10-15 Hours/Year from 1 st to 12 th Grade. TEACHING THE
HOLOCAUST IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN ISRAEL
Slide 2
As long as its not too late, we must reach the recognition that
the Holocaust is not the obsession of the Holocaust survivors, and
the contemplation with the six million victims, the lesson of the
time are not just the concern of only those which have experienced
the horrors on their skin, but part of a long collective memory of
the nation of Israel, and the place of the Holocaust is in the
historical awareness of every Jewish generation wherever he is.
Abba Kovner, Detaining the Tearing, Tel Aviv 1998, p. 164 The story
of the Holocaust of the Jewish people is one of the low points in
the history of man, and it deserves to be studied and passed from
generation to generation. And thou shall tell thy son (Exodus 13:8)
We should aspire to teach towards an exemplary moral society, a
society whose guiding principles are acceptance and compassion,
concern for the other, their dignity and equality. GENERAL
RATIONALE DOCUMENT PUBLISH BY THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION WHY TO
TEACH THE HOLOCAUST?
Slide 3
- Familiarizing with the H. story - Getting to know the lost
Jewish world - Empathizing with the H. victims - Nurturing human
sensitivity Obligation to combat racism humanistic and universal
values Responsibility for the existence of the Jewish people
democratic society, tolerance and sensitivity for the other,
aspiring to a model society Jewish values Commitment to the
existence of a Jewish Democratic state Promoting self- efficacy
(cognitive & emotional tools based on the H. story) The human
spirit and its expressions (via the H. story) Goals
Slide 4
Students in Israel are exposed to the Holocaust from a young
age and therefore you cannot hide such a major event from children.
You must explain to the children the siren on Memorial Day. They
hear about the Holocaust from the media without moderation. In
order to safeguard the children, we have to introduce the subject
in an age appropriate way that speaks cognitively and emotionally
to the child. GENERAL RATIONALE DOCUMENT PUBLISH BY THE MINISTRY OF
EDUCATION WHY BEGIN TEACHING AT A YOUNG AGE?
Slide 5
INDIVIDUAL FAMILY COMMUNITY THE LARGER QUESTIONS SPIRAL
APPROACH K1-12 TO HOLOCAUST STUDIES MAIN TOPICS: JEWISH LIFE BEFORE
THE HOLOCAUST. HISTORICAL CONTEXT JEWISH SURVIVAL IN THE HOLOCAUST
RIGHTEOUS AMONG THE NATIONS PERPETRATORS AFTER MATH RETURN TO LIFE
AGE THEMES:
Slide 6
Principles in approaching the Holocaust in primary schools
Teaching the Holocaust by an educator who has a long- term
relationship with the children in order to create a safe
atmosphere. Teaching the Holocaust through the story of the
individual, which helps to: -Create empathy -Explain basic terms
through a controlled and safe context. (The terms are not vague and
intimidating). -Introducing the stories with emotional anchors.
-Emphasizing aspects of help and morality in the chosen
stories.
Slide 7
High SchoolMiddle SchoolElementaryEarly ElementaryKey Topics
Political movements in the Jewish society, the relationship with
the general population. Familiarity with the wide geographic
distribution of the Jewish people. Expanding knowledge about the
Jewish cultural and spiritual life. Basic familiarity with
diversity of the Jewish communities in Europe and major subjects of
the Holocaust Through the eyes of the child- The Jewish world
before the Holocaust Empathy and Normality Jewish Life Before the
Holocaust Complex moral dilemmas and how to cope in the face of
chaos Exposing the student to complex Questions of Jewish identity
Questions of identity and rescue Understanding the difficulties
along with the emotional anchors: Mutual help, the familys struggle
for life. Coping with internal mental strength, imagination, and
resourcefulness The Human Story: a. Jewish Resistance During the
Holocaust b. Between the Perpetrators, Bystanders and the Righteous
Among the Nations Discussion about perpetrators and collaborators:
How was it humanly possible? Subjects to be taught: Outcast,
prejudice, and antisemitism. Through personal stories the concept
of Germans, collaborators and the bystanders is introduced. Focus:
Righteous Among the Nations Return to Life and engaging with the
legacy of survivors The pain of loss along with the construction
process The complex process of returning to life in different
stages: Rehabilitation through immigrating and the establishment of
the State of Israel Rebuilding from the beginning- centrality of
the survivor Return to Life Stages of the Nazi policies and general
historical processes Every subject which is taught in middle school
is combined with a wide historical introduction. Basic historical
concepts taught through personal stories: Ghetto, Yellow Star
Learning the basic context Historical Context
Slide 8
Jewish Life Before the Holocaust- Example for teaching tools
Years 5-6 I was born in 1939 in Biala Ravska, a town where Jews and
Poles had lived and worked together for generation. My grandmother
lived in the center of town next to the marketplace, and all of my
cousins lived in a Jewish neighborhood close by. My parents,
Hershel and Zisel Hershkowitz, And I lived on a busy street in
Biala Ravska, across from another Jewish family. The Jews spoke
Yiddish and Polish and many also spoke Hebrew My mother, she was
quite beautiful and very smart. Before her marriage to Father, she
had studied pharmacology in Vienna, Austria. Upon returning to
Czortkow, she worked in the pharmacy that was on the main street
close to were we leaved. Every day during lunch break and towards
evening, when I heard the tapping of high heels on the stairs, I
knew that Mother was returning home from work. Years 3-4
Slide 9
Jewish Life Before the Holocaust- Middle School and High School
Middle School High School We were in school six days a week. We had
an awful lot of homework. We belonged to youth groups, went skating
in winter, played tennis in summer. I was a gymnast and in track.
Dora (12), Poland One day a new movie theatre called The Palladium
opened in Warsaw. Isabella talked my mother into coming with us to
see Shirley Temple movie. Anna H. (10), Poalnd "We were a Jewish
family, not religious, not even traditional, but a Zionist family.
Of course, we celebrated the Jewish holidays. I, for instance,
didnt go to school during the holidays, because Jewish children
were allowed not to go. For instance, I remember, that on Passover
(Pessah), which is seven days long, I didnt want to miss so much
school, so I went. But I didnt study. I went to the classroom as an
observer (Ruth Gat) The Synagogue on Praska Street- Lesson Plan Yad
Vashem website
Slide 10
Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust Elementary Early
Elementary Tommy: Butterfly: I was six years old. It was the first
day of school in September Marisha want through the gate. And I
followed her, as the watchman greeted her. where are you going? he
asked me. To school, to the first grade I said The watchman blocked
my way. no. not youyou are Jew. I went home come said mother. the
new school year begun. Your books are waiting Marta: One day,
Mother woke me early Martush, today you are coming to the pharmacy
with me Once we were out of the ghetto Mother whispered Stand up
straight and look people in the eye, let them think that you are a
local (p. 23) it is very important for me to prepare you for life
after the war and therefore at this moment I announce the festive
opening of the school year in Martas school (p. 27) one night after
we had finished studying Mother whispered Martush we must part
every evening Mother repeated the following instructions: Be nice
and smile and than they will love you, Do what you are told and
help as much as possible And most important of all: always try to
have laughing eyes, children do not like other children with sad
eyes
Slide 11
Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust High SchoolMiddle
School.... We wanted to give man the opportunity to free himself
from the ghetto for several hours, and this we achieved. We are
passing through dark and difficult days. Our bodies are in the
ghetto, but our spirit has not been enslaved... Before the first
concert it was said that concerts should not be held in graveyards.
True, the statement is true, but all of life is now a graveyard.
Our hands must not falter. We must be strong in body and soul
Jakcob Gens in a speech given on the assembly marking the first
anniversary of the theater on January 15, 1943. In a cemetery a
theater should not exist
Slide 12
Between the Perpetrators and the Righteous Among the Nations-
Examples of teaching tools For two years we lived with them. For
two years I did not leave the building. For two years I did not
walk around the apartment. For two years I did not go near the
window -- I would always crawl underneath For two years Hanka and
Basha did not bring home any friends Mother, Hanka, and I denced
wildly around the apartment. It was a dance of happiness, a dance
of victory over the forces of evil Years 3-4Years 5-6 If everything
goes well, we will reach Warsaw in three days. It will be an
exhausting trip with many stops along the way. On the train there
are both nice people and very not nice people. There are also
drunkards and many quarrels and fights. Aside from everything else,
the German soldiers are looking for Jews who have managed to sneak
onto the train We traveled for three days and three nights. It was
a difficult journey and I was not permitted to move from my seat
except to go to the bathroom. I was afraid of everyone who passed
by and looked at me. I missed my Mother... I thought about how
wonderful Lydka was she had agreed to come from Warsaw and take me
back with her
Slide 13
Between the Perpetrators and the Righteous Among the Nations-
Middle School and High School Middle School High School "I sat down
by myself in one of the back rows of the auditorium wondering what
the principal wanted from us. And without really listening to his
words I KNEW WHAT HE WAS GOING TO SAY: Someday you will return- we
will welcome you back with open arms. But now we must part. My
heart is heavy as I tell you this news. But I have no choice."
Rosemarie (13) Austria- Holland Testimony / By: Dan Pagis No no:
they definitely were human beings: uniforms, boots. How to explain?
They were created in the image. I was a shade. A different creator
made me. And he in his mercy left nothing of me that would die. And
I fled to him, rose weightless, blue, forgiving I would even say:
apologizing smoke to omnipotent smoke without image or likeness.
How was it humanly possible? I had only one bad experience,
Annelise told me. It was with my gym teacher who was also Nazi. I
had a friend in that class who was also Jewish. She and I were the
best in the gym class. And the teacher was always yelling at the
rest of the class saying: You lazy girls! How can you let these two
Jewish girls be better than you?. Catherine (fled Germany in
1938)
Slide 14
Zinovii Tolkatchov The Appel 1944Gott Mit Uns
Slide 15
The Spiral Age Appropriate Approach together with Respective
historical discussion and the development of values Elementary
Middle School High School Protected dialogue and providing Basic
historical concepts Relevant topics for Moral development of the
students will be present initially Expanding the historical
knowledge, and the diversity of the topics and voices Exposing the
student to the complexity of the story in terms of the fate of the
Jews and their coping strategies Historical study of the complexity
of the Holocaust. Deep learning of moral dilemmas and identity
questions among Jews. Discussion in depth about the behavior of
people during the Holocaust and the question: How was it humanly
possible?