Neither Yesterdays Nor Tomorrows

by George J Elbaum

The mission of Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center is expressed in its founding principle: Remember the Past, Transform the Future.  The Museum is thus  dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Holocaust by honoring the memories of its millions of murdered victims, but also by teaching universal lessons that combat hatred, prejudice, and indifference. As the second largest Holocaust museum in the United States, it not only honors the memory of the Holocaust’s victims but also salutes the courage and resilience of its Survivors. They are the people who rebuilt their lives and awoke the conscience of humanity, working tirelessly to tell their stories, so that none of us ever forget. It is for them that we carry out our founding principle.

The Museum, opened in 2009, is a culmination of 30 years of hard work by Chicago’s Survivor community, and it fulfills its mission through the exhibition, preservation, and interpretation of its collections; and through education programs and initiatives that foster the promotion of human rights and the elimination of genocide.

The Museum hosts approximately 40 programs annually. These sessions cover a wide range of topic areas, including the Holocaust, genocide, and contemporary social justice issues.  One of these programs consists of over five dozen video interviews and stories of Holocaust Survivors, recorded on Facebook and YouTube and available for viewing to the general public. My presentation was a part of this program, and was organized by Amanda Friedeman, Assistant Director of Education of the Museum, and Sierra Wolff, its Communications Coordinator. My participation in the program was arranged by Julia Thompson, Education Program Manager of Seattle’s Holocaust Center for Humanity

by George J Elbaum

Noblesse International School (NIS) is a private coeducational boarding school with grades PK-12 whose stated mission is “to maintain a positive learning environment that enables all students to become successful learners, confident individuals, and respectful, responsible ‘world citizens’ who contribute effectively to a competitive global society.”  To fulfill this ambitious mission NIS endeavors to create a positive learning environment that encourages all students to be lifelong learners and achievers.  Creating and maintaining a “positive learning environment” is actioned by NIS through

§  Offering small class size where English is the main language of instruction, with native English-speaking teachers from the United States, Canada, & Australia

§  Providing individualized instruction plans to accommodate individual learning styles

§  Offering ESL classes for English language learners plus foreign language classes

§  Providing an academic program qualified by the IB (International Baccalaureate) World School, which strives to educate life-long learners with a focus on international-mindedness and real world application of the skills they learn in school

§  Encouraging students to think critically and work collaboratively

§  Providing opportunities for students to appreciate the cultural diversity of the student body

§  Providing community service and leadership opportunities for students, both at the school and in the community

§  Providing extra-curricular activities, including Art, PE, and Music (including lessons in piano, violin, and various wind instruments)

This approach, not only to education but also to a social, balanced lifestyle, is aimed to produce not only successful learners who demonstrate enthusiasm and motivation for lifelong learning, but also confident Individuals who demonstrate self-respect; secure values and beliefs, ambition, and a sense of emotional well-being.  NIS thus strives to produce responsible world citizens who demonstrate respect for others; and a growing appreciation for the role they can play in the political, economic, environmental, and social stability of the world in which they live. 

My presentation was organized by teacher Ms. Alyssa Fry for 51students in grades 8-11.  Depending on the grade level, their preparation can include The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, podcast episodes from ‘Those Who Were There: Voices from the Holocaust’, poetry by Wislawa Szymborska and photographs by Margaret Bourke-White, and coverage of key historical events and developments of World War II during their Social Studies class.Attending also were NIS teacher/staff from their Headmaster, Dr. Vladimir Sousek, to their Social Studies teacher, Mr. Richard Curi, and various other interested teachers, including those from the math and sciences departments. Arrangements for my participation were made by Julia Thompson, Education Program Manager, Holocaust Center for Humanity in Seattle. 

Noblesse chose January 27^th for this talk to honor International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

by George J Elbaum

Squire John Thomas Elementary School (SJT) is a public school with 569 students in grades PreKindergarten-5.  The school has placed in the top 20% of all schools in Nebraska for overall test scores of its students: the percentage of students achieving proficiency in math is 72% vs. state average of 52% and in reading/language arts it is 69% vs. state average of 52%.  It therefore received a GreatSchools Rating of 8/10 for Test Scores and also 8/10 for Academic Progress.

As a point of interest, the school is named for an English nobleman born in 1485 – yes, 1485!

My talk was to the 5^th grade class of teacher Alexis Nelson, who has introduced the class to the Holocaust as part of a 2-weeks WWII study unit.  This was followed in more detail by the 3-weeks Holocaust unit, including reading and discussion of Number of Stars by Lois Lowry and my talk.

