The mission of The Memory Project Productions is to promote social justice through art and remembrance.

Our Story

The Memory Project Productions grew out of the vision of painter Roz Jacobs, the daughter of two Holocaust survivors and the experience of educator Laurie Weisman.

In the early 2000s Jacobs was toying with the idea of creating an exhibit that would provide viewers with an intimate view of a painter’s experience. She tackled the project using a photograph of her uncle Kalman as a subject.

Kalman was the younger brother of Roz Jacobs’ mother. Like the rest of her mother’s family, Kalman had been killed during the Holocaust. But her mother had told many stories about what a bright boy Kalman had been and shared her secret hope that Kalman had survived and they would find each other someday.

Roz worked on multiple portraits of Kalman based on one photograph. While working one day, she was startled by a tangible sense of this little boy standing in the photographer’s studio looking up at the camera. Suddenly, a feeling of his life force replaced her haunting imaginings of how he might have died.

This moment changed the course of Jacobs’ life. She spent the next decade creating The Memory Project with partner Laurie Weisman in order to share this life-affirming experience of connecting with the past.

Today, the internationally recognized Memory Project brings people inside the creative process while addressing themes of loss, love and resilience.

 
 
 

The Huberman Family

The image that helped inspire The Memory Project. Kalman, front left, with his sister, his grandmother, and his cousin.

 
 

Preview the Exhibit Video

 
 
 

Preview the Educational Program

 
 

  • Roz Jacobs

    FOUNDER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

    Roz Jacobs is a New York City painter whose work is exhibited in galleries and museums around the world. Her film projects include the award-winning “Finding Kalman”. Her book, “Finding Kalman: A Boy in Six Million,” co-written with her mother Anna Jacobs, was published by Abingdon Square Publishing and released as an e-book by Pearson.

    The daughter of Holocaust survivors, she conceived of The Memory Project as a way to connect to the humanity and life force of family members and others murdered during the Holocaust and to share their history. “The fascists tried to destroy our identities-our humanity. Creating portraits and sharing stories of real people reclaims the lost ones and transforms their absence into presence.”

  • Laurie Weisman

    FOUNDER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Laurie Weisman has had a 30-year career in educational publishing. She led teams that produced award-winning programs at Sesame Workshop and Scholastic and was an editorial director at Time for Kids and a producer of multimedia programs at Bank Street College of Education.

    “For me, this project is a way to connect people to history and to each other’s humanity. I also want to share the strength I get from Holocaust survivors. They endured cruelty and loss that I cannot imagine and have retained their ability to love and to find joy in life.”

  • Samantha Weisman

    ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

    Samantha Weisman came to The Memory Project Productions in 2012 as a webmaster. Her skills in design and management, along with her passion for the work have led to an expanding role. As assistant director, she helps with communications, exhibit development and strategic planning, as well as website design and social media. She previously worked as a textile designer and a wine professional. Her educational background is in history and studio art, with a focus on the Holocaust.

    "I feel a duty to preserve and amplify the stories of survivors. Not only do they provide important lessons for every generation, they also keep the memories of those who are no longer with us alive. The stories inspire us to treat each other with kindness and dignity; to see the humanity in each other and not let differences tear us apart."