By Sandra Scheller
LA JOLLA, California — Many have asked about the Holocaust survivors featured in the RUTH: Remember Us The Holocaust exhibit, currently on display at the La Jolla Riford Library in the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Annex.
It is with deep humility and profound respect that we share in the video above the names of the survivors who have not only been honored through this powerful exhibit but have also personally visited—making their presence a living testament to history, resilience, and endurance.
Since its last installation in Rancho San Diego, the exhibit has welcomed seven new Holocaust survivors, further enriching this tribute to memory, survival, and the enduring human spirit. Each addition deepens the narrative and helps ensure that future generations never forget the atrocities of the Holocaust—or the strength of those who lived through it.
We are also proud to announce the upcoming addition of a powerful ceramic art collection by artist and author Maria Coleman, whose work captures the emotional and historical truth of the Holocaust through deeply moving visual storytelling. Maria, the author of Revenge and Revolution, channels her personal experience into each piece, making the collection both intimate and universally impactful. Thanks to recent grant funding, this collection will be installed at the library in the coming months, adding another profound layer of remembrance and education to the exhibit.
We sincerely hope that more Holocaust survivors will continue to visit the exhibit—and that those who have not yet had the opportunity will do so and make their presence known, so they too can be featured. Their presence sends a message more powerful than words: They are still standing.
The “RUTH: Remember Us The Holocaust” exhibit is open to the public during regular La Jolla Riford Library hours. Guided tours are offered every Tuesday from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. To schedule group tours, personal visits, or school field trips, please contact us at 619-422-3429 or email rememberustheholocaust@gmail.com.
As a nonprofit organization, RUTH: Remember Us The Holocaust is committed to preserving Holocaust memory and is actively working toward the creation of a permanent Holocaust museum in San Diego—a long-overdue institution that, with the support of the community, will become a lasting legacy.
In pursuit of this mission, we continue to collect World War II memorabilia, including Holocaust-era letters, military uniforms, personal belongings of soldiers, and other historical artifacts. While some of these items may be difficult to view, all are essential to preserving historical truth and fostering understanding. We are dedicated to ensuring these artifacts are protected, respectfully displayed, and used to educate, honor, and remember for generations to come.
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Sandra Scheller is the curator of RUTH: Remember Us the Holocaust.
very moving and powerful exhibit. the correlation between the RUTH Timeline in Germany 1933-34 and the current president’s systematic dismantling of our democracy is horrifying. thanks for the thoughtful and touching personal stories of the survivors and their families. getting up close to the survivor’s memorabilia; their life size photos and the Nazi objects enhances the importance of this exhibit. the library display of books geared for all ages and all readers is a great resource to take away more knowledge and sensitivity to this past horror that continues today in other cultures, religions and lands.