I was genuinely skeptical about speaking to 5^th graders, as my guideline for audiences has been “old enough to understand, young enough to have an open mind” and until now I considered 7^th grade as the lower grade limit.  However, teacher Nelson told me that she had a Holocaust survivor speak to her 5^th graders in 2020, considered it a success, and therefore wanted to do it again.  I therefore suggested to survey the students from which we both would learn by asking the students 3 simple questions about the good and bad sides of humanity prior to my talk, then afterwards ask 3 related questions to see how their views were influenced (or not) by my talk.  

The 3 pre-talk questions asked the students by teacher Nelson were: 1) What do you know about people helping other people?  2) How or why do you know that?  3)What do you know about people hurting other people?  The follow-up post-talk questions were: 1) What do you know about the ugly side of humanity?   2) What do you know about the good side of humanity?  3) From whom did you learn this? 

The students’ answers to both pre-talk and post-talk questions showed genuine thought.  Quoting their teacher: “Not only did this experience help them to understand better the good and bad side of humanity but it also taught them tenacity.  My students continue to talk about George’s personal pursuit of education and his desire to not give up.  It is my hope that we can continue our World War II and Holocaust education, supplemented with first hand accounts similar to this experience.”  

My contact with SJT and Alexis Nelson was arranged by Kael Sagheer of Omaha’s Institute for Holocaust Education.

by George J Elbaum

Bayhill High School serves students with learning differences who are entering grades 9 – 12, and its current enrollment is ?????.   Eligible students have an average to above average intelligence, yet struggle to excel in a traditional classroom or school setting due to a learning difference or a need for a small, personalized setting.  Bayhill accepts students who can benefit from its unique approach to teaching students who thrive when given personalized instruction in a supportive environment.  This is accomplished through individualized curriculum including more time to complete assignments, tests, and projects, and lessons taught using auditory, visual, and hands-on modalities.

Bayhill’s mission is therefore to educate students with learning differences by focusing on their strength, talents, and individual learning needs, and with the goal of maximizing their inherent abilities and their potential to succeed.  For example, many Bayhill students have gifts in the arts and sciences, so the school’s visual & performing arts program allows students to develop their natural abilities in fine art, digital media, music and creative writing.

My presentation to two dozen 10th grade students was organized by Social Studies teacher Osiah Carbonneau, who had prepared his students by studying World War II topics including Hitler, Mussolini, Brownshirts, Kristallnacht, Yellow Star, Nuremberg Laws, Ghettos, Concentration Camps, and readings of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Night, and Maus.

My presentation was arranged by Penny Savryn, Education & Marketing Manager of JFCS Holocaust Center.

????? – Awaiting information

by George J Elbaum

University High School (UHS) is a 9-12-grade free public charter high school located on the campus of California State University, Fresno. UHS provides an accelerated college preparatory education to approximately 480 students who share a common interest in music.   Approximately 130 incoming freshmen are selected each year through a lottery process.  Students receive a strong foundation in music and the liberal arts and sciences in a small high school environment and free tutorial services while benefiting from the opportunities available on a large public university campus.

My presentation was organized by teacher Hilary Levin as part of a 2-week class on the Holocaust that she is teaching with 18-20 students.  They’ve read Living Among the Dead: My Grandmother’s Holocaust Survival and discussed Ukraine’s Babi Yar, its Holocaust by Bullets, and watched No Place on Earth, less-known stories of the Holocaust, as well as its historical timeline.

My presentation was arranged by Penny Savryn, Education & Marketing Manager of
JFCS Holocaust Center.  (Teacher Hilary Levin is a member of its Educator Council.)

Our talk above, UHS beautiful building below

by George J Elbaum

Walnut Middle School in Grand Island, NE, has an enrollment of 786 students in grades 6-8.  The high diversity of the students – 68% Hispanic, 24% White, 5% Black, and 3% all others – with 84% of them from low income families, all add to the challenge facing the school’s administration and faculty in achieving academic performance.  As a result, student test scores in English, math, and science are all below state averages.  Despite these low averages, the questions that the 8th grade students asked during the Q & A after my talk showed their thinking and perception at the same level as schools with much higher scores – the potential was there, but it needed more special effort to bring it to the fore. 

