Announcing: the Benjamin Ferencz Institute for ethics, human rights and the Holocaust
After much discussion both internally and with valued colleague and peers, we have decided to change the name of the Maimonides Institute for Medicine, Ethics and the Holocaust to the Benjamin Ferencz Institute for Ethics, Human Rights and the Holocaust. The name change will allow us to expand upon our programs and better respond to the world we find ourselves in today, in 2023, as opposed to 2015 when MIMEH was founded. While the core of our organization will always focus on the Holocaust as the singular example of medically sanctioned genocide and its repercussions for modern society, ultimately, we believe that justice is the bridge that can ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust transcend international, intergenerational, interfaith and interprofessional boundaries.
Benjamin Ferencz sought justice in the aftermath of the Holocaust and successfully persecuted Nazi officers for crimes against humanity at the Nuremberg Trials. His dedication to the pursuit of justice and respect for human dignity continued throughout his long and meaningful life. We are honored that Mr. Ferencz's family has seen it fit to allow us to continue his legacy through our longstanding work to educate, empower and advocate with a focus on human dignity, ethical leadership and justice as the newly named Benjamin Ferencz Institute for Ethics, Human Rights and the Holocaust.
FEATURED projects
The Ferencz Institute Partners with USC Shoah Foundation to Develop Holocaust Education Programming for Medical Community
In the face of rising hatred and antisemitism, the goal of this project is to produce readily accessible resources on medicine, ethics, and the Holocaust that will empower students and in-service professionals internationally to become agents of change who prioritize ethical principles and human dignity in the medical and health professions. Resources include open access textbook and activity modules that incorporate academic materials and survivor testimony from the USC Shoah Foundation's Visual History Archive, including the interactive Dimensions in Testimony interview with Holocaust survivor and Mengele twin, Eva Mozes Kor.
Activate
Our mission is to show how understanding the medical, legal, social and political atrocities of the Holocaust are important, not simply as history nor solely to remember the victims, but because it can inform how we can and should act today to better the world. We believe that Holocaust education can serve to promote justice and tolerance, equality and human dignity, for all people. The goal of our programs is to empower people to promote ethical practice in all aspects of their lives.
The Benjamin Ferencz Institute for Ethics, Human Rights and the Holocaust (formerly the Maimonides Institute for Medicine, Ethics and the Holocaust) is a nonprofit organization that uses the Holocaust as the historical framework for exploring current issues in ethics and human rights. Since 2015, we have provided a unique approach that combines educational programming and advocacy to help create change agents who can impact society on a global level.
Inspire
In 2018, MIMEH partnered with Davidson College and CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center for a life-changing trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau.