CBA Talks: The Roudnice Torah Project

Sunday, November 16, 2025 • 25 Cheshvan 5786

9:30 AM - 11:30 AMBeit Midrash

Join us for the return of CBA Talks with a powerful presentation on the Roudnice Torah Project, led by project co-chairs Jane Willoughby and Elana Markus. This meaningful initiative began with a Torah scroll from the Czech town of Roudnice and has grown into a journey of remembrance, education, and connection. Jane and Elana will share how the project came to be, the history behind the scroll and the lost Jewish community of Roudnice, and how Congregation Beth Am is honoring that legacy through education, partnerships, and a permanent exhibit. Learn how this project is engaging our youth, building international relationships, and preserving memory for future generations.

About CBA Talks:

Our members are quite extraordinary! Come and hear the experience they have to offer. CBA Talks is a series of conversations with CBA members who have done, or are doing, some fascinating things.

Speakers:

Jane Willoughby, PhD. Bio: Jane began her career with a PhD in biochemistry from St. Bartholomew’s Medical College in London and then entered the field of Biotechnology and Healthcare which brought her and her family to San Diego.
Jane became an educator after her career in research and is an educator and consultant in the fields of curriculum development. Prior to consulting, she was the Vice President and Director of Education, Program Research, and Development at the Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education (CIJE) and before this she was the Director of STEM Advancement k-12 at the San Diego Jewish Academy.
Jane is passionate about Holocaust education as she feels that it provides a remedy and a pathway away from antisemitism. She has been involved in Holocaust education for the last decade and is on the board of the David Labkovski Project which creates a living bridge from the lessons of the Holocaust to the realities of today’s world through the artwork of world-
renowned artist David Labkovski (1906-1991).

Elana Markus Bio: Elana Markus studied Art History at UCLA and earned her Master’s in Art History from USC. Her passion for museum work began as an intern at the Royal Academy of Art and the National Gallery in London. For ten years, she was a
curator in the Antiquities Department of the J. Paul Getty Museum and is a published author on topics in ancient art. Currently, she is a Fine Art Appraiser.

Elana believes deeply in the importance of Holocaust education and remembrance. She views studying this history not only as an obligation to preserve the memory of the victims, but also as a vital step toward building a more compassionate and just world.