On Monday the 15th of Cheshvan (Oct. 26th), Ganzach Kiddush Hashem staff visited the Massuah Museum in Kibbutz Tel Yitzchak for a study day
The seminar began in the morning and concluded at dusk, following a joint closing session with the leadership of Massuah, an organization that has long collaborated with Ganzach Kiddush Hashem.
Held during the period when Ganzach Kiddush Hashem marks the events of Kristallnacht, the seminar addressed the full spectrum of challenges involved in teaching the Holocaust today, with a particular focus on the specific challenges faced by educators from the religious and charedi (ultra-Orthodox) communities.
Rabbi Zvi Skulski, head of Ganzach Kiddush Hashem, opened the study day with a special thank you to Ms. Aya Ben Naftali, CEO of Massuah. In his words, he reviewed the long-standing cooperation between Massuah and Ganzach Kiddush Hashem; a collaboration that has intensified since the opening of our educational department about ten years ago.
Regarding the fruitful relationship with Massuah, and especially with the CEO Ms. Ben Naftali, Rabbi Skulski said: “The Sages say: ‘Whoever takes advice from the elders does not fail.’ The meaning of the word ‘elder’ is not necessarily an indication of age, but as the Sages said: elder – ‘it is a store of wisdom’. That is, wise and prudent people, with life experience.
These points are both valid and fitting when we look to learn from Massuah, one of the first organizations to recognize the need for educational work to achieve the cherished goal: commemoration.
Today, a significant portion of the activities of Ganzach Kiddush Hashem is dedicated to imparting the memory of the heroism of the Jewish spirit during the Holocaust. This is no easy challenge; especially now, as the number of Holocaust survivors dwindles, it falls upon us to employ new methods to enhance the effectiveness of our educational and commemorative efforts.
Rabbi Skulski expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Ms. Michal Harpaz, Director of the Educational Department at Massuah, and to Ms. Irit Lieberman, Director of the Archives. Rabbi Skulski also extended special thanks and appreciation to the team from Ganzach Kiddush Hashem, who traveled from all corners of the country – including Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Beitar, Bnei Brak, Petah Tikva, Ashdod, and elsewhere, to support the noble goal of fostering collaboration between the institutions dedicated to Holocaust commemoration and education.
The first part of the tour took place within the exhibitions, guided by Ms. Michal Harpaz, Director of the Educational Department.
“The State of Israel vs. Adolf Eichmann – Six Million Accusers” is the central exhibition at the Massuah Museum. It explores the Holocaust as revealed through the testimonies and evidence presented during the Eichmann Trial. The exhibition displays court and investigation documents via an interactive multimedia system.
This was followed by a tour of the exhibition “Year Zero: Survivor Organization in the Aftermath of Liberation.” This new exhibition examines the first year following liberation, from early 1944, when the Red Army liberated parts of Eastern Europe, through late 1946. The exhibition focuses on the inner strength that enabled survivors to rebuild their lives, and highlights the pivotal role played by young people who – overnight – became leaders, guiding the survivor community toward a new beginning.
Subsequently, a “tastes of the archive” tour was held, guided by Ms. Irit Lieberman, the Archive Director. Staff from the Ganzach Kiddush Hashem archive also participated in this tour, during which significant documents were revealed, materials of great value to the archival work of Ganzach Kiddush Hashem.
Following lunch, which was brought in from Bnei Brak and served in the Massuah dining hall, an additional tour of the exhibitions took place, led by Ms. Michal Harpaz, Director of the Massuah Education Department.
The new exhibition on the Warsaw Ghetto, titled “Different Perspectives, One Fate – Self-Help in the Warsaw Ghetto,” left a profound impression on the participants.
The exhibition, based on the holdings of the underground archive codenamed “Oneg Shabbos,” established to document the impact of the German occupation on individual and social life in Warsaw, conveys the strength of the resistance mounted by the ghetto’s inhabitants. The archive’s staff, representing a diverse spectrum of social, religious, and political backgrounds, collected over 35,000 items, at great personal risk and right under the noses of the Nazis.
The first part of the exhibition is dedicated to the underground archive, showcasing a selection of its materials covering themes such as hunger, children, education and culture, and the act of confronting death.
The second part of the exhibition is an immersive space that depicts responses to the reality of life in the Warsaw Ghetto, from its establishment to its final liquidation. The events are recounted primarily through excerpts drawn from the collection of diaries and records preserved in the “Oneg Shabbos” archive, as well as the testimony archive of Massuah.
In its third section, the exhibition offers a learning space that utilizes a touchscreen-type wall to create an interactive educational experience. This space integrates processes of inquiry and discussion, enabling the creation of a digital display based on the collections and testimonies featured in the exhibition.
Towards the end of the exhibition, a lively discussion took place among educators from both institutions regarding the feasibility of participation by religious and charedi youth in this activity, as well as ways to adapt the content to meet the needs of students who observe the Torah and its commandments.
Just before the conclusion of this productive and enriching seminar, representatives from Ganzach Kiddush Hashem visited the exhibition “The Hate Industry” — a history of Nazi antisemitism, from its inception to its tragic end. A lively discussion ensued among the participants regarding how this chapter of history should be presented to students and visitors from diverse backgrounds and communities.
Shortly before sunset, an open dialogue took place, facilitated by Mrs. Rachel Yud, Chair of the Board of Ganzach Kiddush Hashem, and Mrs. Devorah Surasky, the organization’s coordinator of professional development programs. The discussion focused on the suitability of the Massuah exhibitions for students from the charedi community. Each section of the exhibition was examined in detail, and it was concluded that a collaboration could be explored, subject to specific conditions and the careful screening of certain content. A primary prerequisite is the training of Ganzach Kiddush Hashem staff to serve as guides at Massuah.
The unique atmosphere of this remarkable yet somber site – at the end of a day so profoundly charged with both emotion and history – imbued the participants with a special spirit, rendering the discussions exceptionally productive and constructive.
