The Nashville community is invited to join the Nashville Holocaust Memorial on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, as it commemorates its 20th anniversary. The milestone offers an opportunity to reflect on the past, honor survivors and victims, and look toward the future.
Echoing the Memorial’s groundbreaking event, many civic leaders are expected to attend, and Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell will offer remarks. Prominent businesswoman and longtime supporter of the Memorial Shirley Zeitlin will be honored for her devotion.
Memorial Committee Chair Felicia Anchor said, “Shirley’s involvement in the creation of the Nashville Holocaust Memorial came from her deep commitment to her leadership roles as a Jewish woman and business leader. Shirley generously used her respected reputation and network to open many doors. As a dedicated changemaker, she actively reached out to the broader Nashville community to support the creation of the Memorial. For the past 20 years, Shirley Zeitlin has remained an active and dynamic partner in our goal to confront hatred through remembrance and education.”
Nashville’s Holocaust Memorial is unique for its focus on the impact of the Holocaust on local families. That deeply personal connection will be reflected in the event’s guest speaker, Dr. Mark Olsky, one of three babies born during the final days of World War II. His story continues to illuminate the enduring power of survival, memory, and family.
Olsky’s parents spent much of the war in the Warsaw and Lodz (Poland) ghettos. In 1944, his pregnant mother, Rachel, was deported to Auschwitz and separated from her husband. Pregnancy was an offense punishable by death in the camps, but she and two other mothers survived, gave birth, and kept their newborns alive. Their story was later chronicled in Wendy Holden’s book “Born Survivors” and featured on CBS’s 60 Minutes.
In conversation with Olsky’s son Charlie, a film publicist and awards strategist, Dr. Olsky will share the remarkable story of his birth on a “death train” and of meeting the other two “miracle babies,” women living in Europe whom he now considers siblings. He will also share his strong connections with Nashville through his first cousin, Shirley Speyer, whose mother Ester Freeman was Rachel’s sister.
Speyer reflected on the family’s history, “Both my parents were Holocaust survivors. Our (her and Olsky) mothers had eight siblings, and five managed to survive. The sisters and one brother made a point of getting together as often as possible. An interesting fact is there were nine children in our mothers’ generation and there were nine first cousins. Sadly, my sister Faye passed away but the eight cousins remain close today.”
Zeitlin's family story represents the experiences of many Nashvillians whose histories are represented at the Memorial. A founding member, she continues to serve on the Memorial committee.
The commemoration event will conclude with a vision of the Memorial’s future, highlighting its renewed commitment to countering all forms of hatred through remembrance and education.
Registration information appears below and on inserts in physical copies of the Jewish Observer. The public commemoration will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 25, with docent-led tours of the Memorial offered before and after the program. There is no fee to attend, but registration is required for security purposes. Support to continue the Memorial’s work is always appreciated, and an opportunity to donate is included in the registration. Register here. For questions or to book a docent-led tour of the Memorial at a different time, email nashvilleholocaustmemorial@gmail.com.
Dr. Olsky will appear in person at a patrons-only event from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 26. A minimum donation of $180 is required, and attendance is limited to 100 patrons. Register here. For questions about the patrons’ event, contact erin.d.coleman@gmail.com.
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