group through the Coppel Speaker’s Bureau https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/programs-and-events/book-a-speaker-coppel-speakers-bureau/

Read Kevin Aldridge’s recent columns https://www.cincinnati.com/staff/2647297001/kevin-s-aldridge/

Find out more about this year’s upstander award winners
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/press-releases/meet-the-2024-upstander-awards-winners/
including Pantsuit Politics https://www.pantsuitpoliticsshow.com/
and Lamont Ragan https://www.weeroyals.org/

Read more about Debra Messing https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/4-things-to-know-about-cincinnati-upstander-awards-headliner-debra-messing/
https://iamavoter.com/
https://www.psi.org/ambassadors/debra-messing/

News stories mentioned
Pride Board resignations https://cdn.fedweb.org/fed-31/2/JFC%2520and%2520JCRC%2520Statement%2520on%2520Cincinnati%2520Socialists%2520and%2520DivestCinciPride.pdf
Madisonville shooting https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/crime/2024/06/17/police-madi

The Upstander Ripple Effect: Standing Up Strong with Jake Campbell Jun 13, 2024

Character strengths are a set of 24 traits that are present in everyone, no matter their age, race, culture, or beliefs. Sharing the science of these strengths is what Standing Up Strong is all about. Jake is the Senior Manager of Professional Development Trainings & Upstander Education at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center. He works with groups from school age through adulthood, to help them understand the framework of character strengths in partnership with the VIA Institute on Character. A free, short survey is available to everyone to find out what their top character strengths are. They represent the best in us, and some strengths come to us more easily than others. This episode, hosted by Jackie Congedo, will inspire you to get to know your character strengths and explain why you might feel better about the world once you do.
Episode Resources:
Learn more about The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/
Take the character strengths survey for free https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/
Find out about upstander trainings and professional development with character strengths https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/trainings-and-offerings/
Visit the VIA Institute on Character: https://viacharacter.org/
Thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for supporting this series https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/
This episode made possible with generous support from the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/storytelling/
Some resources Jake relies on for strengths work and historical context:
Jewish Immigration to Australia - https://sydneyjewishmuseum.com.au/news/international-migrants-day-waves-of-jewish-migration-to-australia/
A scholarly article of the above - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14443058309386871
Anti-Jewish Violence in Poland after Liberation - https://www.yadvashem.org/articles/general/anti-jewish-violence-in-poland-after-liberation.html
Strength Spotting & Elevation - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ryan-Niemiec-2/publication/342716477_Character_strengths_cinematherapy_Using_movies_to_inspire_change_meaning_and_cinematic_elevation/links/5f033e0345851550508dce79/Character-strengths-cinematherapy-Using-movies-to-inspire-change-meaning-and-cinematic-elevation.pdf
Golden Mean - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ryan-Niemiec-2/publication/333222366_Finding_the_golden_mean_the_overuse_underuse_and_optimal_use_of_character_strengths/links/5d091fda92851cfcc6229856/Finding-the-golden-mean-the-overuse-underuse-and-optimal-use-of-character-strengths.pdf

Episode 1 featuring Elisha Wiesel and Sister Nancy Linenkugel May 24, 2024

One act by one person in one moment can have lasting effects, and when we use our character strengths, there’s no limit to the kind of positive ripples we can start! That's the Upstander Ripple Effect. Hosts Jackie Congedo and Kevin Aldridge bring you the first podcast from the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Included in this episode, hear the story of Sister Nancy Linenkugel, a Catholic nun who forged a friendship with Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, and the scrapbook of their connection that now lives in our archives. Also, catch part of our conversation with Elisha Wiesel, an upstander who is carrying on the legacy of his father, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel. Join us here - where upstanders are everything.

