Elizabeth Pipko launched the unique global Holocaust remembrance project, utilizing Web3 technology, Lest People Forget, in the wake of Kanye West’s anti-semitic tirade earlier this year. Pipko, a professional model, who has appeared in Harper’s Bazaar and Maxim magazines, has been a strong voice in the fight against anti-semitism and now Holocaust denial and misinformation. She has also worked on political campaigns and published her memoir in 2020 titled, Finding My Place; Making My Parents’ American Dream Come True. She has regularly spoken about her family’s escape from the former Soviet Union and often speaks about the impact that anti-semitism has had on her own life.
The website, LestPeopleForget.com, features multiple clear steps for ways to get involved in the preservation of Holocaust materials and memory. These include sharing one’s own story, volunteering for the organization, and the main draw, preserving the files presented on the platform with the usage of IPFS software or extending the life of the Lest People Forget.eth domain.
“These options allow for anyone anywhere in the world to participate in a small way in the preservation of Holocaust history.” Pipko says.
Recently, in an appearance on the Mislaibeled podcast, Pipko told the hosts how West’s comments impacted the Jewish community and others concerned with Holocaust misinformation. She said that people began coming to her and asking what could be done regarding Holocaust education. It was then that she decided to look to tech in order to try and find a solution due to the rise in fascination with crypto and Web3, especially amongst young adults. She spoke with the hosts about her dream for Lest People Forget to one day become a part of school curriculum in the United States in places that aren’t teaching about the Holocaust or are doing so in a way which is difficult for young people to understand.
“I am hoping that with the help of this project, those from younger generations will take it upon themselves to get involved, come together, and ultimately lead the way in the fight to preserve this history,” she told the DailyMail upon the launch of Lest People Forget.
Pipko says that the platform is expanding with artifacts and materials from Holocaust museums and private collections around the world being added in the coming months. She recently collaborated with the organization, From The Depths, to highlight their work on the Survivor Torah Project. The group aims to restore and complete a Torah (the Hebrew Bible) which was found hidden in Poland and partially destroyed after being left to neighbors by a Jewish family before they were taken to a concentration camp. The Torah will be completed by Holocaust Survivors from around the world, with Lest People Forget sharing the journey of the Torah’s restoration and completion, as well as the stories of the survivors.
“When I heard about the Survivor Torah Project I was blown away. To get to utilize Lest People Forget to work in any way with people like Jonny Daniels, who runs From The Depths, and to tell stories that are this important is truly a privilege. The mission and objective of Lest People Forget would not be possible without incredible people like Jonny who do this kind of work.” She says.
Pipko says she is excited about the future of Lest People Forget, not solely for the meaning behind the work, but also for the chance to introduce decentralized technology to those unfamiliar.
