By Marion Silver
The theme of the 2021 Teachers’ Workshop was “Voices of the Holocaust Inspiring Change Through Legacy”.
On November 24th, the 40+ virtual participants were treated to opening remarks by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who addressed the need for solidarity and commitment in the ongoing fight against the rising tide of antisemitism and hate. CHES chair Mina Cohn echoed these remarks as she reiterated CHES’ mandate to teach the lessons and legacy of the Holocaust.
Educator Kenra Mroz’ moving rendition of the poem X-Rated underlined the context in which Jews found themselves in prewar Germany. She then gave many practical suggestions as to how teachers can prepare and deliver the history and lessons of the Holocaust. It is important to recognize that the subject matter can trigger great feelings of discomfort among students who themselves may have experienced abuse, bullying, or racial discrimination.
Kenra begins her discussion of the Holocaust with her students by asking them to spend 10 to 15 minutes writing down everything they know or think they know about the Holocaust. She asks them to discern between reliable and unreliable sources of facts and to distinguish between myth and reality. This is so important given the increasing evidence of distortion about the Holocaust in much media. She also suggested that the history of the Holocaust be taught in either November, January, or April as that is when the Holocaust is acknowledged in the public domain. She underscored the necessity of ensuring the wellbeing of the students and that Jewish students, in particular, do not like to be spotlit but prefer to be part of the collective.
Sophia Mirzayee was exposed to the history of the Holocaust by her Grade 6 teacher, Patrick Mascoe. Impressed by the account of Holocaust survivor David Shentow, she has dedicated herself to educating in the field of human rights. She prepared model lessons for the teachers, beginning with a “gallery walk” of images of Jews in Europe predating the Holocaust. This was followed by a five-minute clip of the testimonial of Holocaust survivor Tova Clark. Teachers then jotted down their reactions to her story. Most were struck by how gradual the anti-Jewish laws were imposed in Nazi Germany and by the bravery of Tova’s mother in confronting the Nazis.
In the discussion that ensued over their impressions, all agreed that the testimonies of survivors are very impactful and can lead to deeper discussion and reflection. The next activity asks the students to map their own personal, or family’s, journey to Canada, thus linking their lives and struggles to that of the survivor. Finally, the students are challenged to develop strategies to recognize and combat antisemitism.
The next part of the workshop involved “Break-Out Rooms” where participants were given the opportunity to discuss various potential situations that could arise in the classroom.
In the Chat portion of the workshop, teacher Lisa Levitan described how she initiated JEG, the Jews in Education Group and a task force on antisemitism that has the backing of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario. She said that while occasionally some teachers can be dismissive when told about an antisemitic incident, overall she commended the Ottawa Carleton District School Board for its approach to encourage respect for diversity.
Kenra then read a poem in tribute to Holocaust survivors and the last words went to Patrick Mascoe. In quoting David Shentow, he reminded teachers that hatred is a cancer that grows, and that character education must be addressed and reinforced. Finally, he asserted that teachers cannot be bystanders but must take the lead in addressing all forms of antisemitism and racism.
Click here to view the recording of the “Voices of the Holocaust Inspiring Change Through Legacy” Workshop
A Sample of Audience Reactions
From Rae McDonald, Limestone District School Board:
Hi Mina, thank you very much for sharing this information. I attended the session and really found the workshop and discussions involved very powerful. I have added this information to our LDSB resource bank, and look forward to our continued collaboration.
