Lectures For Lifelong Learners!

This unforgettable true story of memory, legacy, and music spans generations and continents.

In “Bram’s Violin,” David Groen shares the remarkable journey of his uncle, Bram Rodrigues, a young Jewish man from Amsterdam who was murdered in Auschwitz in 1943. Before his deportation, Bram entrusted his cherished violin to a close friend. That friend’s family safeguarded the instrument for decades — until, more than 75 years later, it found its way back to Bram’s surviving family.

This poignant lecture traces Bram’s early life, the bonds of deep friendship, and how a book written by David Groen played a central role in the violin’s eventual return. It’s a powerful narrative of resilience, remembrance, and the lasting echoes of one man’s life.

Optional Add-On: To deepen the emotional impact, David can be joined by a professional violinist who plays Bram’s actual violin during the presentation. Musical selections include Jerusalem of Gold, the theme from Schindler’s List, and Sabbath Prayer from Fiddler on the Roof. This optional musical performance extends the program to approximately 90 minutes.

After the invasion of the Netherlands by the Nazis in May of 1940, a select group of individuals became part of a resistance whose purpose was to save innocent people and to thwart the Nazis’ efforts at every turn. Jew and non-Jew alike became active in this resistance, doing what they would later refer to as “whatever needed to be done.” This presentation includes some remarkable stories of strength and bravery in the most perilous of times, and the special individual behind these actions.

A detailed account of the settling of Jews in the Netherlands, dating back to the 13th century, the migration of Jews from Spain and Portugal, and pre World War II Holland, including Amsterdam’s strong Jewish presence prior to the Nazi occupation. This will further address the time Holland was known as “Jerusalem of the West”, the impact of Sephardic Judaism in Holland, and the devastation of the Holocaust which took 75% of the Jewish population. A breakdown of Jewish population per city and province, including overall demographic and influence will be part of this discussion. It will conclude with an analysis of post 1945 Holland and the rebuilding of the Jewish community to present day.

This lecture provides a detailed look at Jewish communities in European cities most impacted by the Holocaust after 1945, and it chronicles the successes and failures of the reestablishment of these communities. In addition, we’ll discuss the impact of the migration of Jews to Israel, the United States and (to a lesser extent) England and France. We will also address the groups within the Jewish world most responsible for the growth in world Jewry’s numbers in the years since WWII ended, as well as current trends and how those trends may impact numbers and locations moving forward.

This lecture will discuss the men and women who emerged from the Holocaust to become well-known contributors in various segments of society. This lecture will cover a wide variety of fascinating and inspirational rises in entertainment, literature and politics. Examples include author Elie Wiesel, sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, and famed Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal.

An analysis of the establishment of the modern State of Israel as it evolved from the ashes of the Holocaust. This detailed and fascinating breakdown speaks not only to the events that took place leading to the nation’s independence in 1948, but also to the historical and biblical right the Jewish people have to the land so often in question. This talk will address the influences from various parts of the world, most notably Eastern Europe and North Africa, and it will address how Israel has become the nation it is today.

This talk will primarily focus on artwork taken by the Nazis and later reclaimed by the Netherlands, such as “Woman seated on the grass at the edge of a meadow” and “Dune Landscape with Deerhunt.” The visuals of this lecture will provide an abundance of beauty and culture. It will also discuss the reclamation of stringed instruments, such as Violins of Hope, which has formed an entire orchestra from reclaimed violins, as well as other notable stories.

This lecture is a history of monarchies dating back to 1933 at the beginning of Nazi regime in Germany, and the impact these monarchies had on the outcome of World War II, particularly as it relates to assistance or lack thereof for the Jewish population. This talk will also address the specific behaviors of individual members of royal families, ranging from courageous support for the Jews to complicity with the Nazis.

Amid the destruction of the Holocaust, love endured. This lecture shares remarkable stories of couples who found each other in ghettos, occupied cities, concentration camps, Displaced Persons centers, and in the aftermath of war — including the personal love story of David’s parents, Nardus and Sipora Groen. Their courage, resilience, and devotion remind us that even in the darkest times, the human spirit seeks connection, joy, and renewal.

In this program, David Groen presents Hanukkah through its most inspiring cultural expressions—iconic public menorah lightings, beautifully crafted menorahs from around the world, and the powerful music that has shaped the holiday’s emotional spirit. Through light, art, and song, he reveals how Hanukkah continues to strengthen Jewish identity across generations. Audiences experience the holiday not through history alone, but through the beauty and creativity that keep its meaning alive today.

This lecture explores the powerful and complex role of music during the Holocaust, from camp orchestras and partisan anthems to whispered cantorial prayers and children’s lullabies. Through documented stories, this lecture reveals how singing and sacred sound became survival, resistance, and spiritual endurance in the face of annihilation.