ZACHOR Holocaust Remembrance Foundation

What ZACHOR Holocaust Remembrance Foundation does

ZACHOR Holocaust Remembrance Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada, by Holocaust survivor Ben Lesser and his daughter Gail Lesser-Gerber. The foundation is dedicated to Holocaust remembrance, education, and anti-intolerance advocacy, serving school districts, teachers, students, museums, survivors, descendants, and the general public. Its core offerings include the free ZACHOR Holocaust Curriculum (ZHC) — the first curriculum fully developed by a living Holocaust survivor — Ben's A.I. StoryFile (an interactive AI-powered testimony platform built with StoryFile technology), the I-SHOUT-OUT anti-bullying campaign, nearly 2 million ZACHOR lapel pins distributed globally toward a 6-million goal, and the published memoir 'Living a Life That Matters.'

The foundation operates an event-driven go-to-market model combining free educational content distribution, paid speaking engagements, merchandise sales (pins, books, jewelry), and donation-based funding including a Chai Society monthly giving program at $18 minimum. Strategic partnerships with USC Shoah Foundation, Yad Vashem, March of the Living, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Museum of Tolerance Los Angeles, BMG Soundlab, UNICEF, WHO, PBS, and History Channel Germany provide global distribution and institutional credibility. The organization has received high-prestige recognition including Germany's Cross of the Order of Merit (2023) and the California Legislative Jewish Caucus Yom Hashoah honor (2025).

The foundation employs approximately 5 people and reports no parent company. Founder Ben Lesser passed away on September 23, 2025, at nearly 97 years old; Gail Lesser-Gerber continues operations. Revenue is undisclosed; the only documented funding event is a $10,000 grant from GoFundMe in 2019. Operating geographies span the USA, Canada, Poland, Germany, France, and Israel, with Global Classroom programming reaching ~2 million students across 40 countries.

Name

ZACHOR Holocaust Remembrance Foundation

Legal name

ZACHOR Holocaust Remembrance Foundation

Website

https://zachorfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ZACHOR Holocaust Remembrance Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that delivers free Holocaust education curriculum, AI-powered survivor testimony, and global pin distribution to schools, educators, museums, survivors, descendants, and the general public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Holocaust Education and Remembrance

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

Keywords

• Holocaust education
• Survivor testimony preservation
• Anti-bullying programs
• Memorial merchandise sales
• Educational curriculum publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Las Vegas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible 501(c)(3) donations from individuals supporting Holocaust remembrance and education mission.
2. Chai Society Monthly Giving: Monthly recurring donations of $18 or more from dedicated supporters.
3. Product Sales: Sale of ZACHOR lapel pins (14K gold pendant, bracelets), books (Living a Life That Matters in multiple languages, audiobook, e-book, paperback), and merchandise.
4. Legacy Giving and Stock Donations: Planned giving options including legacy gifts and stock donations.
5. Speaking Engagement Fees: Revenue from Ben Lesser speaking at schools, organizations, and events (now delivered by daughter Gail Lesser-Gerber following Ben's passing).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ZACHOR Holocaust Remembrance Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers Holocaust education and remembrance through a free comprehensive curriculum for schools, AI-preserved interactive survivor testimony (StoryFile), awareness merchandise (pins and books), and anti-bullying/youth ambassador programs. The foundation was founded by Holocaust survivor Ben Lesser in 2009 to ensure the lessons of the Holocaust are preserved and taught to future generations.

Product overview

The ZACHOR Holocaust Remembrance Foundation operates as a multi-platform educational organization centered on Holocaust remembrance and education. The core offerings include the ZACHOR Holocaust Curriculum (ZHC), an interactive online teaching tool developed by survivor Ben Lesser; Ben's A.I. StoryFile, an AI-powered conversational platform preserving his testimony; the I-SHOUT-OUT anti-bullying campaign; and ZACHOR Pins distributed worldwide. Supporting products include educational resources like the Holocaust Timetable and Survivor Testimonials, creative expression through the Expressive Circle platform, ambassador programs (A to Z), and experiential learning via March of the Living and European Holocaust Studies programs. The Foundation also publishes Ben Lesser's memoir 'Living a Life That Matters' and operates the Generation Now campaign for generational survivors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ZACHOR Holocaust Curriculum (ZHC): Free comprehensive interactive teaching site developed by Holocaust survivor Ben Lesser with six turnkey lesson plans, videos, historical photography, personal anecdotes, and student activities.
• I-SHOUT-OUT
• Ben's A.I. StoryFile
• A to Z Program (Ambassador to ZACHOR)
• Generation Now

