BRIDGING
The Learning Institute
A national hub for inquiry, connection, and courageous civic engagement, transforming knowledge into action.
Our engaging and experiential programming will foster a deeper understanding, equip participants to recognize antisemitism and hate, and offer practical tools to cultivate relationships across differences and build bold, compassionate communities.
The institute will invite students to engage with our physical site and permanent collection in a way that complements classroom learning and offers highly experiential learning opportunities. Our programming for educators will strengthen them as leaders in learning and practice, offering experiences that deepen their capacity to confront antisemitism and hate, interpret complex histories, and lead meaningful learning opportunities within schools, institutions and professional communities nationwide.
Our adult public programs engage the public and civic leaders across sectors, including business, government, faith communities, and education, in shared inquiry. We will offer programming that examines pathways to boldly respond to antisemitism and hate.
Our Programs
The LIGHT Initiative is our flagship educational outreach program that launched in 2017 in collaboration with the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh. Together, we are committed to lighting the path toward a future free from antisemitism and identity-based hate. Through LIGHT’s innovative programs in schools, we’ll inspire, prepare, and empower students to become champions of compassion and inclusion.
The Tree of Life is the new home of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh, providing educational opportunities that connect the lessons of the Holocaust and antisemitism with the injustices of today.
Past Public Programs
-
An All-of-Society Approach: A Conversation with Yair Rosenberg and Amy Spitalnick on Uprooting Antisemitism
On Sunday, October 12, Carole Zawatsky, CEO of The Tree of Life, moderated a conversation between Yair Rosenberg of The Atlantic , and Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, about the need for an all-of-society approach to uproot the overwhelming rise in antisemitism and hate.
-
Antisemitism, an American Tradition: Pamela Nadell in conversation with Bret Stephens
On Sunday, October 19, 2025, New York Times columnist and 2013 Pulitzer Prize winner Bret Stephens spoke with Pam about her new book and the long history of antisemitism in American life. Together, they explored how understanding the past can help us stand up and fight back against hate.
-
Antisemitism, Democracy, and the Struggle for an Inclusive America
On Thursday, September 26, 2024, Yolanda Savage-Narva, Vice President of Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Communities of Belonging for the Union for Reform Judaism, moderated a conversation about the inextricable link between Jewish safety and our democratic freedoms with Congressman Jamie Raskin of Maryland’s 8th Congressional District and the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability in the 118th Congress; Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs; and Maya Wiley, President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.