Connect with us:

Email: podcast@cincyhhc.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/

X: https://x.com/cincyhhc

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Episode Resources:

Learn more about us https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

This episode generously supported by the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Visit our YouTube channel, where you can find all our videos and full episodes of Hear My Story, including Sister Nancy Linenkugel and Elisha Wiesel. https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity
Take the character strengths survey for free https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/

HHC statement on Israel and antisemitism https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/never-again-is-now/

Elie Wiesel Foundation https://eliewieselfoundation.org/

Read Co-host Kevin Aldridge’s most recent columns https://www.cincinnati.com/staff/2647297001/kevin-s-aldridge/

Find out more about Brothers N Motion, the story shared by Kevin https://ceaicincy.org/brothers-n-motion/

News stories mentioned:
https://president.osu.edu/story/message-042924 https://www.adl.org/resources/blog/campus-antisemitism-surges-amid-encampments-and-related-protests-columbia-and-other
https://www.yahoo.com/news/nazi-flag-put-outside-home-214147620.html
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2024/05/01/daily-briefing-divisive-confederate-flags-harrison/73532024007/
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2024/03/19/antisemitic-banner-hung-over-cincinnati-freeway/73018939007/

The Upstander Ripple Effect: Standing Up Strong with Neal Mayerson Part 2 Apr 30, 2024

We pick up the second part of our conversation with Neal, one of the founding researchers in the field of positive psychology. Neal helped us lay the groundwork to understand the science of character strengths, and how they are key to unlock our potential to be upstanders.
Our top character strengths represent what we value most in the world, what is most essential about us, Neal explains. When we are faced with difficulty, our strengths can shine through, if we look for them. Noticing that will give you something to look for the next time you rise to meet a challenge – what character strength did I just lean on? Bravery? Kindness? Hope? Reflecting on that can bring new appreciation of yourself and your ability to navigate life’s ups and downs. Neal shared how knowing ourselves through the lens of character strengths can shed light on everything from our career goals to what we do in our off time, but we hope you remember first and foremost how your character strengths can be the way you stand up against injustice. That is what makes an upstander!

Questions about character strengths? Email us your thoughts podcast@cincyhhc.org

Episode Resources:

Learn more about The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center – holocaustandhumanity.org

Take the character strengths survey for free: Assess Your Character Strengths | Personality Assessment (holocaustandhumanity.org)

Visit the VIA Institute on Character: VIA Character Strengths Survey & Character Reports | VIA Institute

Thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for supporting this episode: Home - Mayerson Foundation
This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/storytelling/

The Upstander Ripple Effect: Standing Up Strong with Neal Mayerson Part 1 Apr 30, 2024

Character strengths are the key to unlocking your potential to do good that you may never have heard of before. We sat down with one of the founding fathers of the field of positive psychology, Dr. Neal Mayerson to break down the science, and how it’s changing lives around the world.
Nearly 25 years ago, Neal and a select few colleagues practicing in the field of psychology were using all the available tools of the time to help their patients be free from the effects of mental health struggles, and it still wasn’t enough to satisfy them. They felt their patients needed not only less depression and anxiety, which they could sometimes achieve, but more fulfillment, purpose, and happiness. So they set out to discover a better way. The result is the field of positive psychology, and the development, through years of scientifically validated research, of 24 unique character strengths that exist in all people across space, time, and culture. Once you learn about the strengths that naturally come to the forefront in your own personality, you can harness them in ways that can change your life, and the lives of others. In the first part of our conversation, Neal goes in-depth on his personal experience developing this field of science, and how it is used every day in educating people about being an upstander here at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center.
Questions about character strengths and being an upstander? Email us your thoughts podcast@cincyhhc.org

Episode Resources:

Learn more about The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center – holocaustandhumanity.org

Take the character strengths survey for free: Assess Your Character Strengths | Personality Assessment (holocaustandhumanity.org)

Visit the VIA Institute on Character: VIA Character Strengths Survey & Character Reports | VIA Institute

Thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for supporting this episode: Home - Mayerson Foundation
This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/storytelling/

SNEAK PEEK: The Upstander Ripple Effect Jan 30, 2024

WHAT YOU DO IN THIS MOMENT MATTERS.

The world needs more upstanders — people who stand up for themselves and others in the face of injustice — bending the arc of humanity toward its better nature. The first podcast from the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center features inspiring untold stories of courage and resilience from those who survived the Holocaust, curated exclusively from our archives. We’ll introduce you to people activating their character strengths to stand up for justice in our world today. And we’ll show you how to tap into your own strengths to become an upstander right now. Chief External Relations Officer at the Holocaust & Humanity Center Jackie Congedo joins co-host Kevin Aldridge, Opinion Editor at the Cincinnati Enquirer, in sharing these stories and thoughtful perspectives on what’s happening in the world today. The Upstander Ripple Effect will remind you that you can start ripples of change right where you are, right now.

The Upstander Ripple Effect is a production of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling.

Coming soon.

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