TOLERANCE WEEK

In 2005, Dr. Denis Donovan, a respected psychiatrist and Iowa native, was commissioned by the Danish government to interview Holocaust survivors living in Florida. During this project, Dr. Donovan met Philip Gans, an Auschwitz and Death March survivor. Introduced by Dr. Donovan, Philip and Jerry met at the Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, where Jerry spent hours listening to Philip’s incredible, survival story. Deeply moved, Jerry pledged his support to help Philip share “Erase the Hate” with young people.

That same weekend, Jerry and his wife, Kathy, watched the documentary “Paper Clips,” which tells the powerful, true story of 8th graders in a small Tennessee town learning about the Holocaust. Inspired, Jerry and Kathy realized that every young person needed to see the film. Jerry asked Lou Ann Lindblade, a former teacher, to create a program where 8th graders in the Sioux Land area could watch “Paper Clips” and meet Philip to hear his story. The first Tolerance Week had over one thousand attendees, and for the next ten years, Philip shared his story with around fifty thousand children in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. His message, “Erase the Hate,” provided a powerful, first-hand account of the dangers of bullying and hatred, emphasizing the importance of stopping racism and standing up to make a difference. In recognition of his efforts, Philip was awarded an Honorary Degree from Morningside College in Sioux City. Philip Gans passed away in October 2019, knowing his work with Tolerance Week had made a significant impact.

Now in its 20th year, Tolerance Week continues to offer community-wide events and created the exhibit Holocaust Rails at the Sioux City Railroad Museum, which opened in 2023.