ETHS’ annual Holocaust Remembrance Week began on March 23 and concluded on March 27 with the theme being The Basics: What We All Ought to Know, focusing on the fundamentals of the Holocaust and highlighting important details that are often forgotten.
“This year we decided to focus on a theme surrounding the basics of the Holocaust in order to make this incredibly complicated event able to be more widely understood,” said Yoni Anderson, a junior on the Holocaust Remembrance Week Planning Committee.
Led by sponsors Aaron Becker, a history teacher, and Student Services and Social Worker Emily Alexander, the Holocaust Remembrance Week Planning Committee engaged students who worked over several months to create a meaningful opportunity for commemoration and learning for their peers.
This year’s Holocaust Remembrance Week consisted of a range of speakers and performances, including talks from guest speakers. The week featured Professor Joshua Shanes, professor of Jewish history at the University of California, Davis and Professor Daniel Greene, adjunct professor of history at Northwestern University and historian at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.
Students also attended educational panels, screenings of the films “80 Years On” and “I am Here” and a performance and history lesson on Jewish music.
The panel was a highlight, consisting of five students and one teacher who each shared their family’s connection to the Holocaust. The presenters talked about their grandparents’ and other relatives’ experiences during the Holocaust.
On March 22, many classes participated in “House Calls,” where representatives from the Holocaust Remembrance Week Planning Committee gave classes an overview of the tragic events of the Holocaust.
Daniel Greene believes that these panels are really meaningful.
“I’ve had the privilege of knowing many Holocaust survivors,” said Greene. “As the generation of Holocaust survivors passes, we have an enormous responsibility to keep telling their stories.”
As a speaker this year, Greene gave a talk titled, “What Did Americans Know about the Holocaust While it was Happening?,” giving students a deeper understanding of what the United States knew about the Holocaust throughout the war.
Through presentations and films, students explored the impact of long-term dehumanization and bystanderism. Students also learned about the people who resisted by revolting, preserving traditional cultures and documenting the horrors that took place.
According to Greene, learning about the Holocaust is especially important in modern society.
“So many lessons from the Holocaust are relevant today, including recognizing that democracies are fragile and that unchecked antisemitism and other forms of prejudice can lead to violence,” said Greene. “Learning about the Holocaust can also help students think about their roles and responsibilities in a democracy today.”
To close out the week, the band Juta & the Hi-Dukes played Jewish music. This performance helped students understand the persistence of Jewish culture in the face of the Holocaust.
Jewish and Israeli Culture Club Leadership Representative junior Max Jury believes that hosting experts like Greene on campus provides students with a unique experience.
“I think that learning from professionals in this context is a really amazing opportunity,” said Jury. “I really want to thank all of the students who attended this year and encourage all students to attend next year.”
Students at Holocaust Remembrance Week learned firsthand about the Holocaust from speakers, films and the familial histories of fellow students.
