Increase in Educational Activities Marking Eighty Years Since the Liberation of the Camps
Starting at the end of last winter and throughout the summer season, the education department of Ganzach Kiddush Hashem has experienced a significant increase in activity, as part of the special project to mark the eightieth anniversary of the liberation and rebirth of the survivors.
Many educational institutions for girls and boys have already taken part in the exciting educational activity, with the last season being characterized by a wave of visits from students from various institutions who have not previously been exposed to the content of Ganzach Kiddush Hashem.
On the eve of Passover until the last day of the holiday, the lights were still on at Ganzach Kiddush Hashem and large groups of students from all denominations and classes visited the place, listened to lectures and took part in the wonderful activities that commemorate those days.
On the eve of Passover, the lecturers and youth counselors placed great emphasis on conveying the experiences of preparing for Passover and the Seder night during the Holocaust and the days of liberation, compared to Passover today.
At the beginning of the “summer season,” Ganzach Kiddush Hashem began an exciting series of educational and experiential activities with people with special needs throughout the country. The activity days are held at the Learning and Employment Center for People with Disabilities of the Ezer Mizion organization in the town of Nechalim.
The unique activity surprised the management and the instructors. The collaboration was amazing, and the content touched the hearts of these great people, the pure souls who illuminate the world precisely out of difficulty.
The concepts of coping, joy in every situation, and Jewish heroism are not foreign to them. They cope bravely every moment of their lives, and therefore the wonderful lectures and unique documentary activity of Ganzach Kiddush Hashem give them strength and fresh air to their veins.
In the near future, documentary activity will be intensified among all segments of the public, with an emphasis on students from every class and sector.
Programs and Activities
A Morning of Learning for Grade 8
Eighth graders from all over the country come to us to study a unit of material tailored to their age and their annual theme in literature – Holocaust literature. During the program, they listened to an introductory talk and watched a presentation accompanied by guiding. At the end of an experiential and fascinating day, they left with an entire unit built based on the online exhibition Ba’Mistarim (available in Hebrew here).
The schools in Bnei Brak sent the students to the museum itself, where they were also impressed by the special exhibits, the pictures, and the atmosphere. Schools outside the city invite the team to present the unit at school. The schools that invited us range he spectrum of Charedi (ultra-Orthodox) society, and there was even a day that was entirely in Yiddish!
Tools for Teacher Trainees
Groups of teaching students from teaching seminaries come to receive experiential tools on how to teach the subject of the Holocaust in schools.
Activities for Children with Disabilities
Our team, in collaboration with the Ezer Mizion Centre, delivered a program that included a lecture and presentation for boys and girls with disabilities after careful consideration of adapting the content to those with low sensitivity thresholds. The participants enjoyed themselves immensely, were very interested, even more than regular groups, shared stories, felt excited and connected. They surprised the lecturer by presenting her with a key chain that they had created with their own hands in a special corner for creating souvenirs with a 3D printer, along with a moving letter about what they had received in the activity.
From the participants:
“A stunning activity. A truly incredible privilege. I took a message for life: to do something sweet for a Jew.”
“The lecture is very strengthening, uplifting, and gives one strength to go on. Kudos to Ganzach for their great work! I would be very happy if they brought us more lectures like this. It is very important to pass on to future generations the topic of the Holocaust and the activities of the Jews – how they helped each other and encouraged each other.”
Vizhnitz Chassidism in Action
- Preparation for trips to Poland – Groups of young men from the Vizhnitz yeshivas traveled to tour the cemeteries of the righteous in Poland, mainly to commemorate the Rebbe of Lizhensk. Before Passover, they came to us and received guidance in preparation for the trip. They enjoyed themselves immensely.
- Our team received an interesting request from the Rebbetzin of Vizhnitz, who requested us to deliver a program on the Holocaust to a group of distinguished women from the community who meet for classes.
- Groups of female students from Vizhnitz High School will attend a community-based learning day over the Three Weeks (between the fast days of Shiva-Asar B’Tammuz and Tisha B’Av).
Yom HaShoah Activities for Soldiers
On Yom HaShoah, a very important activity was held for one hundred and twenty charedi soldiers serving in the high-tech unit of the 8200 Intelligence Corps. The event included a lecture by Rabbi Aharon Kravitz on Ha’Hod Sheh B’Gevura (the glory of heroism), the spiritual heroes of Warsaw, and testimonies of Holocaust survivors. Many of the soldiers who do not serve in this specific unit chose to join in and listen.
The soldiers’ reactions were very warm, and this is the response the lecturer received from the group’s commander:
Rony,
I wanted to say thank you again!
I received amazing feedback on the content and presentation.
The film really spoke to this type of population.
Email address for booking activities: mazkirut@ganzach.org.il
