Holocaust Education
Source: Yad Vashem
There was no escape. The murderers were not content with destroying the communities; they also traced each hidden Jew and hunted down each fugitive. The crime of being a Jew was so great, that every single one had to be put to death – the men, the women, the children; the committed, the disinterested, the apostates; the healthy and creative, the sickly and the lazy – all were meant to suffer and die, with no reprieve, no hope, no possible amnesty, nor chance for alleviation.
Most of the Jews of Europe were dead by 1945. A civilization that had flourished for almost 2,000 years was no more. The survivors – one from a town, two from a host – dazed, emaciated, bereaved beyond measure, gathered the remnants of their vitality and the remaining sparks of their humanity, and rebuilt. They never meted out justice to their tormentors – for what justice could ever be achieved after such a crime? Rather, they turned to rebuilding: new families forever under the shadow of those absent; new life stories, forever warped by the wounds; new communities, forever haunted by the loss.
What was the Holocaust?
The Holocaust was unprecedented genocide, total and systematic, perpetrated by Nazi Germany and its collaborators, with the aim of annihilating the Jewish people. The primary motivation was the Nazis' anti-Semitic racist ideology. Between 1933 and 1941 Nazi Germany pursued a policy that dispossessed the Jews of their rights and their property, followed by the branding and the concentration of the Jewish population. This policy gained broad support in Germany and much of occupied Europe. In 1941, following the invasion of the Soviet Union, the Nazis and their collaborators launched the systematic mass murder of the Jews. By 1945 nearly six million Jews had been murdered.
Why the Jews?
This 13-minute film introduces the history of antisemitism from its origins in the days of the early Christian church until the era of the Holocaust in the mid-20th century. It raises questions about why Jews have been targeted throughout history and how antisemitism offered fertile ground to the Nazis.
Visit HERE to learn more.
Source: United States Holocaust Museum
The Toronto Holocaust Museum is a space for education and dialogue about this vital history and its ongoing relevance. The Museum serves as a powerful and growing force against antisemitism, bigotry and hatred in all its forms. Our state-of-the-art facility is the premier destination for Holocaust education in the city showcasing cutting edge technology, including interactive Holocaust survivor testimony stations at the core of each exhibit space and augmented reality tablet tours. The Museum deepens the public’s knowledge and understanding while, inspiring visitors to think critically about the tragedies of the Holocaust and to make connections between the Holocaust, world events, and contemporary Canadian life. Learn more HERE.
"We want you to remember what we have been through, not because of our history but because of your future."
Elly Gotz, Holocaust Survivor Speaker and Educator
Yad Vashem’s International School for Holocaust Studies (ISHS), established in 1993, focuses upon – and excels in – providing quality Holocaust education to diverse audiences from Israel and across the world. In order to achieve this, the ISHS trains educators to teach the Holocaust, develops pedagogic and didactic tools to be utilized by teachers, and conducts educational workshops for youth and soldiers from Israel and abroad. The ISHS has developed a unique multi-disciplinary educational philosophy, based upon teaching the Holocaust in an age-appropriate manner. Educators are taught to bring their students safely in and safely out of the learning environment with the provision of age and level appropriate materials to aid the learning process. Learn more HERE.
Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) is a non-profit human rights organization committed to countering racism and antisemitism and to promoting the principles of tolerance, social justice and Canadian democratic values through advocacy and education.
Actively engaged in fostering the values of respect and acceptance, and in teaching the responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic society, we are guided by the words of Holocaust survivor Simon Wiesenthal: “Freedom is not a gift from heaven. One must fight for it every day.” Our philosophy is reflected in our many engaging educational programs. Learn more HERE.
Tour For Humanity
Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) has created the Tour for Humanity (T4H). This educational initiative is a fully self-contained mobile classroom that educates students in a highly interactive environment. The Tour for Humanity inspires and empowers students to raise their voices and take action against hate and intolerance to help make the world a better place.
Learn more HERE.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)
The IHRA’s network of experts includes representatives from the world’s foremost institutions which specialize in teaching about the Holocaust, who have issued a range of guidelines for educators and educational policymakers to consider when developing effective curricula and educational materials. These guidelines are continually updated and expanded upon to reflect pedagogical trends, technological changes and new historical findings. Our educational documents are available in over 25 languages. While we try to ensure the accuracy of all of our translations, in the event of any discrepancies the English translation takes precedence.
Learn more HERE.
The Azrieli Foundation
The Azrieli Foundation offers a variety of educational materials that can be adapted to the needs of your classroom based on the age of your students, the subject you teach or the time that you have available. Their Education Programs and short activities explore important themes related to the Holocaust and build students’ knowledge of the historical context of the survivors’ stories.
Learn more HERE.
Learn more HERE.
Echoes & Reflections
Echoes & Reflections is dedicated to reshaping the way that teachers and students understand, process, and navigate the world through the events of the Holocaust. The Holocaust is more than a historical event; it’s part of the larger human story. Educating students about its significance is a great responsibility. They partner with educators to help them introduce students to the complex themes of the Holocaust and to understand its lasting effect on the world.
Never Forget Me
We must remember the horrors of the Holocaust, and the hatred that gave birth to such incomprehensible destruction and death, so we can learn from our history and avoid repeating the same mistakes. We must listen to the survivors of this genocide, and share their stories. Above all, we must never forget the horrors they experienced, if we hope to prevent future generations from suffering a similar fate.
Hate on Display
When Hate is Left Unchecked
The Pyramid shows biased behaviors, growing in complexity from the bottom to the top. Although the behaviors at each level negatively impact individuals and groups, as one moves up the pyramid, the behaviors have more life-threatening consequences. Like a pyramid, the upper levels are supported by the lower levels. If people or institutions treat behaviors on the lower levels as being acceptable or “normal,” it results in the behaviors at the next level becoming more accepted. In response to the questions of the world community about where the hate of genocide comes from, the Pyramid of Hate demonstrates that the hate of genocide is built upon the acceptance of behaviors described in the lower levels of the pyramid.
Source: ADL
More Holocaust Education Programs
