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Dr. Naomi Yavneh-Klos recently received the first Jon Altschul, Ph.D. Award for Community Service in recognition for her work with students, local schools, and Anna’s Place, an after-school program in New Orleans' historic Treme neighborhood. Pictured below are students of Dr. Naomi Yavneh-Klos who worked with her on the Anne Frank exhibit developed by the Anne Frank House in the Netherlands. 

Dr Naomi Yavneh-Klos’ work engaging the Loyola and New Orleans community to Anne Frank's life, and how her experience continues to speak to us today, flowed out of a Fulbright to the Netherlands, which was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. Subsequently, notwithstanding COVID-19, Naomi traveled with Loyola students to one of her collaborators, the Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina, to participate in "train the trainer" programs. In turn, this led to collaborations with four cohorts of Loyola students, Tulane students, Holy Name of Jesus School, International School of Louisiana, and Brother Martin High School, in addition to self-developed classes that she offered here at Loyola. Many of the activities she used were developed by the Anne Frank House and as part of the Anne Frank network. In Fall 2023, 10 middle and high school students from Anna’s Place NOLA (an afterschool program in Treme) came twice a week for four weeks, culminating in an evening event, commemorating the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht. On that night, Anna’s Place and Loyola students offered tours in Monroe Library to over 50 members of the Loyola and New Orleans community before everyone moved to Nunemaker Auditorium for a talk by a Holocaust survivor and a performance by the Anna's Place Choir. 

From the Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina: "The work we’ve been able to do in the New Orleans community is a direct result of Dr. Yavneh Klos’s effort and commitment to the work. She has worked tirelessly to connect with schools and communities with the most to benefit from our unique educational programming. Over the years, over 1,000 young people in the New Orleans community have been impacted by the work spearheaded by Dr. Yavneh Klos, taking part in conversations about the role we each have as individuals to ensure a tragedy like the Holocaust never happens again and reflecting on our shared responsibility to be Upstanders in our communities." 

From a Brother Martin faculty member: "Dr. Yavneh was the dynamic and creative leader of this enterprise, securing space on Loyola’s campus for the training, help from a Loyola student, and the vision and sensibility of how to introduce Anne Frank’s story to a new audience. Even after the exhibit left our campus, she included our docents in an invitation to a Holocaust Remembrance Day event at her synagogue where students heard from a Holocaust survivor!" 

From one of her students: "Often one looks back on their education and remembers a few select educators that they consider to have impacted them greatly. Dr. Yavneh-Klos is that teacher for countless students who have attended Loyola and beyond, including myself. In my 18 years of education and two years of teaching, I have not met someone who possesses the kindness, patience, and ability to meet students where they are that she has. The fact that she not only puts her all into teaching as faculty at Loyola but also brings the story of Anne Frank and the Holocaust to students across the city after her class hours speaks volumes of her determination and genuine passion to give back to the community." 

Thank you and congratulations, Professor Yavneh-Klos!