The event was organized by teachers Tyler Madison and Les Westover and attended by principal Rod Foley.  My contact with the school and Tyler Madison was arranged by Kael Sagheer of Omaha’s Institute for Holocaust Education.

by George J Elbaum

Front Range Community College (FRCC) has a total enrollment exceeding 19,000 students of wide diversity: 62% are White, 23% are Latino, and 15% are of several other races or multi-racial.  Of the total, approximately 4900 students attend the Boulder County Campus at Longmont, and although many enroll right from high school, 24 is the median age because more than 40% of students are 26 years old or older.

My talk was organized by Mary Ann Grim of the History and Women & Gender Studies Faculty, as part of her Western Civilization class which includes 3 weeks on the Holocaust, reading of Survival in Auschwitz, etc.  An active Q&A session followed my talk.  My initial contact with Mary Ann Grim was made only a week ago by Kael Sagheer, Education Coordinator at the Institute for Holocaust Education, Omaha.

After my talk Mary Ann Grim sent me FRCC’s statement on its philosophy of inclusion, which I appreciate for its calm and even-handed description and feel it worthwhile to include below.

“We recognize that the success of students and employees grows from a culture of inclusivity, equity, and excellence. We believe that our diversity, which includes a full spectrum of attributes, backgrounds, cultures, identities, abilities, beliefs, and ideas, enriches lives in the entire college community. We know that including and respecting our diverse experiences and values in all of our interactions at the college is the best way to promote student success. We also recognize that our differences do not have equal impact or consequences, and we acknowledge that our differences affect how we behave, how we are treated, and how we interact.”

by George J Elbaum

The Holocaust Center for Humanity‘s (HCH) Student Leadership Board (SLB) began in 2016 as a way for students in the Seattle area to become engaged with HCH programs and its museum.  Today, the SLB is in its seventh year, and its members are in grades 7-12 from all over Washington State, working together using a hybrid model of Zoom and in-person meetings and events.  HCH staff members from the Center’s Education Department lead the group along with five 12th grade SLB Officers.  This school year, the SLB goals for its members are:

• Enhance their historical understanding of the Holocaust
• Feel empowered, supported, and comfortable assuming a leadership role amongst their peers
• Be comfortable speaking out, i.e. be an upstander when witnessing a wrong occurring
• Collaborate as part of a group or team
• Be able to understand and make connections between the Holocaust, other historic injustices, and those going on today 

Projects and activities this year include learning stories of Holocaust Survivors and their descendants; exploring the history of antisemitism and how it appears today; establishing partnerships with other organizations like Jewish Family Service, etc; establishing awareness campaigns to educate others in their communities; and volunteering for Holocaust Center events.

My talk to the SLB today was organized by Julia Thompson, HCH Education Program Manager and assisted by Morgan Romero, Museum and Education Assistant. 

by George J Elbaum

Wenatchee High School (WHS) has an enrollment of 2019 students and high diversity: more than half of its students are of Latino or Hispanic descent, and the same ratio come from high poverty backgrounds.  Responding to these issues, WHS actively promotes inclusivity and provides its students with many opportunities to be involved in a wide variety of activities, ranging from equestrian competitions to robotics to mariachi.

The event was organized by Danielle Schafer-Cloke, WHS English Teacher and Varsity Cheerleading Head Coach, and my participation was arranged by Julia Thompson, Education Program Manager, and Morgan Romero, Museum and Education Assistant, Seattle’s Holocaust Center for Humanity.

(Awaiting more information on WHS and photos of this event)

by George J Elbaum

Harbour Pointe Middle School, Mukilteo, WA, is a public school with grades 6-8 and enrollment of 808 students with diverse demographics: White 48%, Asian 24%, Hispanic 12%, two or more races 11%, Black 4%.  The students’ academic performance is also quite impressive, with proficiency in English of 76% vs. state average of 61%, and in Math it is 68% vs. state average of 50%. 

My talk to a class of 30 8^th graders was organized by ELA Core/Honors teacher Janine Schierbeek, who has taught the Holocaust for many years using the resources of the Holocaust Center for Humanity .  Her Holocaust teaching unit centers around literature circles/book groups, which this semester include Night, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Number the Stars, Berlin Boxing Club, and Once.  She has also done field trips, hosted speakers, and her students have participated in the Holocaust Center’s Zoom book group last year. 

My talk was arranged by the Holocaust Center’s Education Program Manager Julia Thompson, and the Zoom and PowerPoint “technology” of my talk were ably managed by the Center’s Morgan Romero, Museum and Education Assistant.