The Zeta Beta Tau family celebrates the life of Sam Harris, Holocaust survivor, educator, philanthropist, and recipient of the 2024 ZBT Man of Distinction Award.

Sam Harris passed away on April 1, 2026, at the age of 90. While his life began amid unimaginable tragedy, he dedicated the decades that followed to ensuring that future generations would understand the consequences of hatred, antisemitism, and indifference.

Born Szlamek Rzeznik in Dęblin, Poland, in 1935, Harris was just 4 years old when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. He and his family were forced into a ghetto before being deported to concentration camps. Through the courage and determination of his older sister Rosa and more than a few strokes of luck, Sam (one of the youngest survivors of the Holocaust) and his sister Sara survived the Holocaust, while his parents and four siblings were killed. After liberation by the Soviet Army in 1945, Sam eventually immigrated to the United States and was adopted by the Harris family in Illinois.

After arriving in the United States, Sam embraced every opportunity his new life afforded him. He began his college education at the University of Michigan, where he became a brother of Zeta Beta Tau before later transferring to Grinnell College, where he completed his undergraduate education.

Following college, Sam built a highly successful career in the insurance industry. His professional accomplishments earned him membership in the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), an international association recognizing the world’s leading life insurance and financial services professionals. Throughout his career, Sam became known not only for his business success, but for his integrity, leadership, and commitment to helping others.

For many years, Harris rarely spoke publicly about his experiences. That changed in the late 1970s when he recognized the importance of educating others about the Holocaust and combating Holocaust denial and antisemitism. What followed was a lifetime of public service and education. He spoke to thousands of students, community groups, and civic organizations, sharing his story with honesty, humility, and hope.

Perhaps his most enduring legacy was his role in creating the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center in Skokie, Illinois. Harris became one of the driving forces behind transforming a small educational effort into one of the nation’s premier Holocaust museums. Through his leadership, fundraising, and unwavering determination, the museum opened in 2009 and today educates hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. He later served as President Emeritus of the institution he helped build.

Even in his later years, Harris remained committed to preserving Holocaust testimony for future generations. He participated in groundbreaking interactive hologram technology that allows museum visitors to engage with recorded survivor testimony long after survivors themselves are gone. Through these efforts, his voice and message will continue to educate and inspire for decades to come.

Those who knew Sam often described him as a force of nature—warm, optimistic, compassionate, and relentless in his belief that education could build a better world. Despite enduring some of humanity’s darkest moments, he chose a life defined by hope, kindness, and service to others.

In 2024, Zeta Beta Tau proudly recognized Sam Harris with the ZBT Man of Distinction Award, honoring his extraordinary contributions to education, remembrance, and the Jewish community. His life embodied the values of leadership, service, and moral courage that ZBT seeks to instill in every generation of brothers.

As we remember Sam Harris, we honor not only a survivor, but a teacher, visionary, and guardian of memory. His story reminds us of the importance of speaking out against hatred, defending human dignity, and ensuring that the lessons of history are never forgotten.

May his memory be a blessing.