SUNY Oswego debuts Holocaust survivor photo exhibit by alumnus Danny Weiss

OSWEGO, N.Y. — SUNY Oswego is showcasing a new photo exhibit that highlights the lives and stories of Holocaust survivors, all captured through the lens of photographer and university alumnus Danny Weiss.

Weiss, who has photographed celebrities and public figures throughout his career, said this project is the one that means the most to him. The exhibit features 18 portraits of Holocaust survivors, each taken as part of a three-year project he began in 2017.

“It was a three-year personal project,” Weiss said. “Over the course of the three years I photographed eighteen Holocaust survivors. And really the whole thrust of this project is to celebrate these amazing humans’ lives.”

The portraits display moments of faith, resilience, and personal history, offering viewers a chance to connect with each survivor’s experience. One of the photos, Weiss explained, shows a survivor adjusting his yarmulke. A moment that reflects how deeply his faith carried him through his life during and after the Holocaust.

“There is one image of a survivor fixing his yarmulke,” Weiss said. “Clearly he got through the Holocaust… and really through his whole life by leaning very heavily on his devotion to his religion, to his faith.”

For Weiss, the project became about more than taking photos. It became a way to help preserve stories that risk fading with time, saying, “I guess it’s just my way, as a Jewish photographer, of helping to keep their stories alive.”

The Holocaust Survivor Series is now on display inside Penfield Library and will remain open for the rest of the semester. Students, faculty, and community members are encouraged to visit and experience the portraits firsthand.