COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Paulette and David Greenberg hope the Holocaust educational displays they've created over the last two decades serve as a reminder of the impact of hate. The retired cardiologist and his wife have put their heart and soul into creating displays that foster important discussions about tolerance and compassion.
"To hear the people's stories who actually have lived in Colorado Springs is amazing, and we have the stories of every Holocaust survivor who lived here," said Mrs. Greenberg.
The couple has been talking about hate and it's consequences since they founded the Greenberg Center for Learning and Tolerance in 2003. That year, they were presented with a humanitarian award from Temple Shalom in Colorado Springs.
In recognition of their award, the couple decided to establish the non-profit.
"Over two and a half million people have seen our programs and exhibits," Mrs. Greenberg said.
The couple says one of their biggest goals is to help people learn about history.
"Remember the past so you don't have to reproduce that in the future," Dr. Greenberg said.
The money the non-profit raises has helped bring in exhibits that foster learning and discussion over some of the world's most horrific events. In 2005, they helped bring the remnants of a bus blown up in Israel by a suicide bomber to display at both Colorado College and the Citadel Mall in Colorado Springs.
("We're) trying to show that if you have respect for other cultures and for other people who are different than you are, you can't possibly get to the point of getting to this kind of hatred," said Dr. Greenberg as hge spoke next to the display at Colorado College in 2005.
"He was 28 years old, and he waited until the bus was filled with Christian, Jewish, and Muslim children, and he blew himself up," Mrs. Greenberg said. "Then you actually see it. It was their books, their backpacks."
The Greenberg Center also hosts guest speakers. Vinh and Leisle Chung spoke to a sold-out crowd at the ENT Center for the Arts in Colorado Springs in 2022. Leisle Chung shared her story about her Korean American family's search for their American dream. Vinh Chung shared his story of fleeing Vietnam as a refugee.
"Some of the mothers on the boat started talking about the unthinkable, they thought about maybe drowning their children in their suffering," Mr. Chung said.
"They were in a boat, and after a week, they ran out of food, and the father was going to push them overboard, and along came World Vision and World Vision saved them," said Mrs. Greenberg. "So that's when we raised $70,000 for World Vision to give to the Ukrainian refugees."
Greenberg Center board member Will Stoler-Lee says the work the Greenbergs do is becoming more relevant all the time.
"I think their steadfast commitment for people to engage in dialog, to learn from one another, and to respect our differences is so needed today, as much as ever, and they've been committed to that vision from the beginning," Stoler-Lee said.
That vision, that commitment to making their community better, is why David and Paulette Greenberg are the winners of the News Five Lighthouse Award.
"I watch who you give awards to and what you do, and it's amazing to see what the people do, everybody does a lot of wonderful things," said Mrs. Greenberg. "It makes me feel good that someone says, 'Thank you for doing what you did.'
The Greenbergs share their exhibits in our libraries, with teachers, and the community. If you are interested in using one of their displays, click here: https://thegreenbergcenter.org/contact/
The next event being hosted by the Greenberg Center for Learning and Tolerance is on July 15th at 6:30 p.m. at the ENT Center for the Arts in Colorado Springs. It is titled "The Free Press Under Fire." Our Alasyn Zimmerman will be part of the panel for this event. Click here to get tickets to the event.
*An earlier version of this web article indicated the July 15th event "The Free Press Under Fire" at the ENT Center for the Arts was free. That was incorrect. Tickets are $10 each. We apologize for the error.
