Each year, students from Frankfurt gather in a room, turn out the lights, then meet the residents of The Selfhelp Home through Ethan Bensinger’s documentary, Refuge: Stories of the Selfhelp Home.
They watch as survivors share their memories—some spoken aloud for the very first time. And then, as the lights come up, they turn to Ethan.
For ten years, he has traveled to the Otto Hahn School and others across Frankfurt to speak with young people about memory, responsibility, and what it means to stand up against prejudice. His conversations have touched thousands of students over the course of the last decade.
Ethan’s connection to Selfhelp is deeply personal. His grandmother once lived in Frankfurt before emigrating to Israel in 1933; years later, she would call Selfhelp home. His mother, Rachel, also volunteered and resided here.
Through them, Ethan grew up surrounded by the men and women whose courage founded and sustained this community. Their stories shaped him—and now, he carries those stories across oceans to the next generation.
A recent article written by a German student about Ethan’s visit captures the heart of his mission. The students watched his film, asked thoughtful questions, and heard him speak plainly about the dangers of prejudice. They listened as he explained why language matters, why small acts of intolerance can quickly take root, and why young people must “nip it in the bud” before hatred finds the space to grow.
His message wasn’t abstract. It was urgent.
In the article, the student reflected on Ethan’s reminder that history does not drift backward all at once. It starts subtly. It starts with words. And it starts when ordinary people don’t recognize their own power to intervene.
“What do you do as individuals—how do you personally respond?” Ethan asked them. It is a question with no expiration date.
For the young adults sitting in that classroom, many of whom had never met a Holocaust survivor or anyone directly connected to that chapter of history, Ethan’s visit was more than a lesson. It was a call to action. A bridge. A human connection to a world they know only through textbooks. In sharing the stories of Selfhelp’s residents, he makes history real, tangible, and deeply personal.
And in doing so, he extends the reach of Selfhelp far beyond Chicago.
In a moment when antisemitism is rising both in the United States and across Europe, Ethan’s work has taken on renewed importance. His conversations with students remind them that tolerance is not inherited, it is taught, practiced, reinforced, and defended.
By bringing Selfhelp’s legacy to classrooms thousands of miles away, Ethan is ensuring that the resilience of our founders and survivors continues to inspire long after the last eyewitnesses are gone.
This global connection is not just meaningful; it is mission-aligned. Selfhelp was created by refugees who rebuilt their lives through community and courage. Today, we honor them not only by caring for our residents, but by sharing their stories with those who must carry that responsibility into the future.
Ethan’s decade of work in Frankfurt is part of that legacy. It reflects who we are: a home firmly rooted in compassion, memory, and the belief that even one voice can change how a young person sees the world.
President of The Selfhelp Home Board of Directors, Austin Hirsch, adds color to Ethan’s college talks, “We must be vigilant. We must remain committed to teaching the lessons of the past so we can build a more just future. Through Ethan’s dedication, the story of Selfhelp continues to illuminate classrooms, shape conversations, and remind young people everywhere that they, too, have a role to play.”
Because the story of Selfhelp has always been more than a history—it is a responsibility we share, and one we continue to pass forward, together.