Lorraine Wolf, Community Impact Manager, Memphis Jewish Federation
Do you know a creative middle or high school student in Tennessee? Be sure to tell them about the Memphis Jewish Federation’s annual Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) student contest!
For the 17th consecutive year, Federation’s annual contest is launching once again, inviting young artists and writers to explore powerful and vital themes focused on preserving memories from the Holocaust. This contest provides a meaningful opportunity for students to engage with the history of the Holocaust and ensure that the stories of the victims and survivors are never forgotten. In previous years, students from across the state have participated, from both Jewish and secular schools.
Winners will be publicly celebrated at the Federation’s community-wide Yom HaShoah Observance event, scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, 2026, which will take place this year at Baron Hirsch Synagogue.
Art Contest Guidelines and Details
The Art Contest challenges young students to connect with a personal Holocaust story and use their creative skills to preserve the memory of an individual.
Students in grades 5-8 residing in Tennessee and surrounding states can enter the contest by submitting a painting, drawing, diorama, collage, or sculpture. Entries must explore the theme “Art as Memory: Keeping Stories Alive.” Students are encouraged to research a specific individual’s Holocaust story and create a piece that preserves that person’s memory. Entries are due on March 23, 2026.
Judging will be based on originality, creativity, passion, the message conveyed, connection to the themes, and usage of colors, symbols, and proportions. Generous cash prizes are provided by the Kaethe Mela Family Memorial Fund of the Jewish Foundation of Memphis, honoring Kaethe, her husband Paul, and their 17-year-old daughter Doris, who perished at Auschwitz. The winning artwork will be featured as the cover image for the program booklet at the 2026 community-wide Yom HaShoah event on April 14. All winners will receive public recognition at this significant commemoration.
Essay Contest Guidelines and Details
The Essay Contest invites high school students to reflect on the role of memory in both the Holocaust and their own lives. This year’s theme is The Power of Memory: Holocaust Stories and the Stories You Carry.”
Students must select a Holocaust victim, survivor, or witness whose story has been preserved through written testimony, oral history, artwork, music, film, or another artistic medium and describe the impact of the individual’s story on their understanding of the Holocaust and the importance of remembering it. In their essays, they should also share a story from their own family and discuss what this story means to them and why preserving it matters.
High school students in Tennessee and surrounding states are encouraged to submit their 400-600 word essays by Monday, March 23, 2026. Prizes for the essay contest are also provided by the Kaethe Mela Family Memorial Fund of the Jewish Foundation of Memphis. The First Place essay will be published in the program booklet for the community-wide Yom HaShoah/Holocaust Observance event on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 and published in other print and digital platforms. All winners will be officially recognized at the commemoration.
Submission guidelines for both contests are available at jcpmemphis.org/holocaustartandessay.
This annual contest serves as a vital educational tool, ensuring that future generations understand the lessons of the Holocaust and commit to remembrance. We look forward to receiving the moving and powerful work of the talented students in our community. For questions, please contact Lorraine Wolf at lwolf@jcpmemphis.org.
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