Celebrities And Holocaust Survivors Unite For ‘Borrowed Spotlight’ Portrait Exhibit And Book

A new portrait series and exhibition, Borrowed Spotlight, is bringing together Holocaust survivors and major figures from media, fashion, and entertainment to raise awareness about Holocaust history and combat the resurgence of antisemitism.

Captured by acclaimed fashion photographer Bryce Thompson, the series pairs survivors with celebrities such as Cindy Crawford, Jennifer Garner, Billy Porter, David Schwimmer, and Wolf Blitzer. The goal: to leverage the public profiles of these well-known figures to amplify the survivors’ stories to a wider audience.

“When I was asked to participate in this book, it was an instant yes. I’ve always believed in being part of the solution, not the problem,” said Crawford. “The opportunity to meet and converse with a Holocaust survivor felt deeply meaningful.”

The Borrowed Spotlight portraits debuted at the Detour Gallery in New York City ahead of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, on April 23. The exhibit also features survivor testimonies and interactive elements designed to encourage reflection and discussion.

A companion coffee table book, featuring a foreword by Crawford, will be published, with proceeds going toward Holocaust education initiatives. A private auction of select prints will benefit Selfhelp, an organization that supports Holocaust survivors in New York, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

The project arrives at a time when global Holocaust knowledge is waning — research shows that 20% of people worldwide have never heard of the Holocaust, and over 60% are unaware that 6 million Jews were murdered. According to the U.S.-based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, known as the Claims Conference, the median age of Jewish Holocaust survivors now stands at 87. Of the 200,000 still alive, more than 1,400 are over 100 years old, and 70% will be gone in the next 10 years.

“Hate is survivable; indifference is not,” said photographer Bryce Thompson. “These Holocaust survivors stand as living testaments, urging us never to forget that empathy and action are often the difference between life and oblivion.”

Beyond its powerful visuals, Borrowed Spotlight seeks to serve as both an educational tool and a call to action to preserve memory of the Holocaust.