The Holocaust Memorial Center in Oakland County was honored to be selected as one of 11 sites (including the White House) to receive a sapling from the iconic chestnut tree that Anne Frank wrote about in her diary. One of the only connections Anne had to nature during her years of hiding in Amsterdam, the tree recently reached the end of its 150-year lifespan. Like Anne’s legacy, this symbol of hope lives on through saplings planted all over the world.

To celebrate the installation of the tree, the Holocaust Memorial Center created extensive events and activities capturing the full education potential of the occasion, including an exhibition titled “Looking Out Anne Frank’s Window.” The Community Foundation was pleased to help support the performance of an original cantata based on Anne’s life, a special dedication event for Holocaust survivors, a documentary film, and creative writing and art programs for middle and high school students and their families.