Products and services

• ZACHOR Holocaust Curriculum (ZHC) A free comprehensive Holocaust education curriculum designed for schools, educators, and students, structured around six units that cover pre-WWII Jewish life, the rise of Nazism, the Holocaust, resistance, post-war trials, and remembrance. It is the first curriculum fully developed by a living Holocaust survivor (Ben Lesser).
• Ben's A.I. StoryFile An interactive AI-powered conversational video platform that preserves Holocaust survivor Ben Lesser's testimony, allowing users to ask questions and receive real-time responses from his digitized account. Developed in partnership with StoryFile Inc.
• ZACHOR Awareness Pins Memorial awareness pins sold to individuals, schools, and organizations to visibly support Holocaust remembrance. Sold in single pieces and bulk packs of 50 at $100, with approximately 2 million pins distributed globally.
• Living a Life That Matters Book A book by founder and Holocaust survivor Ben Lesser sharing his memoir and life lessons, sold through the ZACHOR.org shop to the general public and educational audiences.
• Chai Society Monthly Giving Program A recurring monthly donation membership tier for individual supporters who contribute to sustain the foundation's educational and remembrance programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 2 million ZACHOR pins distributed worldwide
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and regional.

• USC Shoah FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBen Lesser's testimony preserved in the USC Shoah Foundation archives; ZACHOR content featured on USC's IWitness educational platform for students and educators worldwide.
• Yad VashemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Holocaust remembrance and education; content courtesy of Yad Vashem for Holocaust Timetable educational resource.
• StoryFilecoreTechnology or IntegrationAI technology partner for creating Ben's interactive StoryFile, enabling life-like conversations with the survivor's testimony through artificial intelligence.
• BMG SoundlabflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 'Choose Love' music project with BMG songwriters; reached millions worldwide; partnered with UNICEF and WHO for Global Classroom lecture.
• PBS / Ann CurrycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured on Ann Curry's PBS show 'We'll Meet Again'; filmed PBS special in Germany and Israel documenting Ben's story.
• March of the LivingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-partner for annual March of the Living educational trips to Poland; hosted student groups annually to experience Holocaust education in Europe.
• Museum of Tolerance Los AngelescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPin distribution partner and Holocaust education collaboration; Ben featured at museum events and programs.
• U.S. Holocaust Memorial MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBen's testimony preserved in museum archives; partnership for Holocaust education and remembrance programs.
• UNICE / WHOflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal Classroom lecture streamed in partnership with UNICEF and WHO reaching nearly 2 million students across 40 countries.
• History Channel GermanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured in History Channel Germany documentary 'The Liberators: Why We Fought' documenting Holocaust liberators.
• Jewish NevadaregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost for Holocaust Education Banner Exhibit; regional partner for Nevada-based Holocaust education initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum: America's official federal Holocaust memorial and education institution. Closely comparable in survivor testimony preservation, museum-based education, and Holocaust remembrance; a ZACHOR partner and pin recipient.
• USC Shoah Foundation: The largest archive of Holocaust and other genocide survivor testimonies, with the IWitness education platform. Directly comparable as a Holocaust testimony preservation and education nonprofit; ZACHOR content is actually featured on its IWitness platform.
• Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany: Jewish nonprofit negotiating compensation and restitution for Holocaust survivors and funding Holocaust education worldwide. Comparable as a Holocaust-focused foundation supporting survivor welfare and remembrance initiatives.
• Yad Vashem: Israel's official Holocaust remembrance and education center. Directly comparable in mission; ZACHOR partners with Yad Vashem and licenses its Holocaust Timetable content.
• March of the Living: Annual educational program taking students to Poland to march from Auschwitz to Birkenau on Yom HaShoah. Directly comparable in Holocaust experiential education; ZACHOR is a co-partner hosting student groups.
• Simon Wiesenthal Center / Museum of Tolerance: Operates the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles and runs global Holocaust education and antisemitism-awareness programs. Directly comparable mission and audience; ZACHOR partner.
• Jewish Foundation for the Righteous: Provides financial support to aged Holocaust rescuers and funds Holocaust education. Comparable as a grantmaking nonprofit advancing Holocaust remembrance and education.
• Holocaust Education Resource Center: Smaller nonprofit providing free Holocaust curricula and teacher training. Comparable as a Holocaust education nonprofit distributing free curriculum resources to schools.

Broad incumbents

• Anti-Defamation League (ADL): Large, established Jewish civil rights organization fighting antisemitism through education, advocacy, and training. Comparable in anti-bullying and tolerance education mission overlap with ZACHOR's I-SHOUT-OUT campaign.

Emerging players

• StoryFile: AI conversational video platform that builds StoryFiles for interactive storytelling. Directly comparable through its technology partnership on Ben's A.I. StoryFile; represents the underlying technology capability that distinguishes ZACHOR.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/zachorfdn
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1aNEAbnUEHr2a_MYjU4RFQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/ZachorFoundationBenLesser
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zachor-holocaust-remembrance-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/zachorfoundation
• TikToktiktok.com/@zachorfoundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ZACHOR Holocaust Remembrance Foundation