Hollywood Star Power Joins The Mitzvah Project
May - June 2025
Rolf Saxon (top row, 3rd from right) and the Mission:Impossible cast. Photo courtesy Paramount Pictures.
Rolf Saxon Brings Mission: Impossible Energy to Classrooms Nationwide
The Mitzvah Project is thrilled to announce that Hollywood actor Rolf Saxon—fresh from his star-turn in the blockbuster Mission: Impossible –The Final Reckoning—is joining our team as a Teaching Artist this fall. Recently featured in The New York Times for his celebrated return to the franchise, Rolf brings undeniable star power to our growing national Holocaust education initiative.
But Rolf is more than a movie star. A seasoned performer on stage and screen, he’s also a passionate educator and advocate for Holocaust education and social justice. His decision to step into classrooms across the country marks a powerful expansion of The Mitzvah Project’s reach and resonance.
“I’ve always wanted to find a way to use my experience as an actor and teacher to engage young people and play a part in challenging the forces of intolerance, antisemitism, racism, and white supremacy,” Rolf says. “And now, I can also weave my family’s story into my lesson. I am very grateful for this opportunity.”
Rolf’s presence brings fresh visibility and momentum to our mission. We’re excited for students in the Bay Area and beyond to learn from someone who not only lights up the screen—but now, the classroom, too. We’re honored to welcome Rolf to The Mitzvah Project and excited for the powerful impact he’ll have on students in the Bay Area and across the country.
EdCal, a publication of The Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), the largest umbrella organization for school leaders in the United States, representing more than 17,000 California educators, recently published a wonderful article on The Mitzvah Project that went out to its entire membership.
Heartfelt Thanks to Phyl Terry—and Welcome to Our 5 New Volunteers!
We’re deeply grateful to our friend and trusted advisor, Phyl Terry, whose powerful appeal on behalf of The Mitzvah Project appeared in their Never Search Alone newsletter on Yom HaShoah (April 23rd).
Phyl’s tribute to Holocaust Remembrance Day honored the legacy of survivors like my mother and underscored The Mitzvah Project’s mission to preserve that legacy through the transformative power of theater—a vital tool for educating and inspiring both high school and college students. Their call for skilled volunteers resonated widely—bringing in a half-dozen dedicated individuals eager to help us grow our high school outreach and expand our impact. Thank you, Phyl, for your moving words and enduring friendship. And to our five new volunteers—welcome! We’re thrilled to have you with us.
Coming in 2026: An Exciting New Production of I Died in Auschwitz.
I Died in Auschwitz is a powerful one-person theatrical experience that forces audiences to reckon with the devastating consequences of antisemitism, white supremacy, and historical amnesia. Through the interwoven voices of four vivid characters—including Schmuel Berkowicz, a Polish Jew who survives Auschwitz; Christoph Rosenberg, a half-Jewish Wehrmacht officer imprisoned for defying the Nazi regime; a grotesquely candid SS general; and a sardonic American Jewish “Chorus”—the play explores survival, complicity, and moral reckoning across generations.
With unflinching storytelling and theatrical daring, I Died in Auschwitz illuminates how systemic hatred is rationalized and perpetuated—and why remembering is not enough. The 2026 Bay Area production will bring this urgent and unforgettable work to an ever-wider audience at a time when its message could not be more vital. More details soon.
One more thing…
Please take a moment to imagine a classroom where a student hears the word “Holocaust” for the first time—and suddenly begins to understand its meaning. That’s the power of The Mitzvah Project.
Your tax-deductible gift of $50, $100, $1,000 or more will ensure we can continue bringing this life-changing experience to public high schools at no cost to them. Your support makes that moment possible.
To donate online:
To donate by mail:
Send checks payable to PlayGround (add “The Mitzvah Project” in the memo section)
Mail to:
PlayGround
3286 Adeline Street #9
Berkeley, CA 94703-2485.
PlayGround (Federal ID 94-3336399), a California not-for-profit corporation, is The Mitzvah Project's fiscal sponsor.
All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Thank you!
Warm regards,
Roger Grunwald, Founder, The Mitzvah Project
