Resources

Below you will find books, organizations and other educational resources to help enhance Holocaust education in your class, prepare your students for a Carrying Holocaust Testimony presentation and help you debrief after a presentation.

Books and Book Guides

Educational Programs and Organizations

Questions and Activities

  1. There has been a rise in hate related graffiti in your school or community? Write a short paper answering the following questions: What do you think is the impact of this graffiti on the survivors and children of survivors? What is the role of symbolism in the Holocaust and the aftermath of the Holocaust?
  2. Imagine you could have met the Survivor you heard about today. Write a short dialogue between the two of you that includes any questions you would have wanted to ask and how you think the Survivor would have answered. Let the Survivor know the impact of hearing the history had on you and what you will do differently in your life as a result of having heard about it.
  3. What role did race play in the Holocaust? What about religion? Has society changed the way we think about race or religion? What changes do you think we can make as individuals?
  4. Holocaust survivors often rely on the phrase “Never Again”. Write a short paper explaining what you think they mean by this phrase. Who does or who should “Never Again” refer to? Has “Never Again” been true? What will it take to make “Never Again” possible? What role can you play in “Never Again”?
  5. Write a Thank You letter to today’s presenter. Include answers to the following questions: Why is it important to hear a Survivor’s history or learn about the Holocaust? What did you learn that you had not already known? Describe the parts of the presentation that you won’t forget. Why did those parts stay with you?
  6. There are many children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors who are now telling their family’s history. Reflect on the impact of hearing from the next generation on your connection to the history. Why are their experiences growing up in the shadows of the Holocaust important for our learning? Write a letter to the presenter you heard today describing the impact of the presentation and how it will affect you.
  7. Collect in groups of 3-5 to discuss the following questions: What was the role of de-humanization in the Holocaust? How did it impact this survivor’s history? What do you think are our responsibilities with respect to the dignity of others? Did learning about the Holocaust change your perspective on this? Do you think it will change how you view others? In what way?
  8. Collect in groups of 3-5 to plan an activity you will lead individually or as a group in school, at home or in your community based on the following statement: “The baton of Holocaust memory has been passed on to you. You can choose to ignore it or you can choose to take action and to continue to pass it on. What will you choose?” Explain what you will do and why. How will you embark on that journey?
  9. Discuss the following as a class: Consider the role of propaganda in the Holocaust. Who do you think it influenced in the history you heard today? Compare and contrast the propaganda of the Holocaust with the role or impact of Social Media in modern day issues of hate, anti-semitism, islamophobia, black rights, indigenous rights, LGBTQ+ etc. How might you rethink your own use of social media in this context?
  10. What did you learn about the experiences of the survivors coming to Canada? How did they integrate in society? How was this survivor able to establish roots in Canada and contribute to society? What can we learn from the survivor’s experience settling in Canada? How has the experience impacted human rights in Canada? Do you see opportunities to do more?